Turnouts

[Anonymous]

Whats the difference between customline switches and snap switches. It seems the more i get in to this the more questions I have.

[MisterBeasley]

Snap switches are typically a #4 turnout. They have a sharper curve radius than the Customlines, which (I believe) start at #6. Snap switches come with either a powered or unpowered "switch machine," which may be removed easily. Customlines come without any "switch machines." The Customlines will, however, accept other Atlas switch machines if you choose to use them.

I have some very old brass snap-track switches. I've found I can use the old switch machines from these on new nickel-silver snap switches, but not on Customlines. The snap-switches still have the old screw mounts molded in, although they come with the press-fit switch machines now.

[stokesda]

The Custom Lines are a little higher quality than the Snap Switches. Custom Lines have an insulated frog, which can be powered or not. I don't believe Snap Switches have this feature.

Both types are also constructed differently (i.e. different dimensions), so they are not interchangeable - that is, you can't replace one with the other.

If you are able to look at both of them in person and compare them, you'll see the difference.

[fwright]

Snap switches generally match up with the Atlas sectional track better. The diverging side of the turnout is an 18 inch radius curve for 20 degrees. The straight section is 9 inches long. The difficult part of the design is that the curve starts after 1.5 inches of straight. So if you are inserting a Snap Switch into an 18 inch radius curve, you have that 1.5 inches of straight to deal with. That can easily be cut back, but most beginning modelers don't think of doing that with sectional track.

The Custom-Line switches are similar construction - insulated frogs, no wiring gaps to worry about. However, the geometry is similar to prototype turnouts. The diverging section curves at first, and then straightens before the frog, and remains straight through and after the frog. The frog is assigned a number that relates to how fast the diverging path diverges. A #6 takes 6 inches from the frog point to achieve a separation between the rails of 1 inch. The Custom Line #4 is really a 4.5, but still has a sharper curve than the #6. The Custom Line wye is 2 diverging sides of a #6 put together, so the frog is a #3. The curved portion of a #4 Custom Lines is about the same as 22 inch radius. The curved portion of a #6 has a larger radius - probably about 28 inches. However, a lot of folks I know have had more problem with derailments on the #6 than on the #4. All the Custom Line switches have the same 1.5 inches of straight before the points. The straight section on a #4 is 9 inches long, and the #6 is 12 inches long. One version of the Custom Line (Mark 3 I believe) had a metal frog that could be wired to a contact to switch polarity when the turnout was thrown.

A long, long time ago Atlas used to make a Regular Line which had all rail frogs, and required the traditional gaps to prevent short circuits. I believe they stopped making these around 1960.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[lesterperry]

In my opinion they are both to be avoided. I have many atlas switches on my layout ( around 45 in my yard) They are electricaly failing. Go with peco they are a little more $$ but well worth it.

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lesterperry

In my opinion they are both to be avoided. I have many atlas switches on my layout ( around 45 in my yard) They are electricaly failing. Go with peco they are a little more $$ but well worth it.

I use code 100 atlas custom line switches and they work great on my layout...for the money that is...you have to do a bit of work to them, like file down the frog at each flangeway and file the points and don't use atlas switch machines...mine have tortoise machines instead...you are right about the electrically failing if you use the atlas switch machines, but the turnout itself is a good one for the money....you can make the atlas switch machine more reliable by installing a capacitor discharge unit.. .even though the tortoise machines are a bit pricey, if you look at purchasing the atlas switch machine, a capacitor discharge unit and an atlas relay to drive any accessories, the price of the tortoise is about the same because it includes all of the above with the atlas stuff that is already built into the tortoise machine... chuck

[lesterperry]

QUOTE: you can make the atlas switch machine more reliable by installing a capacitor discharge unit

The problem is not the switch machine it is the electrical contacts in the switch itself. I use the capacitor discharge and I use atlas machine I like to hear it throw. I still am haveing to solder wires to different rails to keep power through out the track.