Hi folks,
The time has come to start thinking of laying down bullet proof trackage. My layout is tiny compared to most featured in MR. A mere 7' X 6' L shaped . With a plan on building an identical other side for continuinous running.
Having used Atlas switches on every layout built to present day. I thought, why not spend extra money on switches ? Not that Atlas switches aren't great but I'd like smoother crossovers.
Having a looksie at both Walthers & Shinohara Switches. Are they worth the extra coin ?
What are the pro's and con's of each brand ?
Thank you for your time.
Patrick
Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb
Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.
Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.
dragonriversteelHaving a looksie at both Walthers & Shinohara Switches.
Hi, Patrick
I wonder if you meant Atlas or Shinohara/Walthers?
Walthers code 83 track products are made by Shinohara. I use them almost exclusively and, IMHO, they are great. Look nice, perform well and many of mine are 25 years old.
A while after I laid much of my main line they introduced #10 turnouts so I ripped up the #8s I was using for crossovers and put in #10s. I chose Shinohara/Walthers code 83 when I was building my layout in the mid-1990s because of the large choice of configurations they offered.
Now, I have heard rumblings that Shinohara may be — or has,"retired" or at least suspended production until another entity can take up the reins.
Walthers had a blurb on their FaceTime page or something, about a possible interruption of supply.
From their May 15 Facebook post:
Walthers is currently experiencing some challenges restocking our popular Walthers Code 83 HO scale track and also Shinohara Code 70 and Code 100 track. However, Walthers is working closely with Shinohara to improve future supplies of these excellent products and hope to have another shipment in stock soon. We are accepting back orders on all Walthers Code 83 HO scale track and Shinohara Code 70 and Code 100 track, and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Hope that helps, Ed
Bullet-proof switches = Peco code 83!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
I use WS code 83 track exclusively as well. I have about three dozen switches including the many curved turnouts they offer and a double crossover. They all work flawlessly.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I'd canvass many shows until you find a bundle of Shinahora code 83 track that was imported by Lambert prior to Walthers. I usually find someone selling the older Lambert/Shinahora track and turnouts...however I've been using #10's from Walthers, and they seem fine. Flextrack...?? I'd rather say something positive about Lambert/Shinahora than impune another importer.
The finest turnouts I've used were from BK code 70, but that was decades back. I have a few Pecos in a small yard and they are quite good except I feel the appearance could be improved somewhat.
My first pike in 1963 was all Atlas code 100 track and turnouts.....I found both rather excellent, but I never liked the spike hole in the center of the ties.
HZ
Howard Zane I have a few Pecos in a small yard and they are quite good except I feel the appearance could be improved somewhat.
I have a few Pecos in a small yard and they are quite good except I feel the appearance could be improved somewhat.
Howard ZaneI have a few Pecos in a small yard and they are quite good except I feel the appearance could be improved somewhat.
That´s the first time I hear this! I actually found the looks of Peco code 83 switches superior to any other brand except maybe ME.
Having said that, Peco´s code 83 range of track und switches is the only one following US prototype, code 70 and code 100 products follow European/UK prototype practice.
Anyhow, Peco is the # 1 choice in Europe in HO scale, N scale and various NG products - for a good reason!
You may need to look at Peco as an alternative. Shinohara has shut down production with the owners retirement. They made the Walthers switches. It sounds like Walthers is in negotiation to buy the molds. I have Atlas at home and we have Peco at the club. Everything seems to run smoother on the Peco. There is less "fall in" on the frogs. Some Atlas switches appear better than others. Not about to tear out everything at home however.
Best part with Peco is they are now coming out with Code 70 US prototype components as well, to match the Code 83. Their current euro style stuff is Code 100 and Code 75.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I'm looking very hard at Peco for regular turnouts for a future layout. I used Atlas on the last one and a variety of Walthers/Shinohara (Cd 70/83/100) where special types of turnouts were needed.
If the OP is serious about going with Walthers and/or Shinohara, better hunt them down now because there appears to be indications that the line may dry-up, unless another company takes over the line, what with Shinohara apparently retiring from the manufacturing business.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
bagal Howard, can you elaborate on this please? Assume you are referring to Code 83?
I was reffering to the rather large structure at the head of swivel or switch rails....then again Pecos overall are excellent.
Thank you all for your suggestions. I had forgotten about Peco. Having never used them all these years. Peco it is.
I seem to recall (a dangerous beginning to any post of mine) that Shinohara had to tweak the design of their turnouts, or at least those they made for Walthers, when DCC came onto the scene. So finding a cache of pre-Walthers Shinoharas back when Lambert imported them, while interesting, might be something you'd want to sample before going whole hog in.
The Shinohara situation is confusing. Clearly their stuff was in short supply for some time and Walthers' website would say something like "out of stock, no information from vendor" which itself would be odd for a prime source for them.
Someone found a Japanese language website which going through an auto translator said Shinohara is closing but it was not clear in was the same Shinohara. My sense is that idea of Shinohara closing without Walthers being aware of it was surprising to Walthers itself after all those years of association.
