I use Code 100 on my main and code 93 in my yards, and 99% of my turnouts are Sinohara--#5 in my yard, #6 on my main and the curved #8 in a few places where I have to have a curved turnout. They've been in place for about 6 years, and hardly any problems (the problems I had were alignment on the #8 curved, and not the turnouts themselves). I have one Peco that I bought because my LHS was temporarily out of Sinohara, and though the turnout is just fine, the wiring was an absolute NIGHTMARE! (wiring is not my strongest suit, LOL!). For the most part, my turnouts are hand-thrown, since they are all within easy reach.
My other layout, had Atlas #6, and I liked them (after filing down the points), but they didn't seem to like slow-speed operation either on main or yard. Them or me, I don't know. But I sure like the Sinohara's, and they like all my locomotives and rolling stock, so far.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
It's so good to be wrong! I sent an e-mail to them asking how long the frog is for there #8's. The Atlas turnout is @2.5 inches long. From looking at the web site, it would appear that they would be much shorter. But inquiring minds.... Hey, if you wouldn't mind maybe you could do a measurement of one you built?
I must say, after looking at the vids of them building turnouts, it does look interesting. Just wish one jig could do more than one turnout.... ah well.
I cut my gaps @ 2.25", but I don't see why a person couldn't get that even a bit shorter.
You might be right about the extra 0.25" in length making quite a difference, especially to a smaller loco, and/or one with no flywheel.
As for the jigs, yes that is a problem. I knew I'd be running heavy steam, and I wanted fast and accurate traverses of turnouts on my main with Niagaras and a PRR T1 Duplex doing scale speeds near 50-70 mph. Turns out that the turnouts are the least of my worries. Some of my grade transitions needed some tuning, but not the turnouts.
Chuck (TomikawaTT) would urge you to learn how to make a turnout from scratch, which oddly the Fast Tracks system enabled me to do, and to simply make what you need where you need it. They are surprisingly easy once you have built a couple. So, maybe decide on a jig for those that you will need in the greatest number, or get a jig for those that you want to be the slickest, and then build the others doing some fudging and judging. I built two completely different turnouts, one a curved wye, and the other a curved that must be close to a #10. I cheated on the frog for the latter by using the block jig for the #8's, which works okay...not whoopee okay, just well enough that I can get my passenger trains through them at decent speed.
Regards,
-Crandell
joe-daddy wrote: Dallas Model Works wrote: What is this compatibility issue?Atlas Code 83 flex and Peco Cocde 83 turnouts are exactly what I use and I've never had any problems at all.What are you referring to? Here is the problem I've had with the combination.http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/AddPost.aspx?PostID=1211973 Joe
Dallas Model Works wrote: What is this compatibility issue?Atlas Code 83 flex and Peco Cocde 83 turnouts are exactly what I use and I've never had any problems at all.What are you referring to?
What is this compatibility issue?
Atlas Code 83 flex and Peco Cocde 83 turnouts are exactly what I use and I've never had any problems at all.
What are you referring to?
Here is the problem I've had with the combination.
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/AddPost.aspx?PostID=1211973
Joe
Was that the right link? When I pulled it up, I got something about young people, N scale and the 'net.
c
Craig
DMW
Dallas Model Works wrote: joe-daddy wrote: Dallas Model Works wrote: What is this compatibility issue?Atlas Code 83 flex and Peco Cocde 83 turnouts are exactly what I use and I've never had any problems at all.What are you referring to? Here is the problem I've had with the combination.http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1210533/ShowPost.aspx Joe Was that the right link? When I pulled it up, I got something about young people, N scale and the 'net.c
joe-daddy wrote: Dallas Model Works wrote: What is this compatibility issue?Atlas Code 83 flex and Peco Cocde 83 turnouts are exactly what I use and I've never had any problems at all.What are you referring to? Here is the problem I've had with the combination.http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1210533/ShowPost.aspx Joe
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1210533/ShowPost.aspx
One thing I have notice of late the Atlas C100 switches is bumpier then the C83s..Still I prefer Atlas C83 over any other brand.
As far as NMRA compliance one has to remember those are recommended practices AND NOT STANDARDS and there lays the rub.I have always maintain most track RPs should be Standards..
See:
http://www.nmra.org/standards/rp12.html
http://www.nmra.org/standards/consist.html#standards
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I'm using Trix C-track (code 83) and I'm verry happy with it, it might not be the most realistic for American railroading but it works fine.
pro's
-switch motors are buried under the roadbed
-almost sillent
-easy to work with
-visualy pleasing roadbed
-solid electrical conections
cons
-might not be 100% acurate for American railroads
-might be difficult to obtain in the US
hope this helps
I will pretty much use snappable switches to plan in trackwork, but my prioorities, all rail frogs, guard rails don't care if plastic/metal. Then my final trackwork will be case by case situation that fits. My real goal is high detail trackwork. Handlaid/prefab, don't care. As long as I can fit the track situation. Nothing out there to fit, its all custom work, baybee.
This weekend, I made my first turnouts with my new FastTracks jig. Two #8 left and one #8 right. The first one took right at two hours to complete and another hour to figure out what was wrong with it. The second one took an hour and a half. The third was right at an hour.
I like the looks of them alot, each one gets smoother and I'm of the opinion after another 3 or 4, I'll feel pretty good about building them. What I like the most about them is that I should be able to easily build any required replacement parts I'll ever need and they really don't amount to much in the way of material. Less than one piece of flex track per turnout, about 75 cents worth of PC ties and some wooden ties.
Loco wrote:Joe, what brand of flex track you use.... Atlas?
Yes, code 83 and the FastTracks jigs were special order setup for Atlas rail which I obtain by scrapping flex track.
electroloveI will add Tillig to the list.http://www.reynaulds.com/tillig/tillig1.htmlMore pictures of Tillig and Pecohttp://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=980&hl=tillig+elite
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
Twelve year old topic.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 Twelve year old topic.
68-year-old Wonder Woman. Shame on you Jim, there is a new one ya know.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Brian, Interesting to learn of a commercial turnout available with solid point rails. Liking the looks of solid point rails was one of the reasons I chose Fast Tracks turnouts, and if done right are bulletproof and smooth as silk.
Regards, Peter