Geared Steam I have had an issue with Atlas code 83 turnouts, 3 of 9 turnouts have a problem with the points breaking free of the throw bar and floating instead of being securely fastened. I found (i hope) a solution on this forum, you may want to add this mod on the bench before install,I hope this solves my problem, if not I will have to look for another brand. I have been considering Peco, but I'm not ready to give up yet. http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/53355/675723.aspx#675723 I haven't heard alot about this until the other day, maybe it was only a certain batch of turnouts that do this, I don't know.
I have had an issue with Atlas code 83 turnouts, 3 of 9 turnouts have a problem with the points breaking free of the throw bar and floating instead of being securely fastened. I found (i hope) a solution on this forum, you may want to add this mod on the bench before install,I hope this solves my problem, if not I will have to look for another brand. I have been considering Peco, but I'm not ready to give up yet.
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/53355/675723.aspx#675723
I haven't heard alot about this until the other day, maybe it was only a certain batch of turnouts that do this, I don't know.
Regarding this problem I posted the following:
This is very interesting. I use Atlas turnouts and have not had such trouble, nor have a number of others I know who use them.
A few observations if I may.
The REAL problem appears to be that the round plastic pins in the underside of the throw bar have been damaged or the tabs on the points have become bent allowing the points to come loose from those pins, or both. After examining both installed and uninstalled turnouts I found all of mine to be very secure and was unable to duplicate this problem without damaging the throwbar.
Could it be possible the plastic pins have worn off from repeated use with twin coil switch machines? Even rather weak ones like those Atlas sells? I use slow motion machines and my own home made ground throws, so I have data on that possiblity.
Fact remains, as desgined the points are held in correct position by the pin on the underside of the throwbar. The condition shown in the photo is only possible if the throw bar pins are no longer in the holes on the point tabs.
Finding out why this has happened would have been my first step in correcting or repairing it. Becuse of the slip lock nature of this design, I'm not sure I see how the little shims are working?
Is it possible you have some defective throw bars? How many turnots have been effected?
As an additional note, I have removed and reveresed a number of Atlas throw bars and still not had any such problems.
Sheldon
Hi Sheldon
I would cautiously attribute the problem to the twin coil machine and my transfomer, no capacitor needed here understand, I am using a commercial transformer to power these. There is no brown outs if you will, they are getting full clean power everytime, and they actually "snap" very loudly when used. Since the 3 turnouts that I am having an issue with are the most used, I believe I am putting too much voltage to them, and eventually damaging the tabs. I haven't pulled a switch yet since it is ballasted in (of course) and I picked up a new switch yesterday to replace my worst offender. Now that I have looked at the underside of the turnout, I don't think shims are the route I'm going to take. I will put a drop of glue on each tab before installing, lower the output my transformer or install a tortoise. With that said, as I was inspecting the brand new turnout, It took nothing to pop the point off of the tab, I did it while inspecting it, and not even really trying. A drop of glue should reinforce this connection so I will have no more problems. Luckily, only 1 is ballasted and I don't want to have to pull the other 2, glue may work applied to the top of the thowbar instead of shims. If it doesn't I will change turnouts.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
i am going to jump back in here for a minute to tell you my experience with twin coil switch machines. since i went to hand throws, i have had no problems at at with the points coming loose from the throwbars. i have not used any slow motion machines such as the tortoise but in my opinion, the "snap" doesn't do them any good and with repeated use they will give you trouble.
years ago i worked with an O scale club and we were building switches with code 172 steel rail and using the resistance soldering method of construction. penn central had weaker track than we did. one of the members came up with a bunch of twin coil actuators for the remote switches and it wasn't long before they had hammered them so hard we had to rebuild a bunch of the points.
grizlump
Thank you for the information griz.
