Looking at restarting my old flame into marklin and setting up my new layout in k-tracks.

Should I plan everything, but turnouts of course, with flex track 2205? Any advantages to using anything else?

I model with C track, but only because I beagn with M, and when it was discontinued I had a large start set and two additional exapnders with 4 turnouts. The M to C transition tracks worked well, so I got early C track which I had in storage never used. It is brittle and cracking. When I began re entering the hobby last spring before knowing this, I ordered more.
The new is improved plastic. So I began designing a track plan for expansion with Anyrail software, and Scarm. Both are good. However, much is cut and try anyhow as free lance plans go with curve clearances, etc. Flex track helps with thiese, ans well as tunnel portal clearnaces, and ramps.
K and C track dimemsions are identical if not very similar. I got a Faller Bietschstal bridge and C track has too high a profile for it due to the roadbed. So I measured and got K track for it, and K to C transition tracks. I now have a few clearnace issues to iron out, but flex track is out. I may have to eleiminate a wanted two level mountain tunnel and just have a curing bridge ramp. At first the double track curve clearannce was too close, and long cars were touching as they passed at corner of the inside car to the side of the outer. Just enough to scrape. I got that adjusted. I am also not the best with geometrics and figures.

Choose what you like best and will work best. Flex is great, but more cutting and splicing may be beeded. There are plenty of online tutorials via youtube, etc.

Hi
It is all a matter of taste.
After using C track and Flex K track here are my findings
* Flex K tracks allow to make reality-like curves but the rail is ancient-looking and making electrical connections is a let-down. Ballasting is an obligation, often creating contact problems between flex sections
* K track switches and doubleslip switches are from the past century with very approximate mechanisms
* C track is very reliable, rail size is prototypical, tracks easy to connect, to cut and adapt. C rail Switches and double slip switches have a very good mechanism BUT no sleek double slip switches. Also some plastic parts in the 3 way switch are not the best.

Conclusion: the excellent geometry of the C track and solid binding between rail is a huge plus (adding a lot of reliability allowing also operation of 2 rail DC rolling stock) even if it has some drawbacks. Even with an included track bed, ballasting is advised for realism.

Cheers
Jean

flex-track is great for custom made long stretches

LONG stretches where ordinary track-pieces wont do

else - stay away from flex-track

simply isnt worth the effort

and - forget about making custom contact-tracks within
one piece of flextrack - it will ruin the tension and create unwanted bends

also flextrack needs to be screwed securely into the layout in a way
that makes noise-reduction almost impossible, unless you bend
the flextrack only very slightly

i havent done the math but in a straight hidden yard - schattenbahnhof
flextrack could be money-saving

I have always ordered Merkur track bed directly from...

Merkur!

You must be doing it wrong. I have many such contacts.


I completely disagree. I do not screw my K-track down at all. It is held in place perfectly by the roadbed.

If using flex track to make curves then it may be worth investing in some Tracksetta gauges to get a constant radius - there is also one to ensure you lay track straight as well.

This simply isn't correct. -Or maybe I should just say that "I disagree"...
Anyway, I now see that many other members here have chimed in to disagree too, so, I´m just +1 saying the same...

Tip: To avoid bends where you later cut a flex-track to make contact strips; Pre-BEND the track so that it holds its shape, even without being screwed down. That way when you cut the rail with the Dremel, nothing happens!