It has been a long time coming, but we are very close to releasing our
complete line of curved turnout assembly fixtures and QuickSticks laser cut
ties for virtually every scale and size turnout that we currently offer!
This new line of tools and supplies will be priced exactly the same as our
straight turnout tools and will be available for order on our website very
shortly.
The only thing that stands between now and our release is figuring out what
radiuses we should produce. The techniques that we have developed to produce curved turnouts allows us to make virtually any radius imaginable while still maintaining the correct size and geometry of the turnout. Since it is
really not practical to offer all possible radiuses, our plan is to offer two to three different radiuses for each scale and size of turnout, which will result is a wide range of sizes being available.
As you might imagine, trying to determine what radiuses we should offer is a
daunting task as there are literally thousands of possible sizes. That is
where you come in! We have prepared an online survey that you are invited to
participate in. The survey only has 2 questions - the scale that you model
in, and which radiuses of curved turnouts that you would find most
useful. We will then use the results of this survey to select the curved turnout radiuses for each scale.
The survey is available now (April 4) and will remain available until
November 1, 2006. We will use whatever information that we gather in the
next few weeks to launch our line of curved turnouts and will continue to
modify our size offerings as more people complete the survey.
So now is your chance to directly influence what radiuses of curved turnouts
that we will offer! You can start the survey now by going to:
Agreed. I understand your caution. In this case, everybody gets direct input into a product that is sure to be highly useful to those who want to get handlaid track down quickly. Nobody is gushing over the product; we merely have an opportunity to get onto the market something that most of us could use…yes, and that Tim can sell.
I don’t believe companies are supposed to promote their products on this forum, and this comes perilously close to that. I applaud the efforts of this company and their desire to give us what we want. [tup] I commend their coming to us to find out what that is [tup] [tup], but I think this would have come off better if a single person (maybe someone who works for the company but not coming to us as the company representative) had simply asked what we would like to see in a curved turnout without promoting a certain product. [:-^] They might have even hinted that they had an “undisclosed” manufacurer’s ear. [X-)]
As to the product itself, I don’t handlay as I just don’t have the luxury of that kind of time, but it sounds like it’s time has come for those who do have the time. Perhaps matching the radius to a sectional curve that is currently available would be a good idea? That way you can keep your curves smooth and constant if you are using sectional track.
I think the no advertising rule is good, however, I think it’s good that a representative is asking for some input. As long as he doesn’t try to sell or pu***he product, I think it’s OK to use this forum. Although I don’t use the product, I think they should make the radii to conform to the common pieces of sectional track and also make some radii for broad curves eg. 30"and 36’’ or broader.
This doesn’t seem like advertising to me. No listings or prices of products.
We all want the manufacturers to listen to us and make stuff we want. Lo and behold one comes asking for our opinion - we should all rejoice not nitpick the advertising rules.
Since some of the standard/ sectional sizes are around, how about 24", 30" and 36". These seem to be popular radiuses for mainline on larger layouts.
Bob K.
[2c]
I would encourage more manufacturers to ask modelers through the forum what they want. I don’t see it as an advertisement, It’s good market research. The post is only inviting us to be involved with a survey. [^]
By the way, I don’t own any Fast Track’s jigs or products. I do some hand laying of track, but for the small amount I do, the price of a jig is not economical for me. I would need different sizes and small quantities. I choose turnout kits instead and I have a mini table saw to cut pcb ties.
I sure could use a curved radius turnout with the larger radius being 24" and the smaller,one that would give me the correct double track spacing. Glad you asked.
( ho scale,code 100)
My first thought would be to go for the sizes that the other manufacturers don’t have (of course I still don’t understand why Atlas quite making the 22"/18")…
.
This will require a little thought.
For starters just this weekend on the layouts form, I was wishing someone would make a 26"/22" single slip.
Seems to be lots of interest in the new passenger cars that have minimum radius of 24". So I would think a 24"/26.5" with a proper geometry to make a crossover on a double track curve, would be a dandy size.
The medium radii also seem to be often over looked like 26"/30", 27"/30" and 29"/32".
Or howabout some really classly things like #12 equivalent turnouts for large radii 38.5"/40".