I'm planning on using foam and was disheartened to hear you can't install under-layout Switch Macines. have you tried installing a small 1/2" piece of plywood glued to the styrofoam with blind nuts in it, positioned to accept a switch machine motor? That way you could replace the motor if it failed. Just a thought. bob@osd
Hm. All very interesting thoughts. As for my experience, I have a combanation of all three brands on the layout. Atlas #6 for mainline crossovers and shere the main goes throuhg the diverging route, Walthers #5's/Atlas #4's for sidings and yards. One spot I've got, in order: a reused walthers #5, Atlas #4, Walthers three way, and a Peco #5. I've even got two curved Walthers turnouts; a #7 curved where the loop connection splits off the main, and a #61/2 of of the controlled siding and into the secondary yard. The only spot that's given me nothing but greif is the Walthers 61/2. The first one I filed it so much I pretty much ruined it. (Didn't really know what I was doing) Replaced it wiht another Walthers 61/2 I had elsewhere on the layout and it's still a pain in the butt. Granted part of it is probably my cruddy trackwork leading up to the turnout, but still. The pan anyways is to replace the sucker with a Peco code 110 medium radius curved lefthand. (Whew, mouthful!!) A friend of mine has a rather expansive layout over the garage that blends Peco and Walthers in both Insulfrog/elctrofrog plus both newer Shinora and the older power routing.
Jacob Oliver, President of the Hocking Valley railroad
Catch me on my Youtube channel - monthly updates, how to's, etc.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTkT-p0JdEuaMcMD10a72bg
Welcome to the forum
Atlas is suppose to ship a curved turnout this fall.
You realize you are the first person to reply to this thread in 8 years. You had something new to add so there is nothing necessarily wrong with that.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I'm finding this funny! The opinions are so far spread on Walthers vs Peco vs anything! I built my last DCC layout using Wlathers c83 turnouts and track before they started claiming you must use their DCC Friendly ones. On that layout and the one I'm building they work side-by-side with no difficultes noted.
I'm not familiar with Peco other than knowing they exist. I have a friend building a large layout and a few days ago he emailed saying he hated Walthers c83 turnouts because his stuff picks it apart and he always has problems with the points or frogs. He has about 50-50 Walthers and Peco and is replacing the Walthers stuff with Peco when it "fails him".
Personally I prefer to hand lay but as I have gotten older time and eyes have forced me to rely on pre-fab track. So far all my Walthers c83 works great.
oldline1
I just read this entire thread and found no real reasons on why any brand is better than the other.
.
Come on guys, go to a car show and ask someone if Ford is better than Chevy, you will get an answer. In this thread all I saw was either claims that they had no problems with X brand, or nothing but problems with Y brand.
Here I go... For my layout, old style (non DCC friendly) Walthers/Shinohara turnouts are the best BECAUSE they all match my NMRA standards gauge right out of the package, the points are filed to razor sharp perfection from the factory and seat to the stock rails neatly. They never seem to pick the flanges on the RP-25 code 110 wheels that I use, and the solid metal frogs held reduce dead spots. The power routing capability is very useful on my old style DC operation.
I am satisfied with the overall ruggedness of the design, but if someone made something even better, I would buy it instead.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 I just read this entire thread and found no real reasons on why any brand is better than the other. . Come on guys, go to a car show and ask someone if Ford is better than Chevy, you will get an answer. In this thread all I saw was either claims that they had no problems with X brand, or nothing but problems with Y brand. . Here I go... For my layout, old style (non DCC friendly) Walthers/Shinohara turnouts are the best BECAUSE they all match my NMRA standards gauge right out of the package, the points are filed to razor sharp perfection from the factory and seat to the stock rails neatly. They never seem to pick the flanges on the RP-25 code 110 wheels that I use, and the solid metal frogs held reduce dead spots. The power routing capability is very useful on my old style DC operation. . I am satisfied with the overall ruggedness of the design, but if someone made something even better, I would buy it instead. . -Kevin .
Kevin, you do realize that most of this thread is 8 years old........
But in this discussion or more recent ones, for me it is not about "better" but about more suited to my needs.
For my needs Atlas Custom Line code 83 turnouts are perfect. And I run DC as well.