Other than throw bar design and length of the diverging track beyond the frog, are there any important differences between Atlas Code 83 Custom Line and Super Track #6 turnouts? Differences in geometry, build quality, operational quality and consistency, etc.? Thanks for any insight.
Differences in geometry, build quality, operational quality and consistency, etc.?
Geometry-wise, they are #6, but the diverging routes do have a differing geometry on that end. I bought most of my Super turnouts and they were missing a bit of plastic on the edges of the frog (short shot), maybe something endemic to manufacturing 20 years ago. AFAIK, they are still the same turnouts up to the present. The Custom Line and Super both seem to be about the same quality. They seem to work well enough, and the price is modest if you are on a budget. I'm planning on going with Peco on my next layout but they are a good deal more expensive.
I went with the Custom Line version on my last layout when I needed to buy new turnouts to suppliment my older Super turnouts; I prefer the shape as it is easier to integrate into a yard ladder without cutting or trimming. It can also be more easily added to a curve where it joins the tangent (straight away).
I also prefer the throw bar since it is less likely to interfere with adjacent track in close quarters in a yard.
Most of the turnouts in the photo below are the Custome Line but there is a mix so you can see both. The Custom Line have the T shaped thow bar. There is a super turnout going into the blue engine house - you can see it has fairly equal length diverging tracks and long throwbar parts by comparison.
Due to the small size allowed to display here it might be easier to see in the vertical format photo (below) taken from the opposite direction.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I didn't notice any operational differences between the two. For me it was more how the turnout would fit into the yard; the Super were more likely to need trimming or cutting to fit in, and the long throw bars were more likely to interfere with neighboring track in tight quarters.
The pictured layout was torn down last July for move and is no longer operational. I saved all the turnouts for re-use on a future larger layout but plan buying Peco code 83 for my main yard going forward and code 100 in staging (and suppliment with the Atlas where needed).