rrinker How is it wrong? Atlas components aren;t power routing, and their books show you everythign you need to do to wire up the track plans presented. An awful lot of people got their start, beyond the basic train set, with those Atlas books. Then they hear about other brands which may be superior in some way, so their next attempt uses these components., But the learning cycle did not include information on proper gapping for power routing turnouts. The information certianly is not as common today as it once was, when the majority of ready laiud turnouts available need no special wiring. At one time, the need for careful placement of gaps for proper operation was the more common thing, That's not 'blaming' Atlas. That's the difference between the Atlas handbooks and a more generic layout wiring book which would explain both, and not mention brand other than perhaps to say these brands require gaps, these brands do not. --Randy
How is it wrong? Atlas components aren;t power routing, and their books show you everythign you need to do to wire up the track plans presented. An awful lot of people got their start, beyond the basic train set, with those Atlas books. Then they hear about other brands which may be superior in some way, so their next attempt uses these components., But the learning cycle did not include information on proper gapping for power routing turnouts. The information certianly is not as common today as it once was, when the majority of ready laiud turnouts available need no special wiring. At one time, the need for careful placement of gaps for proper operation was the more common thing,
That's not 'blaming' Atlas. That's the difference between the Atlas handbooks and a more generic layout wiring book which would explain both, and not mention brand other than perhaps to say these brands require gaps, these brands do not.
--Randy
Randy, you kind of did blame Atlas when you made the following statement:
"If anything, the lack of knowledge comes from a reliance on Atlas components and their wiring books. SInce Atlas turnouts are non power routing and have insualted frogs, the only time the Atlas wiring books show a gap is to make a new control block. More often then not, older turnouts were power routing, and older books on wiring layouts always mentioned this. The bright new shiny repackaged books often leave that out, or make a minor reference to it, just in case."
The Atlas book is intended to be an instruction manual on the use of Atlas products, not a treatise on how to wire turnouts in general. So, why should the Atlas book devote space to more sophisticated wiring techniques that don't apply to Atlas products? Perhaps the fault lies with other manufacturers who produce power routing turnouts but fail to note the need for more advanced knowledge of wiring techniques on the package.
You go on to say that "Atlas components aren;t power routing, and their books show you everything you need to do to wire up the track plans presented. An awful lot of people got their start, beyond the basic train set, with those Atlas books. Then they hear about other brands which may be superior in some way, so their next attempt uses these components., But the learning cycle did not include information on proper gapping for power routing turnouts."
Again, the Atlas book does not hold itself out to be a general wiring manual on all turnouts, just Atlas turnouts. To my way of thinking, beginners and less experienced hobbyists make the rght choice in selecting non-power routing turnouts like Atlas. As they gain experience and begin to look for more advanced products like power routing turnouts, they can then increase their learning curve by becoming more fully acquainted with advanced wiring techniques.
Rich
Alton Junction