Hi from Belgium,
I am a Nscaler and I was looking all time for better running turnouts in Nscale.
First, even if you are not DCC take a look at the Allan Gartner's site he cover a lot of adjustements for turnouts for better electricity continuity. www.wiringfordcc.com
Even if they need some more wiring use only "live "frog" and live "points" in Nscale, it's the only way to avoid stalling on turnout for the small engines.
If you want ready to run turnouts, Peco and Atlas code 55 both with live frog are certainly the best choice in Nscale; just be careful when using the Atlas track because the molded "spikes" don't allow some equipment to roll on it because of too large flanges.
Both brands need some adjustement; You need to solder some fine wire on the points and isolate the frog - which is already done on the Atlas line.
On the Peco turnouts see the Gardner's remarks for Peco turnouts.
I don't use anymore Peco turnouts but now Fastrack ones www.handlaidtrack.com
They offer a full line of jigs to home build your turnouts. Even a little bit expensive, the system offer the possibility to build " handlay ready to run turnouts" whithout a lot of practice.
The site also offer a lot of tricks to cut rails, solder them, and really all the things you want to know to better running and looking turnout, especialy in Nscale.
Like all handlay turnouts they offer better electricity continuity, especialy because the points are not hinged but rigid from the frog.
As far I am concerned they are the best and easier turnout you can handlay in Nscale with the best electricity continuity and running qualities I ever seen in Nscale.
Happy new year and good luck.
Marc
Another thing I would suggest for any turnout is to remove the end ties of the track connecting the turnouts and after installing glue them back in place. That way if you ever need to replace the turnout all you have to do is remove the glued ties, slide the rail joiner back and swap it out. The current atlas units seem to be good enough to last for years without issues once you get them tuned.
Springfield PA
maxmanIf you don't mind a suggestion, I think it would be helpful if you identified yourself as an N scaler. I'm sure that most of the advice you are receiving is applicable to any scale, but I also suspect that there might be some things that are more applicable to one scale than another. Regards
If you don't mind a suggestion, I think it would be helpful if you identified yourself as an N scaler.
I'm sure that most of the advice you are receiving is applicable to any scale, but I also suspect that there might be some things that are more applicable to one scale than another.
Regards
Yes, I am an N-scaler. Sorry for not mentioning that.
My current plan of attack is to solder feeders to the closure rails, which assures power at the frog and closure rails.
Feh
There is a discussion of wiring Atlas switches for DCC on Allan Gartners' site [click for link] which indicates potential trouble spots for reliable power feed to the rails.
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
I take the most basic of precautions - I simply don't use commercial turnouts - ANYBODY'S commercial turnouts.
I have used my present point-pivoting technique (wire nail at the heel of the point, in a hole drilled clear through to the plywood sub-roadbed) since the mid-70s. I have never had a failure, and some I have in service now were built in 1980.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork)
Hi!
I had a real crash course in this earlier in the year as I was building a "replacement" HO layout. I had a lot of older Atlas code 100 turnouts, bought at various times over the years. Upon close inspection I ended up with 4 generations of the same turnout.
The two rails that "pivot" on older models are secured by two brass rivits. These can work loose over time, and can usually be fixed by hitting them gently with a tack hammer and a hard metal surface on the other side. I used a nail set, and it worked OK.
Typical Atlas turnouts will last for years, but in my conversion to DCC I found that the older ones would short out a loco occasionally.
In any case, if you can, use new turnouts - especially for hard to get to trackage.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I'm using (and I believe most folks have used these same turnouts over the last couple decades) Atlas turnouts, and when new, every rail of the turnout should be live simply by supplying power to the stock rails.
However, it seems the pivot points commonly fail. So, what precautions do you take when installing these turnouts against future failure?
Thanks.