best turnout???????

[Anonymous]

I AM SICK AND TIERD OF MY CRAPPY TURNOUTS!!!!!!!!HFGUJ AHGUJGOIJFGIOSDUGIKDSHGIOSHDUHGH!!!!!!!!!

(deep breath............im better now.)

ok my current turnouts are really not good. either its the stickey roadbed or their just bad. im probably going to build a new layout, so whats the best turnout brand? (CODE 83 TRACK PROBABLY)

i need a good balance of campactness and realistic radius. there will be a lot on the mainline, so they need to be raliable. i can email the trackplan to anyone that wants it.

im tiered of not switching my railroad because of crappy switches. even well- weighted cars sometimes pop off.

thanx in advance.
GEARHEAD426



[8][8][8][8]

[selector]

We don't really know what you have, so we run the risk of recommending the very same turnout to you. However, Peco, Microengineering, Shinohara, Walthers, and others are known to be of decent quality.

[Anonymous]

i think i have atlas turnouts-- but the stickey roadbed might be the problem. [8]

[IRONROOSTER]

I am not sure what you mean by sticky roadbed. I used Atlas years ago with cork roadbed, I had no problems. You do have to be careful when you lay them to make sure they are flat, the points move freely, etc. There are a few tune ups like filing the point and notching the running rail for the point that can help performance. Also, make sure the track gauge is correct - use an NMRA standards gauge to check.
Good luck
Paul

[jrbernier]

GEARHEAD486,

Most turnout brands(not 'snap switches' or EZ Track type turnouts) will function fine. The key is a smooth/solid roadbed, and care in laying out the turnout. It sounds like you are using AMI roadbed? I have never used it, and others swear by it, but my feeling are that it just is not 'even' depending on how much pressure is used to lay it. Here is what I use:

Roadbed: Either Homabed or cork roadbed - sanded 'flat' and verified by 'eyeing' it before laying any trackage.

Turnouts: I have Atlas 'Customline' turnouts(code 100). All turnouts are spiked down with attention payed to the frog area. I run a small level across the frog are to make sure the rails are level and in 'tram'. I then check the point area. I notch the area under the throwbar so it slides smooth. I also notch all ties that are under rail joiners.
I make sure there are not bad 'reverse curves' in my trackage, and run a set of 5 cars through the switches as I lay them; and watch for problems as you roll them by hand through the turnouts.
The turnouts I am using are 'frog' # turnouts, not the 'constant radius' turnouts with sectional trackage. I use a #6 or larger on the main lines. and only use the #4's for spurs. The result is 'almost' perfect operation.
Of course, trying to run large 6 axle engines, and long rolling stock through a sharp turnout is going to cause problems....

Jim Bernier

[railroadyoshi]

Hi there.
If you are using AMI roadbed, and Atlas Snap, like me at the moment, I have had the same problem. (thats if your problem is that the turnout won't easily switch direction. This is because the switch thing ( whateva you call it) the tie that moves the rail, what ever it is called, gets stuck. This I remedy by removing the roadbed there or putting a piece of stiff paper there for it to slide on.

[cwclark]

[#ditto]

good advice about the atlas turnout above..another thing too is to take a small jeweler's file and file down the end of the frogs where it meets the rail...if you look real closely in this area, you will see a very small plastic hump right before it meets the frog...file this down a bit and the train will run more smoothly through the frog...i also use Altas code 100 custom line # 4 and #6 turnouts on most of my layout except for a few shinohara code 100's that are curved and also do all of the above plus the frog file job before a car or locomotive goes thru the turnout for the first time...atlas turnouts do need a bit of fine tuning when layed but once you get the bugs out of them, they are reliable, inexpensive turnouts...chuck

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by railroadyoshi

Hi there.
If you are using AMI roadbed, and Atlas Snap, like me at the moment, I have had the same problem. (thats if your problem is that the turnout won't easily switch direction. This is because the switch thing ( whateva you call it) the tie that moves the rail, what ever it is called, gets stuck. This I remedy by removing the roadbed there or putting a piece of stiff paper there for it to slide on.

i tried to solve this by putting aluminiminimum foil under the froggey thing. when my locos wouldnt run, i tried every trick in the book many times over, then had one of those"i hate me" moments when i realised the foil was shorting out the track.

[GMTRacing]

Gearhead,
Yoshi had it right. if you are using the AMI or other sticky roadbed, the slider get stuck. I used a piece of thin card colored black with a sharpie and no probs since. You can also get the things stuck when ballasting if you drop glue in them. Also some of the Atlas switches are just too tight as delivered. If you can return them, get some more but check them for binding before you install them. I've also had a few with bad conductivity through the rivets that pivot them. Other than that no issues[:D] J.R.
Oh yeah, Peco switches rule.