I have one simple question that I would like responses from the readers of this bulletin board. In your opinion, what is the most durable and operationally dependable commercial turnout available today and why? Please be honest and forthright with your responses.
I love Peco switches. I am rebuilding 12 feet of 24 year old modules; and six of the eight Peco switches are originals. I have replaced two others because they were damaged in storage / transit. I love the built in manual switch machines; just drop them in and you are ready to go.
I don’t have a lot of experience and am just building my own layout now, but I’ve operated all last year on maybe a dozen other people’s layouts and club layouts.
From what I’ve seen, Peco, Walthers/Shinohara, Atlas all seem to work just fine for everyone as long as installation is done properly and they are (re-)gauged with an NMRA gauge lst. Most choices were based on cost (Atlas being the most “reasonably” priced, the others for more prototypical look. Peco and Walthers have curved turn outs and I don’t believe Atlas does.
Also until recently Atlas did not have #8 turnouts so people used other brands even if their principal trackage was Atlas.
I asked your question of all of these owner/operators and that’s what I was told by them all.
Hope that helps. I’m sure MUCH more experienced opinions are already on the way!
Way back in the stone-age when I was still an HO-Scaler I had an Atlas Code 100 switch on one of my layouts that wasn’t
but it sure was consistent; I never did figure out what in the dickens was the matter with it. It didn’t like any of my locomotives–or rolling stock–and none of my locomotives–nor rolling stock–liked it. It has been reposing peacefully in the Glendale, Arizona landfill now for going on 25-26 years. It was ordered from Hobbies For Men while I was stationed in the Azores and I think it set me back about $3.85; one of the worst $3.85 I have ever spent in my life. May it rest in peace.
wcu,
I recently installed/replaced my Atlas Snap track #4 turnouts with Fast Tracks (FT) #4.5 and #5s. FT turnouts are quiet, dependable, and worth the added expense.
Since I needed only a few turnouts, it was more cost effective for me to purchase them off ebay rather than buying the jigs and fixtures to make my own. (Something that I eventually would like to do.) The turnouts come already assembled (including ties), painted, and the frogs wired.
What should be noted is that the FT turnouts come with “live” frogs (vs. “insulated” frogs). So, you will need to spend time wiring them correctly to your layout’s track bus. Even so, the extra effort is well worth it for me.
Tom
I am happy with the Walthers/Shinohara turnouts I use, but the curved ones I have (#7.5) are not to advertised specs for the diverging route. I was informed when I purchased them over the phone from an LHS that they were supposed to be 24" radius on the inner/diverging route. It was more like 21".
I would have to say that my best commercial performers, all-round, are the Streamline Code 83 Peco insulfrog #6 turnouts that populate my yard. The over-center spring spoils ya.
I’ve visited several “name-brand” layouts the last few years. Their trend is to replace mass-produced commercial turnouts with handlaid turnouts. These layouts have been around for a decade or more, and their owners complained about the long-term reliability of the commercial turnouts (and we’re not discussing the effort initially tuning the mass-produced turnouts).
Mark
Several years ago, when I moved into my present quarters, I purchased a representative sample of the available commercial turnouts to see which, if any, I would use in constructing my ‘last in this lifetime’ layout.
After testing and evaluating all of them, I consigned them to the round receptacle and proceeded to hand-lay all of my specialwork - as I had been doing for decades.
IMHO, there is NO commercial product that even comes close to what I can build from raw rail on individual wood ties.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on hand-laid specialwork)
My layout is now about 3 1/2 years into construction. I’m using mostly Atlas turnouts, with a few Pecos. My recent turnout purchases have all been Pecos. I do like them better. For one thing, the switch machines (also twin-coil like Atlas) mount on the underside of the turnout and end up below the track, so I don’t have to hide those unsightly motors like I do with Atlas. The Pecos also feel more solidly built, and the spring-loaded points are very solid.
None of these has given me any problems, other than “birth defects” caused by less-than-perfect track laying.
I’m a Scot, by the way. So, when it came time to toss all my 50-year-old brass track and upgrade to nickel-silver, I saved the twin-coil Atlas machines. I found that I could buy new Atlas snap-switches and attach the old machines. They haven’t changed that part of the design in a half century. I brought this up, though, to illustrate a point. I’m still using 50 year old Atlas twin-coil switch machines. Treat them well, and they’ll last a while.
mp:
How about that? I remember a time just a few years ago when the general consensus seemed to be that “today’s track components” were so good that there was no point in handlaying any more. But now I guess we are back to the old ways. Good old cyclic history. [:D]
Well said! We may disagree on some issues sometimes but I am in perfect agreement with you on this issue.
My situation was just a little bit different from yours. When I went over to N-Scale in the early-'80s I began using Rail Craft Code 55. Not wanting a monotony of #6 switches–all that was available in Code 55–I began to lay my own switches. I did have a limited experience in handlaying HO-Scale but my first attempts in N-Scale looked like they had gone through a Hurricane Ike. I have gotten better–and faster. With a hand designed jig I can put a switch down and all aligned in just a couple of hours.
If you are talking about commercial ready to use turnouts, I used Shinohara turnouts on my last layout (N scale), which ran flawlessly for 13 years after they were installed.
How about EZ-track turnouts? Mine have been STEPPED ON and still work well. They’ve never given me trouble
I’ve had very good luck with my Sinohara turnouts so far, both for yard and mainline work, and I have a couple of Peco’s that I’m pretty impressed with, also. I have three #8 Sinohara curved turnouts that have been largely trouble free, however they have to be adjusted VERY carefully.
But I like both brands a lot.
Tom
I use Atlas at home…but my club has switched to Peco and I’m pretty impressed with the performance…just a little pricier than the Atlas…Tim
I have used Peco Code 100s for years with no problems - almost indestructable. Now I’ve had Code 83 down for a year or so and they seem to be going to be the same.
Jonathan
Well… there are a number of options. I have a number of Shinohara turnouts on my layout right now, wired up for a testing of my track plan. Except for one stubborn one, everything has been PERFECT with them. As long as you take a file to the points and solder a wire to the frog, you’re good to go.
Fast Tracks isn’t commercial, but could be considered so, I think, because they basically are a commercial product, except the customer builds what they need, instead of vice-versa. If you need flawless turnouts that will last forever, the Fast Tracks turnouts are the definite way to go.
lots of people seem to like Peco; I’ve had no experience with them so I can’t comment. And if Micro Engineering’s turnouts are as good as their track is, then I suspect they are good as welll, although expensive.
in terms of price/performance/realistic appearance, I’d say Walthers/Shinohara are the way to go, depending on what code you’re looking for.
I don’t care how well they perform, those Atlas turnouts with the stamped points just look absolutely horrible to me… but if they work for you, great.
I been using Atlas switches for years and find them very dependable.
Any of the brands mentioned should operate reliably if installed correctly. Some require some tweeking to get the best performance no matter what brand.
I am building my (modest) “retirement layout” and decided to use the best equipment possible. I chose Peco Cd 83 and have not been disappointed. These switches have performed flawlessly for me.