I am building my layout finally and just about to start trackwork. I have some old switches from Atlas that are code 100. Most are Snap-Switches so I will not use those, but there is one Atlas #6. I am going to do my new trackwork in code 83, I know that Atlas makes transition joiners, so will there be any problem using the code 100 switch with code 83 rail? I am just worried that even with the transition joiners there could be a problem with height.
Visually, the CD100 switch will look out of place.
That being said, I would just insert a rail joiner on the CD100 track and then lay the CD83 track on top and solder it on.
David B
You will have to fiddle with transition joiners anyway. They are flimsy, hard to get into position, and won’t line up well when you take your hands off the join the first time. You’ll end up lifting one or the other rail end and having to immediately shim under the raised one or place “dirt” or ballast under it to that it won’t reduce in height the first or second time an engine passes overhead.
It’s all part of laying track. You could do what some fellas do and solder a squashed regular joiner to the smaller rail bottom. You use pliers and squash one side of the joiner, solder it into position, and then slide the open end onto the larger Code 100. I have never done this.
Do you think it’s worth the $12 to just buy another code 83 switch? When your 15 money is a big issue. [banghead]
You can do what you want…
David B
Buy another turnout. You will be more happy in the long run.
Atlas makes a track section that transitions from code 83 to code 100. I can’t find it on the Walther’s site but I’ve seen it in the LHS I go to.
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/948-897 I could use this Walthers transition track, but I would need 2 of them so it would be the same price as buying a new turnout.
Good thinking, you are catching on.
Bob
It looks like you cheapest and easiest way is going to be with the rail joiners, either with transition joiners or soldering to a flattened rail joiner.
Well, I really want reliable trackwork, so I am going to call TTE in a few minutes.
Really? I’ve never seen that piece of track and could not find it in the Atlas online catalog. Last I heard the solution is to flatten one end of a code 100 joiner, lay the code 83 over the flattened ends and solder the rails. Are you sure the piece you saw was Atlas?
Edit: Nope it’s not an Atlas piece.
Bapou, agreed. When you are 15 $12 is a lot of money. At $15 funding the construction of a layout can be quite daunting. If the fact that the code 100 turnout will look bad next to the code 83 track doesn’t bother you then there is no reason to replace the turnout. On the other hand, you could ebay your code 100 trackage and go with code 83. Just throwing ideas around. If I were in your shoes I would probably use the code 100 switch but then I am not modeling a prototype and I am not a rivet counter by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe you can find a spot on the layout where the code 100 turnout will be less noticeable?
It wouldn’t be very noticable since it will be in a yard, but of course in a yard a lot of trains would run over it. I ordered another switch just to make sure everything runs well. I know there are better switchs like Pico Micro Engineering Etc. but they are just to expensive. I like the idea of E-Baying the code 100 track. A few months ago I made $130 on E-Bay, but not much remains. I needed a Circuitron FL-3 and an Athearn SW-1500 plus some random items.
Most teens would think I’m crazy but one of the things I sold was my Gameboy Advance SP.
That’s more important than anything else. Bad trackwork will always be frustrating, and will drive many modellers out of the hobby. Good trackwork, of course, doesn’t get noticed. It’s just there, doing its job. But, when you realize that you’ve gone a month or more since your last derailment, then you look back and realize that you did a good job.
ATLAS’code 83 is assembled with code 100 ties to make them ‘transitionable’, so their Rail Joiners should work fine.
The Shinohara/Walthers adapters will have a sleight height difference plus take up 11" of more track-length.
Micro-Engineering also makes ‘transitional’ joiners for their track which should be a clue. Different makers of rail use different dimensional tolerances during manufacture. That’s why it’s wisest to match Rail joiners to track.
NMRA ‘spec’ is for rail height only, not width or profile. So do PECO 83 joiners fit ATLAS 83 track (force)? A: - MAYBE - (don’t count on it).