Hey everyone, I’m trying to figure out which manufactor makes the most suitable HO# 8 turnout in either code 70 or 83 to match with Micro Engineering track. Unfortunately ME does not produce a # 8 turnout… yet, but I love their level of detail and performance. What I’m concerned with is the matching of tie spacing and size and the appearance of the points / frog when compared to ME turnouts. Any suggestions?
I’m not a big fan of hand-laying my own turnouts - in fact I never tried, so I’m not very confident they will turn out well. I know Central Valley makes turnout kits - are these difficult to install?
Walthers/Shinohara. Shop around for deals for ten minutes online by googling it. Discounts are there to be had at times…if there is stock to be shipped.
Second that… I use only walthers/shinohara switches. #8’s are great…easy use on the mainline and no problems with the new switches… the old are a buck or two cheaper and if you gap them, can easily be used with dcc as well. Only problom with walthers/shinohara is that the ties are thinner than atlas flex track by .020 and by ME a LOT more, due to their thicker ties… you will have to shim the switches, but this is actually not that bad to do…
Atlas now makes a code 83 #8. I have used several and they are very good… much better than any of the other code 83 turn-outs they make, and much less expensive than Peco or Walthers/Shinohara
YOu are correct, thr frogs are silver monsters and are ready for power to the frogs. The problem will be that they are thicker than Micro Eng. track and you must shim the track up to fit. No biggy but just a heads up. I have the Atlas and they work just fine with the Tortoise. The ONLY drawback was the frog which must be powered.