I recently bought an Atlas turnout and the 1/3 section of turn that came with it is out of gauge. Please, how do I fix this? The nearest hobby shop is 150 miles away and I don’t want to order a new one online.
what scale is it. Ho? N?. how is it out of gauge? too tight? too wide? it’s such a small piece of track, discard it and use a piece of flex track to replace it.
Those little short sections sometimes work loose and out of gauge. I’d install it as usual then spike it down. If you don’t have regular spikes small nails will do til you can get some spikes. In desperation you might hold the rail in gauge then use some super glue GEL to hold it in place. BILL
For this you will need a soldering iron, a flat point screwdriver and an NMRA track gauge. First place the track section against something so that it lays flat but can’t slide sideways. Check the gauge of the rails. If they’re too tight use method #1, if too wide use method #2.
#1. Place the hot tip of the soldering iron against one rail. This will heat the rail and make the ties a little soft but be careful not to melt them. Now place your NMRA gauge between the rails so it holds them at the proper gauge. Remove the iron from the and let the track cool. When it’s cool remove the NMRA cauge.
#2. Same as #1 except use the screwdriver to push the rail into gauge so it’s against the NMRA gauge.
I asked the same question a while back and was told that Atlas Snap switches (the ones with the 1/3 curve with them) are often out of guage. I had several already in place, had tested with a 4 axle diesel before attaching track, when I tried a 2-6-0 later, it didn’t like them. I will only use engines that will traverse them as it is a small “traveling” layout.
If you have to repair it, no choice, cut the little tabs that hold one rail in place off smooth. Get the track into guage and use CA glue to hold it in place. As long as you haven’t put them in place it should be easier than the task I was looking at.
I understand that their numbered switches (4, 6, 8) don’t have this problem. I will be removing all the Snap switches from my box of switches that I have accumulated and go to using only numbered switches.
Good luck,
Indiana;
Is the switch out of gauge or is it the short little piece of track that came with the switch? If it’s the little piece of track you could throw it away and use some flex track instead. If it’s the actual switch then do what the others have suggested but be careful if using the soldering iron method. Not only can you move the rail over with that method but you can sink it into the ties and create more problems with the dip in the rail.
Good luck with it,
Bob
Boy! you sure smacked this one on the head! Right smack on the head!
Your caution about being careful not to melt the ties is well taken. I have on very rare occasions encountered a piece of (N-Scale) Rail Craft/Micro Engineering Code 55 flex that has required a little bit of gauge repair; on one occasion I got a little distracted and left the soldering iron on the track for no more than 3 seconds too long and that was indeed too long! Because of the small sizes we are dealing with I do almost all of my soldering under the observation of a 2.5X goose-neck magnifier. Experience DOES teach one when plastic is softening–NOW!!!–and melting–OOPS!!!.
Thanks. I’ve been using that technique since the early 80’s on many brands and scales of track and it works.