Atlas switches, turnouts. JUNK ?

[lesterperry]

I am developing a problem with Atlas switches. I have many many many of them. The rails are loosing contenuity. I guess that is what you would call it. They are loosing thier electric. The rails that move are dead, the short rail on the divergeing track is dead. I have been soldering a fine wire from the rivot which the movable rail is attached to and takeing it to the rail before the switch to get power. But this is a pain in the ##@@**. Am I the only one with this problem and is there an easier way to solve it. I am not buying any more Atlas switches. Going Peco 100% they don't do this.

[oleirish]

I have some ATLAS switches that are years old and still work fine,If you move them around a lot,like from lay out to lay out,they will go bad,I think even PECO will go bad some day If moved a lot..
JIM

[mcouvillion]

Lester,

While I admire Atlas engines, I will not have an Atlas turnout on my layout. Your last suggested description is what I think of them.

Mark C.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lesterperry

I am developing a problem with Atlas switches. I have many many many of them. The rails are loosing contenuity. I guess that is what you would call it. They are loosing thier electric. The rails that move are dead, the short rail on the divergeing track is dead. I have been soldering a fine wire from the rivot which the movable rail is attached to and takeing it to the rail before the switch to get power. But this is a pain in the ##@@**. Am I the only one with this problem and is there an easier way to solve it. I am not buying any more Atlas switches. Going Peco 100% they don't do this.

My tiny layout has only 8 atlas switches, but I haven't had much problem with any of them. I did lose continuity on at least one, and found that I had to solder a short wire, run between two ties, to fix that. I don't recall exactly what part of the turnout failed, it could have been anything since I have multiple blocks, and each block has only one feeder. In other words, the fact that the fixed rails of each switch are soldered to the next track doesn't guarantee there will be power there. This problem appeared soon after all the track was spiked down, and I haven't had any problems since.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lesterperry
I am developing a problem with Atlas switches. I have many many many of them. The rails are loosing contenuity. I guess that is what you would call it. They are loosing thier electric. The rails that move are dead, the short rail on the divergeing track is dead.

Are you talking about HO or N? I have definitely had this problem with the old original Atlas N and switched to Peco for N years ago. In HO scale I have never had this problem. I have some Atlases that have been in service for 21 years with zero problems.

[Anonymous]

I have had the same problem with Atlas code 100 turnouts. The frogs are non powered and a 4 axle locomotive will get one truck on the frog and the other truck on the dead part of the point rails and it stops. Tapping one truck or the other usually moves it to a point where contact resumes, the decoder reboots and the movement of the train resumes. I have slowly been replacing the Atlas turnouts with Peco and Shinohara product. Incidentally, an SD-9, with six axles has a long enough "wheelbase" so as to not be affected by this problem. One remedy might be to only run six axle diesels;0)

Bear in mind that when you switch to Peco or Shinohara you may need some additional rail gaps that you didn't need with the Atlas product.

Ed

[Anonymous]

Everyone has their good and bad luck with switches. My 4x8 layout has 16 Atlas Snap Switches and I've had to "hardwire" every one! And they are still very unreliable!

My next layout (which I hope to begin soon) will utilize Kato HO Unitrack exclusively.

Atlas may make great locos and freight cars, but as far as I'm concerned, their track and switches are poor. You get what you pay for, I guess. The switches are cheap compared to most other brands and their quality matches their price.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Sorry, but I like the stuff. I use Atlas Code83 flex and lots of their #505/506 super switches and think they are great. Absolutely no problems.

[GMTRacing]

I have had some trouble with the Atlas code 100 HO turnouts. Most of the trouble was lack of continuity around the pivot rivets that hold the points. I was able to slightly tighten two of the switches, but the third was no go and is now scrap. If you try soldering, you run the risk of freezing the mechanism and I didn't try jumper wires as I thought they would jam the pivot or break. Overall out of about 20 switches three bad two repairable is ok, but as I can I will change over to the Peco's. J.R.

[rogerhensley]

I probably have 25 Atlas HO Customline turnouts on my layout and have no trouble with any of them. I pulled my 'Snap Switches' years ago. Those were troublesome.

Yes, I have a drawer with several take outs in it and I will be reusing them soon as I make some changes.

I can't explain why some people seem to have a lot of trouble with Atlas. I haven't.

[rrinker]

I'm using Atlas Code 83 #4 and #6 exclusively so far, over 20 of them, and have had no problems with any of them so far. I do have power feeds where possible at all 3 legs, and at every section of other track (flex) so this likely helps with power problems.
I found a few cars would 'bounce' a bit going past the frogs - a check with the NMRA gauge revealed wheels with too tight back-to-back gauge. I fixed those that could be fixed and replaced the others with Proto2000 wheels and they now roll smoothly. So Athearn locos had the same problem - pressing the stub wheels into the geared axles tight put them too narrow, they usually need to be twisted out a bit.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

In HO (code 83) I've been using the 505/506 super switches and they work fine and are a bargain compared to Walthers/Shinohara or PECO. In N, I won't touch Atlas turnouts with a 10 foot pole...in that case PECOs are well worth the cost.

