I am laying Micro Engineering trach with ME Turnouts. I need to install a #4 Wye. I have narrowed my choices to Walthers or Peco. My question is has anyone had experience with this combination? What matches up best with Micro Engineering track. I am running HO Code 83.
First question. Does ME not make a #4 wye? If not then the only considerations I can think of are:
1) You might need to shim up the WYE if the ties are of different thicknesses.
2) The method of actuating the WYE may be different than ME. ?????
73
Bruce in the Peg
Micro Engineering does not make a #4 anythng. I have a tight area in which to do this so the #4 Wye is what I need in this situation. You can buy the points and frogs to make one but I do not trust my skills to take on such a project. What I am looking for is, which one, either Peco or Walthers, needs the least amount of adjustments
OK. I use Walthers/Shinohara code 83 and I have one of their Wyes that is only about 5" long. It is somewhat less than a #4 and is quite sharp. SO, to answer your question, I would look at the Walthers.
WyeMeI have a tight area in which to do this so the #4 Wye is what I need in this situation.
Is there any reason that you need a #4 wye? This wye matches a #8 turnout frog angle (approximately). Are you using #8 turnouts on your railroad? If you have a tight area you can save some space (length) by using a lower number wye.
According to dimensions in the Walthers catalog, the Walthers/Shinohara code 83 wyes have the following overall lengths:
#5: 13-7/8 inches
#4: 9-23/32 inches
#3: 7-7/8 inches
#2-1/2: 7-3/16 inches
#2: 6 inches
The #4 radius fits the curvature of this spot in the layout. However, a turnout will not work because I want the spur to go to a future turntable in the middle of a loop. When I saw a photo of the Peco #4 Wye, I thought it would be right. Of course photos can be decieving. What I am actually asking here is when connecting the ME Track to either Wlathers or Peco, which of these is a closer match when dealing with the ME rail joiners and the height of the ties on both. Thanks for all of your input.
Well, a non-scientific survey with random micrometer measurements indicates that the top of rail to bottom of tie measurement for a Walther's code 83 #6 turnout is approximately 0.140 inch. The same measurement on a piece of what I believe is ME non-flexible flex track is 0.150 inch. However, you should measure the ME track you have to confirm this measurement.
I can't speak for the Peco code 83 stuff because it is too expensive for my taste.