What are the opinions out there about which brand of turnout to use; Peco, Atlas, or Walthers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? I am using Peco Code 83 flex track.
Peco will be the most reliable. I have both Atlas and Peco on my layout and are vastly happier with Peco.
The points have separated from the throw bar on my Atlas ones.
The Walthers/Shinohara are probably the best looking of the three choices.
I know the Peco code 100 was rather thick looking stuff. Is the Peco code 83 the stuff that’s been improved by making it look more North American in detail? Then there may not be so much difference in looks.
Quite frankly, my dear, I don’t care for any of them. That’s why I handlay all of my specialwork.
Handlaying can be done without jigs (although they do make the process easier for a novice) and doesn’t take much time once you’ve climbed the steep part of the learning curve. Once you know how, you’ll never have to suspend construction because the one essential turnout is on backorder _ and the price is definitely right.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork)
In the code 83 offering, I like the Micro Engineering best, unfortunately they only make #6.
Second choice is Peco. Peco has a fine rail cross section close to the Micro Engineering ones. The points are stamp metal which give them a flimsy look, that I don’t like, but can do with it. I don’t like the Peco plastic frog so I don’t use their Insulfrog turnout.
Third choice is Walthers DCC friendly, the frog is insulated and of metal construction. The rail cross section is thicker than Peco and Micro Engineering but look good enough. The points are machined and look better than Peco.
All three will look very good once installed ballasted and weathered.
I don’t use Atlas can’t comment on these.
Apart from some hand laid #8 turnouts and one hand laid double-slip #6, I use Peco Streamline Code 83 #6 turnouts exclusively. As Jack says, the stamped points rails are kinda ‘meh’, but other than that they work very well, have that nifty over-centre spring (not good for those using switch machines), and are otherwise well constructed and reliable.
-Crandell
I think like so many things, turnout choice boils down to personal preference. That being said I went with Walthers because of the good selection of curved T/O’s they have. I have a whole bunch of curved T/O’s on my layout as they can open up more space and solve a lot of other problems in the planning and executing stage.
You don’t have to stick with one brand on your layout. Buy a variety and down the road you will know which ones you prefer. Then as you expand or build a new layout you will have hopefully made your choice.
I’m using Fast Tracks jig built code 83 turnouts on a switching layout I’m building, mostly #6s, but also a few single crossovers and curved. They are very smooth tracking and I like their looks, even without spike head detail. I also like that the point rails are one piece and always hot. Using Tortoise machines to throw them, so not sure how they’d do with manual throws. Cannot comment on long term reliability yet.
regards, Peter
I have also hand laid all of the turnouts on my current layout (about 40 so far with another 10 or so to go) using Fast Tracks PC ties, rail I broke out of inexpensive flex track and plywood jigs I made using Fast Tracks paper templates as guides. As Peter mentioned, the point rails are continuous and always electrically hot. My rolling stock glides through the finished turnouts far smoother than they ever did through any commercially produced turnouts on my previous layouts. Best of all, I can build ANY type/diverging angle turnout I need. I have built mainly #6 left and right standard turnouts but I’ve also built one curved turnout and one 22" radius wye turnout. I use Caboose Industries #202 ground throws to operate my turnouts.
No, you don’t get the spike detail of the commercial products although there are turnout detail kits available if you really need the detailing. In my case, my eyes are so weak now that I really can’t see that much of an appearance difference between my turnouts and adjacent flex track, especially once the track is painted and ballasted. I also like to use Atlas N scale code 80 rail joiners on my HO code 83 rails. It takes a little effort to install these tiny joiners but they all but disappear once the track is painted and ballasted.
I currently have examples of Atlas, Shinohara/Walthers, Micro Engineering and Central Valley code 83 turnouts. All work fine. All will require some degree of tuning to ensure optimal performance (filing to eliminate casting flash and other rough sports, re-gauging here and there, and so on).
