Marlon,
I did the same thing but put a wood dowel handle on it. Still a pain to get them to work smoothly.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
farrellaa There is a difference in the rail profile of different brands. I have some Fast Track turnouts made with ME code 83 rail and it has a thinner base than the Atlas code 83 flextrack, so I have to shim or brace the rail while soldering the rail joiners. Also, Peco code 83 rail joiners are too tight for Atlas rail, so I had to spread the opening a little to get them on the Atlas rail. Now I use Atlas code 83/100 joiners and squeeze them a little on the other brands like ME and Peco. It just takes a little more time working with different brands of track even though they are the same code rail. As for the turnouts, as already mentioned, they are all very close but differnt lengths. It is better to stay with one brand but most people can't always get everything by one manufacturer. -Bob
There is a difference in the rail profile of different brands. I have some Fast Track turnouts made with ME code 83 rail and it has a thinner base than the Atlas code 83 flextrack, so I have to shim or brace the rail while soldering the rail joiners. Also, Peco code 83 rail joiners are too tight for Atlas rail, so I had to spread the opening a little to get them on the Atlas rail. Now I use Atlas code 83/100 joiners and squeeze them a little on the other brands like ME and Peco. It just takes a little more time working with different brands of track even though they are the same code rail.
As for the turnouts, as already mentioned, they are all very close but differnt lengths.
It is better to stay with one brand but most people can't always get everything by one manufacturer.
Bob, I made a simple spreading tool for Peco and Micro Engineering rail joiners. I prefer to use them, because they are so much smaller than the Atlas joiners.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Be aware that #4 turnouts will show the greatest variance, for instance Atlas #4's are really #4 1/2. Some turnouts have a curve through the points, frog, and the diverging track - they don't correspond to a frog #. For instance Atlas snap switches are 18" curve and now 22" curve ones are available also. Do not assume that terms like small radius turnout correspond to anything from another manufacturer.
As other have noted you can do some trimming, shimming, etc. to make other brands and multiple brands work. But for a really tight small plan you are probably better off with the original track that the plan is designed for. For larger plans or ones with some wiggle room then mix and match as desired.
Good luck
Paul
Though the turnouts are not always exactly the same dementions, you can mix brands of track. It is best to stay in the same code (100, 83 or whatever), but there are transition pieces so even that can be done. For example, if you choose to use Atlas flex track because of the lower price, you can use a Peco or Walthers turnout if it is a better fit for the situation you have on your layout. As long as you use the same code track, the only thing I have heard of is you may have to shim slightly as the ties may be a different thickness. Changing codes when you go from mainline to sidings is fairly common in both prototype and modeling. There are both transition joiners and transition pieces to track to make those change go smoothly.
Good luck,
Richard
Yes and no. The frog angle of an Atlas #6 vs another manufacturer's should be about the same, but the overall turnout dimensions will probably be different. You may have to cut and fit to use a brand other than the one specified in the plan because of the variances in standard component dimensions, even if the overall geometry remains the same.
Rob Spangler
Are specialized components of track uniform? Meaning is a Kato #6 right turnout the same as an Atlas #6? I am seeing that there are limited suppliers of track in my area so in looking to build a "stock" layout from a manufacturer with their track if it is possible to switch to using the same plan just with a different brand of track. I will not be mixing the two.