Derailments on Atlas Turnouts

[nfrailway]

I think this may have been asked before. But what the heck. How can I prevent some of my locos, especially steam, from derailing when they hit the frog on an Atlas Code100 turnout?

[Jacktal]

First,you should check for track edges within your turnouts.You may have to file them a little so that the wheels can go through your turnouts without hitting.It is also possible that some of your locos have deeper wheel flanges so you may have to file the plastic down a little.And just as important,make sure that some of your loco's wheels are not out of gauge,too narrow they'll hit the frog and too wide will get the flanges pinching inside the rails and pu***he loco up and off the track.

[willy6]

I contacted Atlas about this problem, because it happens to me. Here is the answer i got from Atlas........( ),did you see it?

[Anonymous]

Does the same wheelsets derail everytime and only on Atlas Code 100? I would think that the frog flangeway may be too shallow. I've used a dremel tool to deepen the flangeway before, but I should mention that the locomotive derailing did have deep flanges on the drivers and the TO was in the engine service area and the only one I had to modify. I now handlay my track and to's. You can make your own frog or they can be purchased to rework a to if this turns out to be the problem. Hope this helps. Finding and repairing little things like this gives me some satisfaction and keeps the hobby interesting.

[scole100]

On a previous layout I had the same problem. I bought the NMRA clearence tool and checked the turnouts and my wheels to see if everything was correct. In each of the turnouts the rails were to narrow. The only good fix that I found was to use better turnouts.

[foxtrackin]

I was having trouble with my steam engine throwing the pilot wheels when going thru one of my altas turnouts and couldn't figure out the problem. Then i discovered that the turnout wasn't laying completely flat. After I leveled it I never had any more problems.

[mcouvillion]

nfrailway,

OK, first, what type of Atlas code 100 turnout? Is it snap track (#4)? Does it have plastic frogs? Are your engines' wheels in gauge? Is it the same turnout and/or engine every time? Are your engines' wheel flanges the old "toy train" depth or RP-25 contour? These questions need to be answered first before trying to give you a reasonable answer. I'm sure there are plenty of folks willing to help, but we can't see the problem, and need a little more info to understand what you are experiencing.

Mark C.

[ericboone]

I was part of a club that used Atlas turnouts. Of the 100 turnouts we had, about half had the frog higher than the rails. This was a problem Atlas was aware of. They offered to take them back, but it was easier to just file them down.
We also had some turnouts that were not level. The frog was on a small peak in the roadbed. The longer steamers had problems.

[Paul Milenkovic]

I have also encountered problems with a steam engine pilot truck on Atlas Code 83 turnouts. There is this notch in the rail that the turnout points fit into, and the pilot wheel of my 2-8-2 was picking that notch -- not going in the direction of where the turnout diverges but going in the direction where the two tracks converge -- coming from the curved route merging with the straight. My solution is to use jeweler's needle files and take down a little bit of that notch or step in the gauge face of the rail.

[Anonymous]

the simple fact is, this is model railroading and things may needto be tweeked a bit. To critisize a product is not the answer. To adjust and maintain is. Watch as locos and stock roll over turnouts and find problem as found. The people who tell you atlas is junk are not model railroaders but train junkies who probably run on tables. Sorry but to bad mouth a product that has be around for as long as Atlas has just doesn't make sence to me, after all how many of us started with Atlas equipment. The turn out work fine if you take the care installing them and adjusting as nessecary. Sorry if I stepped on anyones toes but we are here to give and get advise not to tell us we have junk.

[Anonymous]

I will say that Atlas does not make a very good turnout. I used them before on my N scale layouts and always had trouble. Model Railroading is supposed to be fun not discouraging!!! This time when I started a new layout I went to Peco turnouts. Not one derailment.

[Anonymous]

I have to admit that the Atlas Code 100s I use are not of the best quality either. This is not a slam at Atlas, as I own many other Atlas products and have very little trouble with them. As for the question in this post, you have two choices, replace the turnout with another Atlas, or which ever brand you find to be better, or rework the one you have installed. For me, I reworked some, and replaced others. I have found the Peco swtiches to be of better quality and depending on where you buy them, can be had for the same price as an Atlas code 100 #6.