Does anyone know when Atlas first released the Mark IV Custom-Line Turnouts.
And does anyone know if the point rails are still the old zinc points or are they now nickel-silver?
Redvdub1 Does anyone know when Atlas first released the Mark IV Custom-Line Turnouts. And does anyone know if the point rails are still the old zinc points or are they now nickel-silver?
Are we talking about code 100 or code 83?
All code 83 Atlas turnouts have been built to Mark IV standards since introduced.
The first code 83 turnout actually from Atlas was the "Super Switch" with the long diverging route.
I took a decade or more for them to get the full selection of "Custom Line" code 83 turnouts available.
The code 83 line was introduced about 1991, with ROCO turnouts offered for a short time.
Mark IV code 100 turnouts did not appear until 2009.
To my knowledge and recollection (I managed a hobby shop train department in the late 70's and early 80's, and have been in the hobby and in the industry starting in 1970), the points on all Atlas Mark II and later turnouts have been stamped brass or nickle silver with the exception of the current #8 turnouts which use a die cast point.
I am an Atlas code 83 user, and all my code 83 #4 and #6 turnouts have stamped points, again the #8's are die cast. Some purchased over 20 years ago, some purchased last year, no major differences in production or quality.
I prefer Atlas over most any other brand, the feed tru wiring and short isolated frog suits my specific wiring needs.
Sheldon
Thank you Sheldon for the response. I wouldn't be surprised if there were nickel-silver points on the Mark IVs and maybe even on some of the earlier Custom-Lines. But my X-ray analysis on about 4 samples from Mark 2 and Mark 3 turnouts indicated that they were zinc. As were all the metal frogs I have analyzed from the Mark 2 and Mark 3s. I don't have a Mark IV but they do look different...and I haven't yet analyzed points from the old plastic frog Custom-Line turnouts ca. 1955-72. I also can't tell when they cut in the clip type throwbars..it looks like all the Mark 3s got clip throwbars...and maybe even some of the later Mark 2s. I can't be sure because people could have drilled out the riveted points and used a clip throwbar replacement on some of our turnouts which were ca. 1980.
I do plan to buy a Mark IV ...maybe now I need to buy a #6 AND a #8.
Well, my reply was based on memory - working in hobby shops since age 13, and a nearly complete collection of Wathers catalogs from the late 80's on.
I can't say I have any Mark 2 or 3 turnouts on hand, I was using TruScale and making my own back then.
I doubt I could even find a piece of code 100 rail around here anymore.
When the current Mark IV code 83 line came out, I was sold, so no more hand layed turnouts except for "specials".
An update to my earlier posting....X-Ray fluorersence analysis shows that the Mark IV code 100 Atlas Custom-Line turnout point rails are nickel-silver which is a change from the Atlas MarkII/III Custom-Line points which were pure zinc. The C83 Atlas turnout point rails are also nickel-silver. It is curious that Atlas does not appear to have advertised the Custom-Line Mark IVs as having nickel-silver point rails...I think it would have been a strong selling point.