Form my experience, Atlas require a fair amount of tuneup but can be very reliable and smooth once tuned.
Micro Engineering only offers a #6, but they usually are very smooth right out of the box.
Shinohara/Walthers vary. Some of them have gauge problems at the frogs or elsewhere, but again are OK once you work on them a bit.
You can create some great looking and operating track using Central Valley kits, although I wouldn’t recommend them unless you are experienced working on other turnouts. Experience handlaying helps a lot.
I’ve never used Peco code 83, so can’t offer much advice there. I have helped others with tuning Peco code 100 turnouts and can’t say I was impressed with them at all. I do hear the code 83 North American turnouts are better.
Tried Atlas 83s, not happy with them. Currently using Walthers/Shinohara 83s that look great and work like a charm. The LHS (Central Hobbies in Vancouver) sells them off the shelf, inspected, with the points filed and jumpers soldered across the heels. Not having to doctor my turnouts is worth a few extra bucks to me.
Stu
If you are already using Peco Code 83 flex track, then it makes a lot of sense to use Peco Code 83 turnouts. I have a few of my layout, and they are excellent, no problems. Also, the Peco Code 83 turnouts have those springs in place which makes them easy to operate with a flick of your finger without the use of switch machines or manual throws.
I have mostly Atlas Custom Line Code 83 turnouts on my layout, and they work fine, and they are relatively inexpensive.
Walthers turnouts are too expensive for my taste.
Rich
This is my take on it.
I used to own a U.K based layout before I took my present interest in North American model railroads.
I hand built every turnout on the layout. Sure, they looked nice but it took a lot of time and money to hand lay personally and it got old real quick.
When I built my current American layout, I looked at Walthers and Peco code 83. Peco’s 83 line track was relatively new back then and I was impressed by its mostly prototypical appearance. I work on the RR as a job so I know a thing or two about track and points etc and how they should look.
Sure, there are compromises, like there are in most area’s of the hobby but to me the Peco 83 stuff looks pretty good overall.
My main critique of them is the stamped out and hinged point blades, I wish they would use a nice planed rail for the switch points like Walthers do.
And that dam hinge isn’t great but again, its a compromise! Ive about 20 sets of Peco 83 points on my layout for the past 8 years now and there’s never been a problem. All mine are Electro frog, I like the relative seamless appearance of the metal frog and metal guard rails that Electrofrog affords as well as the good slow speed running with short wheelbase loco’s. I removed all the over centre springs so as they work well with Tortoise machines.
If you weather them well I think they look very nice.
Check out the pic of a #8 on my layout below. Please excuse the derailment due to operator error [(-D]
Oh, be aware that hold a Walthers turnout side by side to a Peco code 83, there IS a difference in rail section. Its a very small difference but the head of the rail on the walthers turnout is slightly wider!
Its not much but it is there.
Thanks, that looks great, I think I am going to go with the Peco switches! When you weathered the track did you cover anything up, or paint the entire rail, ties, etc…
I painted before any ballast was applied. I had a small advantage with the paint though as here in the UK there’s a company called Pheonix Precision. They make a multitude of RR colours in solvent form. They sell what they call “track colour” which is a very good track dirt colour. I just thinned this and sprayed it from an air brush onto the ties and rails all in one hit!
I then took time to clean all the paint from the running surfaces of the rails. I then mixed my own rust colour and aimed the air brush at the sides of the rail that was visible from normal viewing angles and sprayed sparingly! I again cleaned all the running surfaces. Its a lot of work but it was worth it. I would suggest you find some colours from the likes of Testors for good track colours and if necessary, make up a test piece using a short length of track on a strip of ply. That’s what I did anyway.
The track was then ballasted using woodland scenic fine ballast. I mixed light gray with gray 50/50.
Don’t forget that if you intend to change the points using a slow motion machine like a Tortoise, remove the over centre spring on the Peco points before you lay them down.