I recently bought a couple of Atlas N scale code 80 Custom Line (PT# 2752) and don’t like them at all. I installed them on the layout and my diesels run thru them perfectly but the steamers won’t even start to go thru them. I am going to replace them with better turnouts and would like to know what is the BEST # 8 tunrout I can buy in N scale? I would figure that the Pecos are a good bet. What are your opinions on N scale turnouts? Thanks. Mike
Peco’s are good, and so is the Kato Unitrak.
Are you sticking with code 80 for the flange depth thing? With the Peco you could do code 55 and not have a flange problem.
Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater, check the wheel gauge on your steamers, and make sure the wheels are clean. I have a ton of Atlas c80 customlines, and don’t have a problem with them.
What kind of problems are you having? Stalling? Derailments?
Lee
Lee, you’re right. I’d made the leap that Mike had already checked that.
Just went through that myself.
Steamers would cause a short just as it passed throught the frogs. Pizza cutters would rise up and either de rail or cause loco to lose contact. I read through the forum and came up with 2 suggestions that have worked for me.
Deepen the plastic at the frogs using a small piece of an old hacksaw blade. It’s the right width and if you go slow you can’t see the mod to the frog.
2nd “Borrow” some clear nail polish and paint the rails with it about 1/4 " on either side of the frog. keeps pilots wheels etc from shorting across.
Hope this helps.
The problem I am having is that when the steamers hit the turnouts at the point end, it makes a loud ‘‘thud’’ and derails, almost to the point of throwing the loco onto the floor.
After reading the replies, I did check the loco wheels, they are a little on the tight side. How do I go about widing the wheels just a very small amount? I am able to check them now, I just got my gauges (HO & N scale) a week ago and haven’t really had a chanch to learn how to use them really good yet.
I just figured that you get what you pay for and since I just gave about $8 each for the turnouts, they are not that good. The throw bar is really lose and wobbles around in the turnout. Is this a normal thing for these turnouts? I have had similar problems when working in HO scale using Atlas turnouts, I would simply replace the turnout and everything would be alright.
Thanks for the help. Mike
Edit… The steamer I am using is a Bachmann 4-8-4, it runs great everywhere except the turnouts. The turnouts I am using are the #6 and I would rather go with the #8 where I am wanting to put them., Mike
You say the points and throwbar are loose, what are you using to throw and hold the points in place? Atlas turnouts require some kind of mechanism to hold the points in place. Get an Atlas switch machine (manual or electrical) or try a Caboose Industries’ ground throw for a more positive closure. Check for a smooth transition from the stock rails to the point rails, if anything is sticking up or out it may need to filed down. Is thr turnout laid on a flat surface?
You can use a track nail to pin the points to one side and then run your steamer through and see if that makes a difference.
I have the same loco, and it’s very finicky with turnouts & crossovers that all my other loco’s run through flawlessly. It’s the back set of wheels that occasionally catch and I have not been able to figure out how correct the issue. However, the faster I run it, the less problems I have.
I have Atlas code 80 turnouts as well. It’s most certainly an issue with the loco. Since the Bachmann 4-8-4 is not exactly the best one out there, and I run diesels, I’m not ready to tear anything out over it.
I second this…I’ve had a Bachmann 4-8-4 that had a hard time handling anything but straight tracking and finally got rid of it…likely your problem.