Many commercial turnouts do not follow NMRA standards, very confusing wading thru the lot.
I went with Fastracks. Using all # 5 HO-83. I bought the kit and enough additional material for a total of 15 turnouts. With the kit you can build 5 turnouts, comes out to $9.50 each.
I got the stuff yesterday and have built 5 turnouts so far. Took my time and watched the included video for the first two, pausing when needed. These turnouts are perfect!!!
If you need a curved turnout they have laser cut Quiksticks you can use to hand lay em. Most guy's only need 1 or 2 so no need to buy the fixtures for them. You can even use your own rail with Quick Sticks.
By buying extra materials my turnouts will cost less than $9.00 each, maybe $7.50, have not computed it yet.
Check them out, watch the on-line video's
http://www.handlaidtrack.com
JulesB
I would be very wary of using Peco code 100 small and medium radius with rolling stock having NRMA standards. Peco code 100 is "universal" which means that it is built to accomodate the cotton reels which the Poms call wheels on brands like Hornby. So the flangeways are wider and could cause you frustration unless you shim them all back to NRMA standard. The large radius (5' from memory) are more reliable because of the generous radius. Peco code 75 is much better, the flangeways are closer to NRMA, but still not quite right. My experience is that the medium radius and curved turnouts in code 75 give reliable running with NRMA wheeled rolling stock. I've not tried small radius in code 75, but they are available.
So I would advise using the code 75, or be prepared to shim every turnout if you use code 100. Hope that helps.
Let's not confuse anybody. Peco makes both curved and straight frog turnouts. Straight frogs (#4, #6, etc.) are more prototypical for North American railroads. The curved-frog variety (sharp, medium, etc.) are more efficient using space. (Don't confuse curved frog turnouts with curved turnouts where the turnout is on a curve.) If you try to use the straight frogs for a plan designed for curved frogs, you won't be able to duplicate the track plan.
Mark
Peco turnouts are made in England, so they don't use U.S. frog size terminology. In HO scale, the small turnout is similar to, but not exactly the same as, a #4; the medium is a #5; and the large is a #6. They are also making a #8 in code 83 rail, now, which they call a #8 for the U.S. market. All Peco HO scale turnouts diverge at a 12 degree angle, regardless of size, and 2 of them formed into a crossover will result in your parallel tracks being exactly 2 inches apart on center.
I believe they are #5's and #7s.
I would draw the layout out in software to make sure it fits. I tried one of their switching layouts that was supposed to be 1 ft x 16 ft, and by the time I fit the turnouts together the actual dimensions were 18" by 18 ft.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
You did not say what scale but in HO scale (and I think N), Peco describes most of their turnouts as "small" (not short), medium, and long radius.
For example, here is Peco's small radius code 100 (HO) turnout:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/552-1903
Just (advanced) search Walthers by manufacturer # (552), scale, and code (i.e. 100) and you will get the picture.
Peco's new numbered turnouts are listed as "North American" -- which is what they are but they may not fit the track plan you want.
Good Luck,-John
I could only assume a number 4 is small and a number 6 is medium and a number 8 is large? The numbers refer to the frog angle. A 4 is smaller in length because of the frog and switch diverging on a sharper angle and tighter radius turn....
OK, OK, OK...so I'm buildin' this cool switching layout, see? From a track plan by Scot Osterweil, published in the Model Railroad Planning 2005 mag. It's a 1' x 6' plan presented in an article titled "Lots of switching, small space". I build structures...you know, buildings and bridges and stuff and this is my first actual layout. So I don't really know much about track and turnouts, see?
The plan calls for "short" and "medium" Peco turnouts. So i check out the Walthers website and I get a list of Peco turnouts, all with numbers. So here's the question: "small" and "medium" match with what numbers?
Thanks in advance for any and all replies!
Bruce J.