Have you all noticed the shortage of Atlas #6 code 100 turnouts?
is this because Atlas is introducing the new Mark V turnouts? That still does not explain why the older Mark IVs have disappeared. Anyone knows? The Mark Vs are not immediately available either.
I am in need of several of them fairly quickly.
It’s today’s world of international manufacturing. I believe Atlas has all its track made in China. It’s a long trip subject to misunderstandings and delays.
There was a Great Track Shortage a few years ago, mostly from a short supply of Atlas track but other track became hard to get, too. It took a while but things smoothed out.
Hello All,
I pre-ordered a car directly from a U.S. “manufacturer” in November 2020.
Because of overseas “sourcing”, I received the car in February.
This transaction was theoretically done directly with the manufacturer without a third-party retailer, supposedly to “cutting out the middle-man”.
As has been posted overseas sourcing for U.S. manufacturers can cause a delay in the supply chain.
Unfortunately, the marketing departments of many “manufacturers” get ahead of the supply chain to coax buyers into committing to their “newest and greatest” products over the competitors.
An unfortunate negative effect of a global economy.
Be patient and…
Hope this helps.
Shortages are also existing in all kinds of weird areas that have nothing to do with model railroading.
I think this is just a sign of the times. Some things just are going to be in short supply for a while.
-Kevin
Very interesting you posted this today. Without hi-jacking this thread I’ll just briefly say I’m back into model trains after being away for about 35 years. I have been doing a lot of research lately to get back up to speed and was just starting to source track for the layout.
My choice was Atlas code 100 and as you pointed out, the #6 switches are not to be found anywhere that I have looked. I was going to post to ask about PECO code 100 switches as a sub as I am not clear on which to get in place of the Atlas #4 and #6 switches.
One last thing, I have been reading this forum trying to mine as mutch information as I can and it has been proving quite successful!
Anyway, greetings and salutations!
I did find some on EBAY and not above MSRP. Yes, they’re rolling out the new Mark V track which they say should arrive in Mid April. The new Code 100 curved turnouts are not part of the new rollout as they just arrived last year.
Some say due to the pandemic, more people are working on layouts and buying track and other supplies up.
I sold off all my Atlas code 10 #6 because they cause a pot hole effect as wheels go through the frog, among other things. So I changed to Peco code 100 large to replace them.
There’s absolutely no doubt that model railroading is enjoying a resurgence of popularity with consequent increased demand.
We have found that the same frog number Peco fits in place of an Atlas (with the Peco #5 replacing an Atlas #4) but the Peco is quite a bit shorter. Also the Peco #7 double curve turnout is a much broader radius than the Atlas Code 83 Customline and much better built. That too is much shorter than the Atlas turnout. All Peco turnouts are much better made than the competition.
I’m not impressed with the manufacturing quality of Micro Engineering Code 70 turnouts, frankly.
I’m also not buying any more Atlas turnouts unless their quality improves. Period.
I like the few Shinohara “made in Japan” products I picked up and reserve opinion about the new Walthers line replacing those, to be made elsewhere in Asia.
I just removed 42 Atlas 100 turnouts from my layout.
Offhand, there are eight #8s, twenty or so #6s, and a handful of #4s, and one wye. Some have been soldered so I need to “unsolder” the track pieces attached to them. When I get them to my satisfaction, they will go on Ebay.
But meanwhile, twer I were you, I would check out Ebay and see if there are any suitable offerings out there now.
There are at least a dozen listings on eBay.
Rich
Thanks for the suggestion - I hadn’t checked there yet.
Take a look at the shipping container shortage. This, of course, causes shipping costs to surge (more than 4x). Maybe some manufacturers are either holding off shipping until favorable rates hopefully come back or they simply can not get a container to load?
Regards, Ed
Yup, used shipping containers are getting really hard to find around here. Our oil patch uses a lot of them for “temporary” buildings. Cutting in windows and doors, spray foam insulation, power, water , drains and AC and you got yourself a weatherproof securable office/shop/warehouse locatable literally anywhere in the World you can afford the lifting costs (drag, truck, rail or heli).
Not too many of our containers go back to sea…
That sounds like it could be the problem. It looks like logistics everywhere is becoming an issue.
-Kevin
While shipping containers and their logistics are being mentioned, if you have enough pandemic time free to read a 540 page book this may be of interest.
The stardardization of containers was initially energetically fought by railroads which had recently introduced, and spent a bunch of money on, piggyback service.
by Marc Levinson (Author)
"… Drawing on previously neglected sources, economist Marc Levinson shows how the cont