Greetings all,
I have changed back to HO scale so that my son can enjoy the layout too. I felt that N scale was going to be too easliy damaged by little fingers.
The benchwork is done, the raisers are in place and I am ready to start adding wiring and track. I purchased Atlas Code 83 Flex track and I have been planning to use the Walthers DCC friendly turnouts for this project. My LHS had ONE #8 DCC friendly turnout. I got this and it works well with the Atlas track. However, Walthers did not have any more in stock and the date on their site for getting more was for Jan. This date was fine as I knew I would not need the turnout until then. Now they have changed the date to May and July!
So, I am now looking at other choices for my turnouts. I know some of my choices are Atlas, ME, and Peco. What are other good choices for the turnouts that will be easy to work with DCC and with the flex track I have already purchased.
I am planning to run a number of steamer engines if that will make a diffence in the choices.
Thanks,
Christopher
If I may humbly offer a suggestion, have you considered hand-laying your turnouts? A quick Forum search will give you enough links to keep you reading for quite a spell - there seem to be about as many ways to roll one's own turnouts as there are people doing it.
While building specialwork may seem daunting to someone who's never done it before, it's actually a fairly simple and straightforward process. Even this multi-thumbed old buzzard mastered the necessary skills.
The two things which set hand-laid turnouts a notch above the best commercial products?
Try it, but be careful. If you become addicted, you'll modify your track plan to include complex yard throats and other puzzle-palace specialwork, just for the fun of building them!
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid puzzle palace specialwork)
Greetings,
tomikawaTT wrote: While building specialwork may seem daunting to someone who's never done it before, it's actually a fairly simple and straightforward process. Even this multi-thumbed old buzzard mastered the necessary skills.
You are right. It is somthing I have avoided because it does seem an overwelming task to do. I will look further into it.
tomikawaTT wrote: The two things which set hand-laid turnouts a notch above the best commercial products?You can build exactly to your track plan, without having to compromise to suit the geometry of (insert manufacturer name here) products.Raw rail, spikes, wood ties and solder are never out of stock!
There are some pretty close turnouts with the plan. I was planning to shorten the stock turnouts as needed. Perhaps this would have been a bad idea?
tomikawaTT wrote: Try it, but be careful.
Try it, but be careful.
After I do some more reading and research I will look into it.
loathar wrote:Walthers/Shinohara turnouts can get pretty scarce at times.
I agree!
BTW, I like your location line. I am, in fact, in Amish Country, PENN.
selector wrote:Contact the fellow at www.traintrack.net He seems to have a good reach into the track items bins.
Hay thanks for the link. I will check it out.
tomikawaTT wrote: ... have you considered hand-laying your turnouts? A quick Forum search will give you enough links to keep you reading for quite a spell -
... have you considered hand-laying your turnouts? A quick Forum search will give you enough links to keep you reading for quite a spell -
Wow, you were not kidding about there being a lot to read. I did go back into my MR and other books and found some stuff too. I did look at the jigs from http://www.handlaidtrack.com/ho.php that are mentioned for building the turnouts. If I had my whole basment for the layout I would really consider a set of the jigs. If anyone here is in South Central PA and has one of these Jigs (code 83) I would like to look it over.
I will still consider laying the turnouts myself but I will also be looking at the other manufactures turnouts.
Try these:
http://www.cvmw.com/cvtswitch/index.htm
Yes, you have to build them, but once done they are 100% DCC compatible. There is not much of a learning curve as the instructions are pretty thorough. Also, laying CV turnouts has been well documented on several sites. Here are two of the better ones for example:
http://www.trainweb.org/freemoslo/Modules/Tips-and-Techniques/cvmw_ties_strips_turnout_kits.htm
http://www.polyweb.com/dans_rr/blog/index.php/archives/category/layout-progress/turnouts
So if you get lost there is plenty of help available!
Donnell
PS - Here's another tool that you will find useful when building frogs, or you could just use the various Details West frog castings to really speed up turnout construction!
The FasTrax jigs do simplify construction if you've never done it before, but I've built literally hundreds of turnouts (a double slip switch counts as four) and I've never used a jig. Two three point gauges, an NMRA gauge, spiking pliers, rail cutters and a big flat file are my total tool box, other than my soldering tool (an ancient 325W Weller hand cannon.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
This site has always been my primary reference for DCC and especially DCC friendly turnouts:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm
There they seem to indicate that the Atlas code 83 stuff is DCC friendly. Worth checking out. The menu on the right has links to specifc brands. I am not personally familiar with the HO stuff being an N-scale guy until my basement gets bigger.
Regards,
Chis
Thank for all the links and information folks. I going to the LHS tonight.
airwolf crazy wrote: tomikawaTT wrote: ... have you considered hand-laying your turnouts? A quick Forum search will give you enough links to keep you reading for quite a spell - Wow, you were not kidding about there being a lot to read. I did go back into my MR and other books and found some stuff too. I did look at the jigs from http://www.handlaidtrack.com/ho.php that are mentioned for building the turnouts. If I had my whole basment for the layout I would really consider a set of the jigs. If anyone here is in South Central PA and has one of these Jigs (code 83) I would like to look it over.I will still consider laying the turnouts myself but I will also be looking at the other manufactures turnouts. Christopher
I'm using Fastracks jigs, the #5 only. Don't have a ton of room and limited to 24" radius curves, the #5 is 26". They work great for me wit turtois switch machines. I have seen some real nice hand laid turouts, but I'm 73 years old and hope to see the layout completed before I buy the farm.
