Track opinions

[NYCfan]

 Ok, I know there will be as many answers to this as there are grains of sand, but here goes: First some background. I have a moderately sized HO layout, (approx 15 ft long and 8 ft wide in a sort of backwards "F" configuration), located in my garage. I live in North Carolina, so I know I'm dealing with humidity and am working on the dehumidifier thing. I am currently using all Atlas code 83 track and turnouts, none of which are smaller than #6 .

Here's my question. Can anyone give me an idea of a manufactured "trouble free" turnout, if such a thing exists? I clean the track and layout at least once a week, and rarely have issues with contact, but it seems to me that the flanges and guards on the turnouts are either angled wrong or out of gauge, (too tight). My Diesels have no problem with traveling through them, but most all my Steam has an issues with the lead truck riding up and over the rail at those points. The frustrating part is, the turnout that causes an issue this time, might not be the same one the next time, which leads me to believe it's a turnout thing. I have one turnout that I've modified by filing the plastic guard thinner and angled at the approach point, but I have nearly 40 turnouts and wondered if the was something more forgiving as opposed to filing, checking, filing, testing, pulling hair out, etc...

If nothing else, any advice on operating as trouble free as possible in a garage that is not climate controlled would also be helpful.

Basically, I'm looking for opinions on the most trouble free pre-made turnouts out there.

I've ordered the Track laying book from MRR, so I'm trying to feel things out before then.

 

Thanks a bunch, 

[wedudler]

 I would solder the turnout, scratch build.

Or use the Fast Track equipment

or use turnouts from Cream City.

Wolfgang

[fwright]

NYCfan

I live in North Carolina, so I know I'm dealing with humidity and am working on the dehumidifier thing. I am currently using all Atlas code 83 track and turnouts, none of which are smaller than #6 .

Here's my question. Can anyone give me an idea of a manufactured "trouble free" turnout, if such a thing exists? I clean the track and layout at least once a week, and rarely have issues with contact, but it seems to me that the flanges and guards on the turnouts are either angled wrong or out of gauge, (too tight). My Diesels have no problem with traveling through them, but most all my Steam has an issues with the lead truck riding up and over the rail at those points. The frustrating part is, the turnout that causes an issue this time, might not be the same one the next time, which leads me to believe it's a turnout thing. I have one turnout that I've modified by filing the plastic guard thinner and angled at the approach point, but I have nearly 40 turnouts and wondered if the was something more forgiving as opposed to filing, checking, filing, testing, pulling hair out, etc...

If nothing else, any advice on operating as trouble free as possible in a garage that is not climate controlled would also be helpful.

Basically, I'm looking for opinions on the most trouble free pre-made turnouts out there.

I've ordered the Track laying book from MRR, so I'm trying to feel things out before then.

Thanks a bunch, 

 

My first responses:

