I just bought a pair of atlas #4 turnouts and they were both severly bent out of the box.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i8GpFbw8lxosY2xLl_fCoPo1Z_KGi4W4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_1jR5wTxBB6-9qU9ycZ8HTGrifS0-6y2/view?usp=sharing
Is there a way to fix them?
Unfortunately that’s just how Atlas #4s are. I’ve bought about ten over the years and they all have that bend, where the “straight” track isn’t actually quite straight. I haven’t tried to fix it because it hasn’t caused any problems for me… but if you’re using sectional track, or trying to make a big yard ladder, I can see how this might be a problem.
Kinda like using flex track, use a straight edge and attach them to the roadbed.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
My Altas #4’s aren’t bent.
For people without google access, It’s a left hand turnout and the straight stock rails bend to the right just past the junction of the points and the closure rails.
I would try what Mel suggests.
Where did you buy them? Are these straight from the original packaging? Did you bend them removing them from the original packageing?
I’d get a grip on them with my hands, and try to straighten them. I’d get them as straight as possible before you fix them in place on your layout.
Mike.
Now that is weird. I have some Atlas #4 turnouts, and they are not bent.
Rich
Can you just return them for exchange for correctly made turnouts?
Its hard to see how these could become bent. The plastic tie mouldings should prevent that.
One reason I’m using Peco this time. Last layout was #4 Atlas - ALL had that bend int he straight side. Layotu before that had a mix of Atlas #6 and #4 - the #6’s were all fine. THe #4’s - ALL bent. The old layout, that was from 15+ years ago. The previous layout, I bought those probably 9-10 years ago.
ANd I did look through the entire supply at the LHS - ALL of them had this bend.
They worked ok, but sighting along the stright track showed a wiggle at every turnout, Nothing straightened them. Gauge was fine. Trains ran fine - just with a little wiggle.
It’s not a one off, oops, got a bad one - they are ALL like this. Maybe the new manufacturered ones (since the Great Atlas Track Debacle when nothign was available) are better, I don;t have any newer production ones.
–Randy
Yes, this is a known problem with the #4. I found that you can straighten them.
Personally, I decided after the layout before last, that #4’s would only be used for industrial areas, and even then only if necessary.
For the very few that I plan to use, I will select the best from my inventory and adjust them as needed.
The Atlas is really a #4-1/2, PECO makes a #5, a real #4 is pretty sharp. I’m using all #6 and #8’s anywhere mainline power has to go.
So not really an issue.
And yes, it will be interesting to see if there is a correction in the newest production.
Sheldon
So to confirm what I remembered, I dug out an Atlas Code 83 Custom Line turnout.
And sure enough it had the little “wiggle”. I laid it against a steel straight edge and was easily able to “straighten it”, as I remembered from the last time I installed one.
Since I use track nails to hold turnouts, the “center” track nail hole is right in line with the wiggle - push it over, nail it down.
So I got even more curious and adventurous. I flipped it over and removed some of the tie bridging under the rails in the area of the wiggle.
And with a little gentle bend was able to permanently remove most of the wiggle, and considerably less force was necessary to straighten it fully against the straight edge.
Some photos of the “repaired” turnout, not sure how well you can see:
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I agree this is a defect Atlas should have fixed a long time ago, and hopefully they have. I have no experiance with newer production runs, the turnout I worked on is easily 15 years old, maybe older.
But considering all “modifications” people did years ago to make PECO code 100 turnouts more RP25 wheel friendly, and the articles published about “tuning up” Walthers and Micro Engineering turnouts, this is an easy an small chore.
Or in my case, if I used PECO code 83, the necessary electrical changes and removing the throw bar spring.
All seems about the same to me, none of them quite “user perfect” out of the box.
Sheldon
This problem isn’t limited to Atlas, and I’ve addressed it on a bunch of turnouts. I use a cutoff wheel in a motor tool to remove plastic between alternating ties under the rails, typically only between the heel of the points and the frog. The resulting turnout can be straightened just as easily as fixing a bend in flex track. The process takes only a minute or so for each turnout.
I have also used the process to create very large radius curved turnouts.
Sheldon
I noticed this problem to my suprise when I went to use some old Atlas track I had. But its easily fixable. Pretty much did what Mel said.
I drilled a few holes along the centerline of the track just like the ones at the ends Atlas provides. Both through the normal and reverse sides.
Starting at the points end, I attached the switch to roadbed one nail at a time, straightening the switch as i went. You could also lay a swath of adhesive betwixt the ties and roadbed to aid in holding the switch in place.
Has solved the problem so far.
PMR
ok, I highlighted the areas that it looks like you cut. So if I cut those plastic areas I should be able to straighten the turnout?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-MBW9g_xjIkQ_XA7oo-ABJt6FECmcG0W/view?usp=sharing
Atlas #4 have always been too sharp/small for me but I’ve had some Atlas #6 that were a bit bowed. I too found I could pull the bow out using Atlas track nails by nailing down both ends first and then pushing the middle over so it was straight and tacking it down there with a nail.
Having trouble viewing your images.
You can most likely straighten them as you nail them down with the modification, but it I s just a little easier and relives whatever built in stress is in the plastic tie strip.
Sheldon
Lets see if this works:
That’s the OP’s picture.
Mike.
Ok, yes that’s what I cut out. You may do better to leave groups of two ties connected by moving the top cut up one tie.
Sheldon
Same here. The idea that the issue does not apply to the Atlas #6 Custom LIne or Super Switch is not accurate.
I think there were batches/years where this was a problem, since I have not noticed the bowing/curved “tangent” track on every #6 turnout.
None of my Atlas #6 had any major bends or bows, but some enough that if you sighted down them you could see the bow over and back again. I didn’t need to cut any of the webbing out. Just a gentle push would straighten it out after both ends were tacked down and the middle held with a track nail.