John M

If you are building your own modular layout, any manufacturer will work.

If you are building to say the Z-Bend Track (a.k.a. ZBT), you can also use any manufacturer. ?The MTL flex will look the best but you will need some roadbed under it to transition from the lower flex height to 'roadbed included' track. You can use cork from Itty-Bitty Lines or 1/2 of Midwest Products N-scale (same height as IBL). Both will get you close to the 'roadbed included track.?

All three manufacturers use Code 55 rail but measure between 55 and 60 (o.055 - o.060") ** but ** that rail is mounted differently to the roadbed. M?rklin is nearly o.015" higher than MTL flex but this can all be compensated for with simple shims under.

The roadbed track is sorta simpler and somewhat more robust at the track ZBT interface. However, the ZBT standard has roadbed (e.g. cork included all the way to the edge of the module from the 2-1/8" setback where the rail stops. This is because the ZBT standard expects to use the m?rklin 8592 expansion track which has no roadbed (just the plastic ties).

If you choose to build with Rokuhan (or MTL) track and the module interconnects will only be on your own modules (e.g. a pair or more modules that connect together as a specific theme never meant to operate independently [expect the extreme ends] ) then you can use Rokuhan's expansion track which includes the roadbed.

The critical things about module interconnects:

Rail height is measured to the mounting holes !!! (often, it measured from the holes to the roadbed ! NO !)

Module ends must be square to the roadbed. Build properly, please.

If cork roadbed is used (for the m?rklin 8592 joiners), you 'must' sand the cork down a bit, all the way from the end to the module end to the under the rail ends! This allows for track heights too low, module ends not square, mating modules (theirs) not properly maid. See the Z-Bend Track document.

Sent 'from the road'

Sent from my Galaxy S?III