Riding The Tinplate H0 Rails

When researching the history of H0 here in the United States, it becomes very apparent that, unlike the larger scales, it was a scale endeavor fairly early on. It did not go through a real "tinplate" phase on these shores. Over in Europe, that was how H0 (specifically in its 00 phase) began - mechanical, later electric, models riding over tinplate track. 

Here, after it and nearby 00 scale were introduced, it started out as a craftsman scale. You could buy components, but you were left to build all your equipment, and oftentimes that included track.

Unlike its English, and to a degree European, counterparts, 00 here did not use 16.5mm gauge. Here, it started with 19mm from the beginning, and while it grew somewhat in popularity, it was eclipsed by H0 fairly quickly, even though Lionel introduced their small range of equipment in the later 1930s. 

The A.C. Gilbert Company, before buying the American Flyer line, began looking into H0 around the same time, and introduced their line to run on 16.5mm, H0, though I have read somewhere that they chose a scale of 9/64" to the foot instead of 3.5mm to the foot, resulting in their equipment being slightly oversized at 1/85 instead of 1/87. Like the Lionel 00 line, these were ready to run.

They also began mass production of track. 

Initially, Gilbert's track used solid rails on stamped tinplate roadbed. Later, in the late 1940s, they switched over to tinplate style track that strongly resembled their S gauge offerings. This was short lived, however.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the planet, tinplate H0 track was still the norm, and amazingly stuck around at least until the 1970s, possibly even the 1980s. 

That's what I want to talk about here. Why?

Because I have a lot of it, and I plan on using it.

While it would be far more practical to buy modern nickel silver track, my interests lie in older, more toylike equipment, Some of this hardly qualifies as toy like, though perhaps in detail - some European made equipment was solid, and performed amazingly well, though with caveats.

From left to right, by radius - Distler 11.5", Fleischmann 11.5", Fleischmann 14", Fleischmann 10", Nomura 10 with plastic ties", Marx 15" with roadbed, Marx (Hong Kong) 15" with plastic ties

Of the track pictured above, two brands appear to have persisted well into the 1970s, Fleischmann and Nomura, as well as a mysterious "Y" brand from Japan (that trademark is normally associated with Yonezawa, though I am unaware of them making H0 trains). Piko, an East German company at the time, may have made tinplate track into the early 1990s, though I cannot confirm this. As for Fleischmann, their tinplate track production ended in 1974. I cannot be sure of Nomura, though their trains were still on the shelves in 1973 where I lived. 

But why bother using what some consider the worse possible track for a small layout?

As I mentioned, I have many pieces already, but another reason is simpler - curiosity. 

After all, tinplate track is still very common with 027 and 0, as well as the larger tinplate trains. Same material. The difference is weight of the equipment. As tinplate track oxidizes, it loses a good deal of conductivity. In a sense it becomes its own resistor. My heavy Fleischmann gear, though, has no trouble at all running on it. Same for my diecast Marx Hudsons. As long as the pickups are making good contact with the track, your equipment should still get power. 

The other thing is to keep the track clean. 

(You have been warned)

I am unsure as to when, or even if, I will begin construction. This initial layout is mostly to test techniques, and as I am pressed for space, it will be rather small, so much so that my large steamers will not be able to run on it. 

I have to start somewhere, though. I have the track, after all. 

There comes a point where the planning has to stop and the actual work has to start.