Jules
I purchased two of the Code 83 #8 Fast Tracks jigs so I can build four at a time. I will need a pot full of these.The result in the best turnouts I have ever used in over 60 years of HO modeling.
For the few places, sidings, etc. where I will be using #6 switches, I have purchased the Peco Code 83. They are the best I have ever seen
Okay, I am still considering building my turnouts. My curves are free flowing therfore I will use the flex track. How can a turnout be made on a curve to which the radius is not known?
If I use any premade turnouts how do I keep the flex track/ turnout conection from getting a kink?
I have the same problem with designing the curved throat to the New Haven Union Station. All of the tunouts are on a curve, with the heel of the point just after the frog of the preceding switch. I am planning to construct this on a 3 foot by 4 foot panel on my work bench.
As for frog and point angles, I will draw a full size template, and build a filing jig that duplicates the drawing, whatever angle that may be. Since I purchased the Delta belt sander that Fast Tracks recommends, I should have no trouble grinding the points since it appears that they will be somewhere near a number 12 or even 16 angle.
Again, I suggest CVT...
If you are considering hand building, http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?5125
is a "must read". Joe uses a combination of CVT ties and Fast Track frog/point jig.
I have used his method and built turnouts that are far superior to any commercial turnouts available. Without guard rails (I add them in as the last step), trucks track smoothly through the frog area.
Steve B.
Thanks for that link Steve. It was a good read. It goes well with the other things I have read about making the turnouts. However, some how he made it seem "easy".
I think I will just have to give this a try.
I have tried getting onto Joe's forum before but I cannot seem to get registered. I have emailed the list admin. and I have even emailed Joe with a different question. In both cases I have not gotten a responce. I will be trying again.
Steve B.,
I would love to try Joe F.'s modified CV technique. I have a few questions for you, since you've tried to duplicate his work. Did you tend to melt ties as he warned about? Did you use a "disposable" set of ties as a jig of sorts? How did this work out? How about time--how much time per turnout once the initial learning curve is overcome?
David
BigRusty wrote: Since I purchased the Delta belt sander that Fast Tracks recommends, I should have no trouble grinding the points since it appears that they will be somewhere near a number 12 or even 16 angle.
Since I purchased the Delta belt sander that Fast Tracks recommends, I should have no trouble grinding the points since it appears that they will be somewhere near a number 12 or even 16 angle.
BR:
Oh those crazy track-layers. First they snag us with promises of economy and then they lead us right into a Tim Toolman Taylor trap. I suppose the cost will be down to commercial turnout level once you make enough...
Joking, of course. Belt sanders are nice for a lot of things. I plan on it being, perhaps, the fourth or fifth shop tool I buy. I bet they'll have nice features by 2050.
do you think that buying an assembled B&K Enterprises turnout kit along with a turnout tie set would be the best way to get started in handlaying turnouts? It seems a lot easier than starting with all the fast tracks stuff, and i don't have a lot of time and/or money to invest right now with that, but i'm really getting intrigued with handlaying turnouts. its just a shame that I can't somehow get college credit for turnout laying... haha. that would be ideal.
or actually... do you guys suggest handlaying some regular track sections to get the hang of handlaying before tackling a turnout?
DeadheadGreg wrote:....do you guys suggest handlaying some regular track sections to get the hang of handlaying before tackling a turnout?
....do you guys suggest handlaying some regular track sections to get the hang of handlaying before tackling a turnout?
That's exactly what I did. But then I'm a wood kind of guy; working with metal was all new to me. You don't need the jigs or kits to start hand-laying turnouts (or track). Several 3 point gauges, an NMRA gauge, ties, spikes, rail, needle-nose pliers are the essentials. Then learn by doing. This assumes you are already competetent at soldering feeders on rails.
Start with somebody else's technique or procedure (there have been numerous articles in Model Railroader and on the web), and then modify it to suit you. There are at least as many ways to hand lay track as there are people doing it, and most methods work quite well.
To me, it's quite a thrill to see a loco running down some track I hand laid. And the handlaid track usually looks closer to prototype than most flex for my era. But for some, the thrill isn't worth the effort. Or, they lack the patience to re-lay a curve that just didn't come out quite right the first time. There's nothing wrong about choosing to buy your track, or choosing to hand lay track.
Fred W
airwolf crazy wrote:So, I am now looking at other choices for my turnouts. I know some of my choices are Atlas, ME, and Peco. What are other good choices for the turnouts that will be easy to work with DCC and with the flex track I have already purchased. I am planning to run a number of steamer engines if that will make a diffence in the choices. Thanks,Christopher
Christopher,
As a third year newbie, I listened to the crowd, came to believe that anyone could hand lay a turnout. What followed was the realization that real men don't use commecial turnouts.
Here is what happened to me. http://wwwjoe-daddy.blogspot.com/2007/08/hand-laid-turnouts-no-way-or.html
Life after hand laid turnouts goes on. It was shocking to see that Atlas, Peco and Walthers continue to make commercial turnouts. While it may be impossible for some to believe, Walthers cannot make enough of them to meet the demand. This is a mystery. . .
Just my 2 cents, never worth a penny more.
Joe Daddy
PS,
All of my commercial turnouts have proven to be DCC friendly. No jumpers, relays, nada, they just work.
Thank you Joe. That was an interesting read. Do you have any pictures of the other turnouts you built? Do you still have the jig?