In a post on one of the forums someone posted that the Atlas turnouts and crossovers were warped from them being taken out of the molds too soon. Put a straight edge across them to check, some of mine were and to fix them just drill an extra hole in the center to hold them down and check with the straight edge, Jim.
Ken also a great tool for deepening the flangeways is to use a small section of a hacksaw blade. We would use these to "dig" out soldered frogs and girder rail on traction handlaid trackwork. It does a very fine job and in a short time.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Again, thanks for the answers folks.
Ken
I hate Rust
Glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has added plastic to Atlas flangeways!
Dean
30 years 1:1 Canadian Pacific.....now switching in HO
I know I'm a little late here, but I use mostly Atlas code 83, and yes sometimes the turnout frogs are a little high and need to be filed down, and yes sometimes the flangeways of the crossings are a little shallow by a few thousandths.
I have found it pretty easy to gently scrape the bottom of the flangeway out with flangeway depth tap on the NMRA gauge. Being stamped, the gauge as a sharp endge on one side, it makes a nice scraper.
Problem solved.
Were Atlas has no suitable track item I use Walthers or build it myself.
Sheldon
Thank you all for your answers and thoughts! I all so thought about the flange way, but hoping it is the fact the flanges sections are sticking up so high. Easier fix.
So Walther's track is better than Atlas when it comes to turnouts and diamonds. I will keep that in mind when it is time to add to the layout.
Randy, now that I think about it, the turnouts I had to sand where old ones with metal frogs.
I will up date after I have tried the sanding trick.
Thanks again, Ken
7j43k I've also heard of using a hacksaw blade to clear out the flangeway--never tried it, though. Gentleness here, also, I would think. Ed
I've also heard of using a hacksaw blade to clear out the flangeway--never tried it, though. Gentleness here, also, I would think.
Ed
I have done this, I used the razor saw I use for cutting rail on a couple of turnouts I had that was a little high. Just a few easy pressure swipes and all was good.
I have (gently) used a file rather than sandpaper to lower the height of the plastic in this situation.
I've also had to ADD plastic to the sides of a flangeway. The NMRA gage can be quite useful in resolving these problems. And a straightedge. And a level. And a.......
cudakenOn some of my steamers the front truck will derail sometimes.
That is the true test of trackwork quality. Try running a steam locomotive (with a leading truck) over your track. If the loco doesn't derail, you're good to go.
I had an Atlas 30-degree crossing, Code 83, that had shorting problems. There was nothing visiblly wrong, and the whole thng buzzed out fine on a meter, but when engines went over it there were momentary shorts. I concluded that there was a manufacturing defect on the underside, buried in the plastic, where there's a lot of internal wiring to maintain continuity across the short sections of rail. There's a Walthers crossing in that spot now.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Ken,
Sanding the frog on the crossing will work if your objective is to bring the top of the frog level with the rails. But, as others have suggested, it may not be the raised frog that is causing the derailments but, rather, the wheel flange lifting the wheel up out of the groove. You may need to file down the groove as well.
Take a wheelset and roll it slowly over the frog and observe what is happening. Better yet, try one of the pilot truck assemblies over the frog. One thing is for sure. Once the pilot truck is lifted up, for whatever the reason, the result is often a derailment because the wheels don't set back down exactly on the rails.
Rich
Alton Junction
My thought would be that the bump is from the flange on the rolling stock/locos hitting the frog base.
Maybe???
Cheers...
Chris from down under...
We're all here because we're not all there...
Hi Guys,
I had the same problem with an Atlas 30 degree crossover.
I came to the conclusion that it was the flange depth that was causing the bumping on mine.
Now, keep in mind these are not pizza cutter wheels.
So I very carefully took my Dremel and cut out some of the plastic below where the flanges travel and that cured it for me.
Johnboy out......................................................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Thanks Randy
It should - if it truly is the surface that the wheels roll on that is sticking up above the railhead. I really have no bumping issues with Atlas turnouts, and I've never modified any. The locos and cars that bumped on the Atlas turnouts on my old layout - they ALL had wheels out of gauge. Fixing that cured the bumping.
But mine are code 83, not code 100.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Tom, do you think my idea might work?
That's one of the reasons I gave up on Atlas turnouts and crossings. The insulated frog and groove were extremely noisy and rough. Very happy with Fast Tracks turnouts. Even Walthers/Shinohara crossings are much quieter.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I have a HO code 100 Atlas Diamond (cross over) on the layout and the cars and engines get a bumpy ride going through it. On some of my steamers the front truck will derail sometimes.
When I run my hand across the Diamond I can feel the plastic sections, they are sticking above the rail's. On my Atlas Turnouts I have often sanded down the frogs when the cars got a bumpy ride and it fixed the problem. So I think I have a 50 50 chances it will cure the rough Diamond.
Just wanted to touch base with some others before I get out the sanding block.
Thank you for your time.
Cuda Ken