Minitrix or Fleischmann piccolo: the differences side by side
Benjamin | TrackDrawer.com · published 6 November 2026
Minitrix and Fleischmann piccolo are both N gauge on 9 mm, two-rail DC, and they have almost the same tightest curve: 194.6 against 192 mm. The big difference lies in the turnouts and the radii. Minitrix has eight evenly spaced radii and a very short turnout that diverges on R1; piccolo has four radii in two pairs, a turnout with a wide 430 mm divergence, and a curved turnout. That is why Minitrix fits a passing loop on a shorter board, while piccolo runs more smoothly through its turnouts.
What they have in common
Both systems are N (1:160) on 9 mm track with two-rail DC. Your trains run on both, as long as they can handle the curves. Both have a fixed 33.6 mm spacing between circles, straight and curved pieces in several lengths, a flexible track, a three-way turnout, crossings, double slips, a feeder track, an uncoupling track and a buffer stop end piece. In our catalogue each has 31 items.
The differences in one table
| Feature | Minitrix | Fleischmann piccolo |
|---|---|---|
| Width seen from above | 16 mm | 27 mm |
| Curve radii | R1 194.6, R2 228.2, R2a 261.8, R2b 295.4, R3 329, R4 362.6, R5 492.6, R6 526.2 mm | R1 192, R2 225.6, R3 396.4, R4 430 mm |
| R1 curve angles | 30 and 24 degrees | 45, 15 and 7.5 degrees |
| Standard turnout | 14951/14953: 104.2 mm, R1 over 24 degrees | 9170/9171: 111 mm, 430 mm over 15 degrees |
| Second turnout | 14954/14939: 112.6 mm, R4 over 15 degrees | none |
| Matching curve | 14914, R1 over 24 degrees | 9136, R4 over 15 degrees |
| Make-up piece | 14906, 54.2 mm | 9101, 111 mm |
| Spacing after turnout and matching curve | 33.6 mm | 29.3 mm |
| Curved turnout | none in our catalogue | 9174/9175, R1/R2 over 45 degrees |
| Double slip | 30 degrees (R1) and 15 degrees (R4) | 15 degrees, left and right |
| Crossings | 30 and 15 degrees | 30 degrees, 15 degrees left and right |
| Flexible track | 14901, 730 mm | 9106, 777 mm |
| Shortest straight | 17.5 mm | 27.75 mm |
| Buffer stop end piece | 14991, 50 mm | 9116, 57.5 mm |
Radii: a ladder or two pairs
Minitrix has a true ladder: from R1 to R4 each one 33.6 mm further out, with R5 and R6 above that. That lets you lay concentric loops side by side, for example double track on R2b and R2a when your board is a little deeper. Each step costs 6.7 cm of depth.
piccolo works with two pairs: R1 and R2 for small layouts, R3 and R4 for generous curves. Between R2 and R3 there are 170.8 mm. On a board 80 cm deep you therefore stay on R2, where Minitrix can already use R2b or R3. From about 90 to 100 cm of depth piccolo offers wide curves again with R3 and R4.
Turnouts: short or wide
This is where the systems differ most. The Minitrix turnout diverges on the tightest curve, R1, over 24 degrees, and the matching curve is an R1 curve too. Turnout and make-up piece together are only 158.4 mm long. That is very compact and ideal for a small board, but a long train runs through the tightest curve in the turnout ladder, twice in a row in opposite directions. To avoid that, use the second Minitrix turnout, which diverges on R4 over 15 degrees.
The piccolo turnout diverges by 15 degrees at 430 mm, the same radius as R4. It runs more smoothly, but the second track then ends up 29.3 mm from the first, closer than the 33.6 mm between the circles. On the straight side you add 9101 at 111 mm; the remaining difference of about 1.2 mm is taken up in the joints of the passing loop. Why those distances matter is explained in track spacing.
A plus for piccolo is the R1/R2 curved turnout: it lets a track branch off inside the curve, without a straight before it. That helps on small boards where every centimetre of straight track counts.
Feeding power and uncoupling
The small pieces differ too. Minitrix feeds through a curved feeder track (14972), a 30 degree R1 curve with a capacitor; piccolo through a straight 111 mm feeder (9108). With piccolo you choose between an electric (9112) and a manual uncoupling track (9114), and there is a 55.5 mm contact track (9115) that lets a train trigger something. Minitrix has a 76.3 mm uncoupling track (14969) in our catalogue. If you plan your feeds in a curve, the Minitrix feeder fits right in.
Space: what the designer measures
With the same kind of stock and a 5 cm margin, the TrackDrawer Auto-designer laid with both systems:
| Board | Minitrix | Fleischmann piccolo |
|---|---|---|
| Smallest loop | 55 x 55 cm | 55 x 55 cm |
| First loop with passing loop | 85 x 55 cm | 100 x 55 cm |
| 120 x 60 cm | double track R2/R1 with siding and yard, 6.59 m | double track R2/R1 with siding and yard, 6.04 m |
| 200 x 100 cm | double track R4/R3 with crossover, 10.23 m | double track R4/R3, 9.20 m |
The difference is small for a loop and larger for a passing loop, because of the turnout. All sizes per board are in how much space for Minitrix and how much space for piccolo.
Which one when?
- As much as possible on a small board: Minitrix. The short turnout and the many radii get the most out of 50 to 60 cm of depth.
- Smooth running through the turnouts, long coaches: piccolo, or Minitrix with the 15 degree turnout.
- Branching off inside a curve: piccolo with the curved turnout.
- Wide curves on a large board: both; piccolo with R3/R4, Minitrix with R4 to R6.
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine Minitrix and piccolo?
Not piece by piece: the radii above R1, the turnouts and the joiners differ. There is no transition piece between the two in our catalogue. Keep them in separate parts of your layout, or pick one system.
Will my N trains run on both?
Yes. Both are two-rail DC on 9 mm. Just watch the radius your rolling stock can handle, especially on R1 and through the Minitrix turnout.
Your plan with either system
Choose Minitrix or piccolo in TrackDrawer, enter your stock and let the Auto-designer lay a plan. The designer works with the real dimensions of every turnout and curve.