I am planning a new layout and the code 55 track is calling my name. However I dont know anything about the turnouts offerred by various companies. If you have any experience with any of them could you share it please? Also, if you know the length of a #5 Atlas turnout that would be a big help also. Thanks!
In N scale there are indeed many choices of track available.
If you are running older equipment (with larger flanges) your selection will be limited a little. Running DCC will cut the field a little more.
Basically it breaks down like this (or so I understand);
Atlas code 80 - the old standby. It’s bullet proof, cheap, easy to find, and DCC friendly. It just doesn’t look the greatest (tall rail, oversize ties and tie spacing and so forth). If you don’t mind the looks, it is OK. Good ballasting work, painting and weathering the rails can help a lot with the looks.
Atlas code 55 - Looks good, pretty easy to find, decent price, DCC friendly. They offer wye turnouts, # 10 turnouts, curved turnouts, and various crossings. Problem is, older equipment has larger flanges on the wheels and they hit the ties on this track. This may not work for you. If you’re buying currently available equipment this will be less of an issue for you, except with Micro-Trains cars. You’ll have to get low profile wheelsets for those.
Atlas code 65 track - It’s one of those that has the roadbed attached to it, so it has those limitations. Also, there’s no flex track that I know of in that code. It’s new enough that there aren’t many options available yet, but who knows. Atlas made it because they a track / roadbed combo, and they made it code 65 so they could avoid the flange issue while still being somewhat close to a prototype rail height.
Peco code 80 and code 55 - Great stuff, lots of track choices (curved turnouts, Stub turnouts, slip switches, and all kinds of stuff), solid and reliable. The code 55 is really code 80 track with a double flange on the lower sides and it’s buried in the ties further. It doesn’t have any flange issues so you can run older and large flanged equipment without worry.&
I chose Peco cd 55. I looked at the Atlas selections in N scale and quickly decided that I didn’t like the looks of the cd80, same was true for Peco cd 80. So that left cd55 from both manufacturers, the Atlas cd 55 is a really short (in height) track and after setting up a test track I ran into many problems with the flanges on my wheels. All of my rolling stock is less than 5 yrs old and almost all had issues with flanges hitting the ties - Atlas, Concor, ME, Athearn, Kato - all hit the ties as did most of my locos, especially steamers. When I tested the Peco cd55 I had none of those issues so the choice was kind of a no-brainer. I did like the look of the Atlas cd55 better but functionality won over looks at the end of the day.
Peco cd55 has a TON of options for turnouts, #4, #6, #8, curved, single slip, double slip, scissor crossings and a few crossings. There is regular, concrete ties and bridge flex track too. I am very happy with the Peco as an overall choice. Availability is easy on the WWW but it can be a bit pricey b/c of the exchange rate, all made in England.
I use their “Electrofrog” turnouts and while I think they are DCC friendly right out of the box I have chosen to make a few modifications to each turnout which will make them bulletproof for the long haul. See here http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm for how that is done. Website has a lot of info on Atlas turnouts too.
I’ll be calling you–ou-ou-ou–ou-ou–ou;
No one else will do–ou–ou–ou–ou–ou-ou!
What movie did Nelson Eddy sing that in?
Anyway, back to the subject at hand:
Code 55 called me way back in about 1984 and all of my subsequent N-Scale layouts have been laid with Code 55 track. In 1984 the only Code 55 was made by Rail Craft and their supply of switches was limited–as is Micro Engineering today–to #6s. I laid a couple of BK Enterprises and choked on their prices so decided now was the time to take up handlaying switches which I have been doing ever since. If you are planning on using a wide array of switches you might take up handlaying–it’s not really difficult once you get the hang of it and, economically, it’s well worth the effort. There was a recent article in one of the hobby mags about handlaying turnouts; doing this in N-Scale is not significantly different than doing it in HO-Scale.
Atlas C55 #5s and #7s are the same length on the straight leg: 6 inches. This is to match up with the sectional Code 55 track. This results in a length of straight track in front of the points on the #5, which one can trim to allow the turnout to fit better in tighter spots.
I’m a dedicated advocate of Atlas’ c55 line. It is outstanding, as easy to work with as their c80 snap track. They offer a full range of sectional, if you want to go that route, as well as very good quality and economical flex track. It’s also got the best distribution network out there, and I’ve seen it stocked in even the most generic hobby stores.