Clearly something is going on however.
Peco turnouts have their quirks - I'm a Peco guy on my layout - but they have a good full range of products and good distribution.
Dave Nelson
dknelson Someone found a Japanese language website which going through an auto translator said Shinohara is closing but it was not clear in was the same Shinohara.
How would one find that, without actually knowing the Japanese language?
.....Just asking
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
From what I had read somewhere online was that Walthers was trying to buy the molds and have them shipped to China. Can't remember where, but if no one stepped up to buy the molds, it doesn't leave a lot of options out there for modelers who don't want to build their own with devices like fast tracks.
Hopefully the brand will live on somewhere..
Neal
dragonriversteel Thank you all for your suggestions. I had forgotten about Peco. Having never used them all these years. Peco it is. Patrick
Just brace yourself. The Peco code 83 are among the more expensive on the market.
riogrande5761 dragonriversteel Thank you all for your suggestions. I had forgotten about Peco. Having never used them all these years. Peco it is. Patrick Just brace yourself. The Peco code 83 are among the more expensive on the market.
The cost, overall avalibility and the sw point springs were the reason my club went with all Walther's Shinahara turnouts and track over 16 years ago for the new layout.
The trackwork performs rather flawlessly, 3 weekend shows per year of continuous running and about 10 operating sessions a year. Of coarse there are always exceptions for the need for custom trackwork. We do have quite a few rather experienced builders of the custom turnouts and diamonds. never did calculate the no. of this one, but sure work great Hopefully the potential issue with interuption or discontinuing them won't become a reality.
The trackwork performs rather flawlessly, 3 weekend shows per year of continuous running and about 10 operating sessions a year. Of coarse there are always exceptions for the need for custom trackwork. We do have quite a few rather experienced builders of the custom turnouts and diamonds.
never did calculate the no. of this one, but sure work great
Hopefully the potential issue with interuption or discontinuing them won't become a reality.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
My layout will be built using all Walthers/Shinohara code 83 and Shinohara code 70 turnouts.
.
I decided to fo with the older "Non-DCC" turnouts from many years ago. It took a lot of trips to old hobby shops, trolling eBay, cruising train shows, and making phone calls... but within one year since I built the 1:1 cardbaord model of my layout, I have EVERY turnout that I need.
That took a lot of effort, but I am sure it will be worth it.
If you decide to go with Walthers, be ready for a hunt, but enough were made that you should be able to find everything that you need.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
You might want to also consider Fast Tracks. You can make them yourself with their jigs, or purchase them already fabricated off places like eBay. The diverging rail isn't hinged; it's one rail - just like the prototype. And the operation is very smooth and the frogs are generally already pre-wired if you like your frogs live. I have some shorter locomotives (yard switchers) so that's what I prefer.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
About $5 more per equivalent turnout, going by Modeltrainstuff pricing. $22 and change for a Walthers #6, $27 and change for a Peco 83 #6. I know I founf Peco flex cheaper than Modeltrainstuff, but it took longer to get here (I was in no rush though, just ordering a couple of pieces to see if I liked it before committing), I may have gotten the turnouts for less than that as well (of course Walthers also has sales). What's funny is I just noticed, the left hand #6 is $27.29 and the right hand one is $25.99. List price is also shown as $1.50 cheaper for the right hand too. Hmm, is it cheaper for Peco to make right hand turnouts or something? LOL And it's not stock - they have MORE lefts in stock. If you want a #5, the RIGHT hand one will cost you more than the same left hand one. Strange.
rrinker About $5 more per equivalent turnout, going by Modeltrainstuff pricing. $22 and change for a Walthers #6, $27 and change for a Peco 83 #6. I know I founf Peco flex cheaper than Modeltrainstuff, but it took longer to get here (I was in no rush though, just ordering a couple of pieces to see if I liked it before committing), I may have gotten the turnouts for less than that as well (of course Walthers also has sales). What's funny is I just noticed, the left hand #6 is $27.29 and the right hand one is $25.99. List price is also shown as $1.50 cheaper for the right hand too. Hmm, is it cheaper for Peco to make right hand turnouts or something? LOL And it's not stock - they have MORE lefts in stock. If you want a #5, the RIGHT hand one will cost you more than the same left hand one. Strange. --Randy
Maybe the Peco left hand are new stock and price has gone up? Maybe when the right hand run out, they will go up too? That's a bummer as they are already pricey.
For Code 83.
$25.99 for Peco #6
$22.49 for W/S #6
$18.99 for ME #6
$13.99 for Atlas #6
The extra cost can range from an extra $12 per turnout over Atlas),to extra $7 over ME, to extra $4.50 over W/S (which have always been on the pricier side).
I've got a couple of W/S #6 and while they look good, there is a good amount of resistance to the throw of the points, so you need some torqe to change positions - at least the ones I have.
While I expect I may still used my specialty W/S, for standard #6 yard turnouts I'm still debating either ME or Peco.
The extra 7 dollars the Peco costs over the ME can really add up.