I’ve dabbled with N scale for a while, but decided I’m going to do something more permanent in HO. I have a small fortune in Micro Engineering code 83 flex on the way, hopefully soon. What I’d like to know is what brand of switches will go well with it? I remember seeing that Atlas has some odd heights to it or something like that, and I’m not all that thrilled with the looks of it. Any problems with Walther’s, Peco, etc… ? If it makes any difference, I will be using DCC.
One other questions; how long does internettrains.com usually take to actually ship something? I’m going on almost 3 weeks, and am starting to get impatient with them taking so long.
I’m using Walthers/Shinohara code 83 turnouts in conjuction with the Micro Engineering code 83 track. There is a slight vertical difference between the two components; shimming the turnout with some thin cardstock usually does the trick to level the railheads.
Other threads(I have no experience here) also state that you have to shim under Walthers turnouts when using Atlas flextrack–about 1/16th of an inch or so. Reccs. are usually to use cardstock or styrene sheets–don’t know what the thickness should be for the ME flex to Walthers TO’s that you’re asking, though. Hopefully someone will clarify here, as, as of now I plan on using the combo that you’re planning on here, i.e. the ME flextrack with Walther’s turnouts.
I have a friend who has constructed a nice basement empire with code 83 micro engineering track and Wathers/Shinnohara code 83 turnouts.
Make sure that if you use the Walthers code 83 turnouts that you get the new DCC friendly turnouts. I use Atlas now, but had a few Walthers turnouts and thought I might use them, I put in two #8s to replace an Atlas # 6 cross over…now I remember whay I do not use them. Lots of electrical problems. I took them out and put the Atlas #6s back in. I have not tried the new Walthers DCC friendly turnouts, so I can not speak for their operating reliability.
If its more than 10 or 15, making turnouts using Fast Tracks jigs is another option, and the resulting turnouts will be smooth as silk when you operate.
My Siskiyou Line has 120 turnouts, and they’re a mix of handlaid and commercial turnouts (Atlas, Shinohara, and Peco). If I have to do maintenance on the turnouts – guess which ones are giving me the most trouble? The commecial ones … maybe that tells you something?
If I were starting over, I’d do all handlaid turnouts using Fast Tracks jigs. I suspect I’d have very few turnout maintenance issues later if I did that.
Aother option is using Central Velly Turnout kits – they come with the frog, points and tiestrip. The tiestrip has slots for the rails, so it doesn’t get much easier. But you’ll have to do some fiddling with the frog and points with those kits, so it sounds to me like the Fast Tracks jigs will be the simplest all the way around. If you have many turnouts on your plan, handbuilt turnouts with the FT jigs will start to get cheaper than commercial turnouts at about 10-15 turnouts.
I ordered from them a while back. I ordered a bunch of odds and ends, so they only had some in stock. It took almost 6 weeks to receive my order. If I order from them again I will call and make sure they have everything in stock.
I’m using the CVT switch kits that Joe mentioned above. I haven’t put any together yet, but I ordered ME rail so it’s identical. In the instructions for the CVT switch kits they also recommend pulling the rail off of the flex track you’re using so it will match. That may be a cheaper way to go, since you have to purchase a lot of rail at one time when you’re ordering just rail. The kits look great, though, and I can’t wait to build them. They’re flexible, so you can create a curve radius that’s a perfect match for your location. Oh, and because of the “fiddling with the frog” issue that Joe mentioned, I’m probably going to order the frog helper jig and the frog point grinding jig from Fast Tracks. The other alternative is to use cast frogs like the ones sold at http://www.proto87stores.com but they didn’t have the frog sizes I need yet. Randy