Micro Engineering flex might look better, but only marginally. The wheel flange issue is a non-issue if you ask me. The way I look at it, if you care enough about how your layout looks to want c55, then odds are you aren’t happy with the jumbo flanges that have problems with it. Remember, the Atlas track conforms with NMRA standards. The flanges that don’t work on it are the problem. Besides, if you’re just getting started now, there’s only one rolling stock manufacture that sticks to their old ways, and that’s Micro Trains. They do offer low profile wheel sets at an extra charge, but if you avoid buying their cars, and just get Atlas, Athearn, Intermountain, Red Caboose, even Bachmann anymore, your wheels will perform just fine. If you do have some “legacy” equipment made before 1990 (roughly) it’s not a big deal to get replacement trucks or wheel sets. Locomotives are a little trickier, but honestly, anything that old is probably going to be crap anyway, both in terms of looks and operation, compared to the more modern production runs.
There’s no real trick to installing the track. Just use a light adhesive like latex caulk, and you’ll be running trains in short order. The Atlas selection of turnouts alone is worth going with them.
The only potential drawback to the Atlas turnouts is that they are not sprung like Peco o
Hi from Belgium,
Without any doubt use code 55 anyway.
I use Peco insulfrog code 55 since they appear on the market.
They run fine and are easy to convert for DCC.
Other way is to handlaid your track, especialy turnouts. Since a few years I handlaid mine using Fastrack jig. With these jig they are very easy to build. You can produce very accurate N scale turnouts with these jigs and they offer the best running qualities I have seen. The cost is very low by turnout.
Take a look for this system at www.handlaidtrack.com
Good luck.
Marc
I just purchased the Fast-tracks jigs too for handlaying code 55 turnouts and am laying ME Code 55 for everything else. I’ve only made two turnouts, second one went much better, and I agree they are easy to build using the jigs. The only thing I’ll respectfully disagree on is the cost/turnout. For the 60’ish turnouts I need to build, I couldn’t get below about $15.75/turnout US. Fast-tracks does not include the jigs themselves in their cost/turnout estimate, not to mention the files, nippers, etc. that are handy to have. My estimated cost included the jigs but not the other hand tools as most modelers have these things in their tool box anyway. That said, I am impressed with the workmanship on the jigs and the resulting turnouts are awesome.
Bob O.
I believe all PECO Code 55 turnouts are electrofrog. It is possible to rework them to create “dead” frogs, as noted on the Wiring for DCC website. The PECO Code 80 N scale turnouts are offered in both electrofrog and insulfrog versions.
That said, they are fine turnouts.
Great post. Will Peco insuluated frogs code 55 or 80 work better with dcc without having to rewire them as oppossed to Atlas or are Atlas wired the same as Peco?
George
Keep in mind that Peco CD “55” is actually CD 80 in disguise and their look is European, not North American.
When I was in N scale, I used Atlas CD55 products. No problems at all. Just keep an eye on the Frogs on the early #5 releases, they sometimes were a little high. With Alas turnouts, you dont have to worry about DCC compatibility, because they have no electrical issues. Also, they offer different frog #s. They even allow you to power the frog, if you wish.
Pecos have electrical issues. They rely on the mechanical electrical connection between the point and the stock rail. This gets dirty and becomes highly unreliable over time. The result is a dead section of track from the end of the point, back.
David B
Disagree. Those are potential porblem issues, but they are easily solved by keeping the inside of the rail clean or by a bit of wiring as outlined in the Wiring for DCC website. And Atlas C55 out-of-the-box have an unpowered frog and no way to hold the points, so each has its quirks.
Atlas C55 have a better look, I agree. But the PECOs fit in places Atlas C55 won’t, are rugged, and work well-out-of-the-box. There are trade-offs in selecting commercial components, not absolutes.
Disagree again. The fact that you have to modify them or clean them constitutes an electrical problem. If it wasn’t there, then you wouldn’t have to address it.
I have owned and used Pecos, and yes, over time, they loose their electrical performance.
Pecos are of a European design and look nothing like their North American cousins. They have over sized rail, ties, tie plates and curved diverging routes. The Atlas units are of a much better design.
If you want the best of both worlds, then I also suggest the Micro Engineering turnouts. They look just like the Atlas ones, but they have the spring to hold the points in place. However, unlike the Pecos, they have already addressed the issue with the point/stock rail electrical issue.
And finally, don’t listen to those who swear by pizza-cutter flanges and their necessity. Small flanges (as required by proper CD55) operate just fine with good trackwork. Pizza-cutter flanges were invented in the 70s and that is where they should stay.
David B
Clearly, you won’t be using PECOs. Good for you.
I have owned and used PECOs, and yes, over time, they have worked fine for me.
Until and unless Atlas builds a #4 into their C55 line, I think PECOs are the best choice for industrial trackage and other tight spots. MicroEngineering only has #6s in their N scale line, so it doesn’t work for many of us.
I’m done with this thread, but feel free to carry on.
The ultimate, and very suprised it hasent been mentioned, is Fastracks. They have the best look, performance and reliability.
David B