[Anonymous]

I have used Atlas Nscale code 80 switches for years. From my experience, I have drawn two conclusions. 1.) The electric remote switches switch machines always burn out after a few years. Usually sooner. 2.) Atlas switches have always performed well for me when they are used with groundthrows. My current layout has all groundthrow switches so I've used Atlas. One other problem with Atlas electric switches is that they do not lock into position well so derailments are common. If I build another layout that has remote/electric switches, I won't use Atlas. If the switches are all ground throws. I'll use Atlas.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WVHagan

I have used Atlas Nscale code 80 switches for years. From my experience, I have drawn two conclusions. 1.) The electric remote switches switch machines always burn out after a few years. Usually sooner. 2.) Atlas switches have always performed well for me when they are used with groundthrows. My current layout has all groundthrow switches so I've used Atlas. One other problem with Atlas electric switches is that they do not lock into position well so derailments are common. If I build another layout that has remote/electric switches, I won't use Atlas. If the switches are all ground throws. I'll use Atlas.

Easy fix. Way back when, I had an N scale layout and had the same problem, burning out the coils. I built a capacitor discharge power supply and NEVER again had any problems with the powered Atlas switches.

--Randy

[ErnieC]

This is a "me too" response from the replys you're getting. I've had problems with Atlas N Scale turnouts from gauge to electrical continuity and have replaced all of them with PECO. 'It's no fun if it doesn't run'
Ernie C

[ham99]

I have mostly Atlas switches [18, I believe]. They work great. I bought some cheaper one, but have replaced them with Atlas. However, I always feed electricity to both ends of every switch when I lay track. That avoids problems before they occur. Also, I put a drop of Rail Zip on every [live] joiner before I apply the ballast glue to prevent the glue from becoming an insulator.

[CBQ_Guy]

To answer your question, IMO, yes.

I'll be using Pecos . . .

[hminky]

I used 20 year old Atlas switches on my On30 layout and found I had electrical continuity problems. I have web article on my solution:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/atlas_switch_wipers/



This has solved all my problems

Thank you if you visit
Harold

[Tilden]

I've used several brands of switches and had trouble with all of them at one time or another. I use many Atlas switches and usually any contenuity problem are caused by landscaping material (paint, glue, ballast, etc). Ham99 has a good solution for the rail joints and Hminky electrical modifications should guarantee good current flow. Generally I have had no problems with the newer code 83 switches.
Good luck

[Anonymous]

Atlas makes great engine, and okay freight cars, their track is the only thing my hobby shop supplies, however i did find some peco turnouts under their slot car track, needless to say my hobby shop isnt the best stocked and or organized, anyway i have a problem with an insulated peco turnout that when i flip it to the curved position i loose conductivity, and when i straighten it out, i gain power again, however the qulaity of a peco just cant be beat, only thing is pecos cost 15 dollars at my hobby shop, or more, eh, thats more than i make in two hours:{{ anyway, yeah for the expensive peco, boo for the inexprensive atlas

[stokesda]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hminky

I used 20 year old Atlas switches on my On30 layout and found I had electrical continuity problems. I have web article on my solution:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/atlas_switch_wipers/

This has solved all my problems

Thank you if you visit
Harold

I use code 83 Atlas custom lines on my layout, and I had a continuity problem with the electricity not getting to the rails. I tried Harold's solution above (saw his website a while back - good stuff, by the way!), but unfortunately that didn't seem to fix my problem. The copper strips under the points interfered with their movement.

I found out that the real problem was there was no connection between the rail and the metal "plate" that the point rail's pivot is attached to. To solve this problem, I slipped a thin strip of copper under the rails near the pivot point, which made contact with the plate, but not the points themselves (so they wouldn't interfere with the motion). It was very easy to do, and solved my problem right away - no soldering involved. It was MUCH easier than trying to solder jumper wires to the bottom of the turnout.

I'm at work right now, but I'll try to post a pic of one when I get home later today, if anybody would like.

As for the switch machines, I am using the solenoid under-the-table type. Not particularly thrilled with them, but they get the job done. If I had it all to do over again, I'd probably spend the extra cash and invest in Tortoises.

Cheers,

[aartlib]

That old debbil money? How much are you paying for your Peco #83 Insulfrogs and where are you buying them? Is Loy's and Tony's the cheapest?

[}:)]Art Gordon