I got some atlas code 55 n gauge flex track and when I went to connect my peco code 55 turnout, they don't work together. The rail profile of the turnout is considerably higher than the track!! What is going wrong?? Thanks.
Peco's code 55 isn't the same as Atlas's code 55. If it makes you feel any better, I have the same problem with code 100 in HO. You need to shim just a bit, to bring the tops of the rail heads even with each other. You'll probably find that the rail joiners don't match, either. On my code 100 tracks, I have to use the larger Atlas rail joiners, and pinch them down a bit with pliers on the Peco side.
Peco turnouts are nice, by the way, and this minor inconvenience is worth it for the superior performance.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Thanks for the reply. I am very new to this. I've got atlas code 55 joiners and can connect them to both turnout and flex track. So how do I shim the flextrack up to the level of the peco turnout????
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Thanks, but HOW do I shim it? I can shim up the flextrack, but then how do I connect the track to the turnout? Railjoiners will then line up the bottoms of the rails so all I would do then is shim up the misalignment. Or do I not use railjoiners? Or ?????
The Peco code 55 N trackage is NOT true code 55 rail. They have basically 'buried' a special code 80 rail with a double base into the ties. Only the upper base shows. You have some serious work if you want to combine the two. I did this once by getting the top and inside edges if the two rails lined up and soldering them together. You could file away the lower base and maybe you will be able to get an Atlas rail joiner to fit - bit I suspect the base of the Peco rail may be too wide. The Peco trackage is 'rough/tough' and very good, but mating it to Atlas or M-E code 55 is a pain.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Thanks for the replies. Since I had bought a bunch of peco turnouts off ebay, I tried to get the atlas track and peco turnout combo a try.
I attached Atlas 55 joiners to the peco switch. Then I used my needlenose pliers and sweezed shut the other end of the rail joiner. Placing the atlas flextrack on top of the closed up joiner shimmed the flextrack almost exactly even to the switch's taller railhead!! I used a couple of bricks to hold down track and switch (3 hand would have made this an easier task) and then soldered down the outside of the rail into the joiner. A little bit of file work made for an excellent connection!!!!