• Are you using an NMRA gauge to check both turnouts and wheels?  I've found some of my 3 point track gauges didn't agree with each other - if I laid and gauged track with one, another one wouldn't even fit over the rails.  You need a consistent starting point - and the NMRA gauge is it.
• Pilot trucks on a model steam engine are automatically suspect in my experience.  Remove the pilot truck and see what happens (1st check the gauge of the pilot wheels!).  Often the springing pressure on the truck needs adjustment, or there are burrs and other items that prevent the pilot truck from pivoting properly.  Many pilot trucks, especially with plastic wheels and frames, are just too light to track properly.  Adding weight to the truck often solves the problem.  If nothing else, wrapping solder around the axle can add some weight.
• I am currently using Atlas (standard gauge) and Shinohara (narrow gauge) turnouts until I get around to hand laying the replacements.  I've yet to hear of a brand mass produced turnouts that consistently had every piece and part meeting NMRA specs and RPs.  For the turnouts to be fully tweaked at the factory would double their cost.  Atlas turnouts tend (but not always) have the guardrails set too far from the stock rail, and the points are not sharp and easily picked.  My experience with 3 Shinoharas is that the track gauge tends to be a little narrow in places - the rails aren't quite as fully curved as they should be.
• At the same time, wheels being slightly out of gauge is a lot more common than many people think.  Again, pilot and trailing trucks on steamers, and plastic wheel sets tend to have more instances of being out of gauge than Kadee, IM, and Reboxx metal wheel sets, in my experience.
• The best pre-fabricated turnouts are made by the semi-custom and custom builders (and of course, yourself).  Cream City, Litco, and Railway Engineering are 3 I know of.  You generally have to order direct and wait a couple of weeks for the turnouts to be made.  Railway Engineering even lets you specify which end of the NMRA tolerances to be used in your turnouts.  Costs for the 3 I mentioned are generally less than retail prices for Peco and similar commercial turnouts.
• You can build yourself - either from Fast Track jigs, which makes meeting specs pretty easy, or on your own using gauges.  It's not rocket science, nor does it depend on superior metal-working skills (I'm a poster boy for lack of skills).  The primary factor in the success of laying your own turnouts is having the patience to ensure things are spot on, and not settling for less.
• Although this isn't affecting your turnouts directly, wood benchwork swells and shrinks with significant changes in humidity.  Painting the wood will slow the rate of moisture absorption or evaporation from the wood.  Most folks in your situation do not solder track joints on straight track, and leave about a 1/16" gap every 3-6 feet in the dry season (typically winter).  The soldered joints are needed on curves for Atlas flex track to prevent the natural "spring" in the track from creating kinks at the joints over time.
• Which brings me to the last point - many derailments blamed on turnouts are actually caused by kinks where the regular track joins the turnout.  Many rail joiners don't have enough strength to hold track in perfect alignment against the spring of Atlas flex track over time unless the track is well fastened.  Put your eyeball down at rail level, and sight down the rails to the joints.  Your eye can detect any horizontal kinks - deviations from straight line or smooth curve - at the joints pretty well using this technique.

hope this helps, and that some of your frustration goes away

Fred W

[ss122]

An experienced model railroading friend suggested www.proto87.com. They sell kit and pre-made turnouts, not all of which are proto87. Their website is vast. As an aside, I'd be interested in anyone's opinion of their products. Hope this helps, TIA, Ken

[loathar]

If it's just the steam pilot wheels, just make sure they are in gauge. (or a gauge that works for your turnouts.)
I had a problem with 6 axle diesels derailing on a couple of Atlas #6's. Drove me crazy! Finally realized it was a couple pieces of out of gauge track that were 2-3' away from the turnouts that was really causing the problem. Just enough to lift a wheel on a curve  and make it derail when it hit the turnout.

[IRONROOSTER]

If everything is in gauge, you might try filing a notch in the stock rails for the points. And/or feather the points with a file. 

I have no personal experience with them, but a number of people have reported Peco turnouts to be very good.

Enjoy

Paul

[locoi1sa]

 On my portable modules I use Peco code 100 turnouts that perform reliably after shimming the guard rails to NMRA specs. On my home layout I started using CVT code 70 and code 55 turnout kits. The frogs take the most time to get right but once done I don't even hear a wheel click when it goes through the frog.

  My modules go through some very dramatic temperature and humidity changes in a 24 hour period. Painting bare wood and not soldering any rail joiners so rails can expand and contract helps some. We still get some odd things happen when we set up at shows. 

   Pete

[NYCfan]

 First and foremost, thanks to all who replied. I am usually able to get to the website every 2-3 days, so please don't think me to be ignoring your replies.

All my track, including turnouts, are within NMRA standards, (yes, I have a gauge), but, I hate to admit, I never checked the pilot wheels. Which actually makes sense since none of my diesels give me any trouble. This will be where I start.

I also never realized that I should have left a "free-floating" track connector. Since I have broken my track into blocks, I guess I could use my insulating joiners as my "give" points since they are on straight sections long before my turnouts. If not, I can always de-solder a joint and replace the joiners.

I also had anticipated, (based on past layout experience), the turnout approach track issues and gauged and laid my track to eliminate any problems.

In the future I will be hand-laying my turnouts, but for right now I'm using commercially built for ease of construction, so I really don't expect perfection. 

For any who might be worried. Although things might frustrate me, being an Army Vet, I will always find a different approach until I succeed. What makes a forum like this so valuable, (at least to me), is the fact that anybody could have the answer. From the modeller who has built 500 layouts to the one that built one on paper pending a location. Regardless, I still have fun. 

I will be trying those things that I haven't tried yet, and will be back in a couple of days, hopefully with a success story. If not, then with more questions.

 

Thanks again,