Hey everyone, I’m just curious who here has railway engineering turnouts installed on their layout. I’m trying to find pictures of them installed on people’s layouts, other than on Steve’s own layout. thanks!
It looks IDENTICAL to a Fast Tracks naked turnout (except that the RE frog is live and needs to be cut), but much more expensive. Also notice the throw-bar ties, they are not true.
Personally, I would invest in a FT Jig and go that route, or you can spend big bucks on an inferior product…your choice.
David B
Just curious but how many times are you figuring on posting this question and how many answers do you expect to get for your efforts?
i posted it twice, because I know that some people are specific to each forum. I usually never go to the General Discussion forum, so I think its safe to assume there are untapped resources.
I’ve seen that picture, its from their site. I’ve poured through it numerous times; Steve just doesn’t have that many good pictures of turnouts on his layout, and I think its important to see what something looks like installed and in-context on a layout versus a stock picture.
The throwbar thing is what I’m hung up on, too. I’m just really itnerested in them because it would allow handlaid turnouts without building them individually, which I currently don’t have time to do. I am, though, working on a few turnouts using BK Enterprises point/frog assemblies that I bought; if these work out satisfactorily, then thats the way I’ll go because it saves me from having to build the frog and points, which are very time consuming and my modeling skills are not yet that extensive.
A Fast Tracks turnout (superior to the RE ones) takes about 40 minutes to make at a fraction of the cost (assuming you have more than 10 to make). Personally, there are too many issues with the RE turnouts that need to be fixed (frog, throwbar, , gaurd rails, price) to egnore Fast Tracks.
David B
It would not be a silly investment, if your hobby and time are important enough, to order one of each. Both types are available pre-manufactured. Try them both on a mock-up and see how they do. You may find that it machs nichst…matters not. At the end, you’ll have two very nice turnouts and will have the advantage of knowing where to turn from that point.
[;)]
-Crandell
I would go with PROTO:87 turnouts, I like especially the live frog and the prototypical throw bar.
More at my Diamond Valley sites.
Wolfgang
Congratulations on modeling a derail! This track detail is universally overlooked.
I understand that Proto:87 turnouts (not your derail) require the use of Proto:87 wheel sets. Was that the cause of your derailments?
Mark
No, the PROTO:87 shop sells turnout kits for normal RP25 wheels too. My roster has the usual RP25 wheels, nothing special.
But you can get there your stuff for true to scale modeling, too.
Wolfgang
Mark,
That’s not entirely true - you can get turnout equipment for both the NMRA standard clearances and the proto:87 clearances.
See, this is what I’ve been going back and forth with: Andy’s turnouts or Steve’s. My problem is that I like the look of the continous point/closure rail, its the way Tony Koester does it and I think that the track on the AM was absolutely stunning, to say the least. However, ANdy’s turnouts have the detail of the Central Valley ties and the Details Wests frogs, which I LOVE. My thing is whether or not the level of detail in the Proto87 turnouts is necessary… as in, will you be able to appreciate it once its installed without having to inspect it with a magnifying glass. If There was a way for me to build the Proto87 turnouts with a continuous point/closure rail, then that is precisely what I would do.
the Railway Engineering turnouts just have the advantage of that, as well as being pre-assembled. Either way, I would be buying Details West’s guard rails to install, as they look infinitely better than the Central Valley ones, imo. My dilemma is whether the $5 more for being already assembled is worth it, in regards to the R.E. turnouts.
I think when I get my first BK Enterprise turnout built, I’ll have a general idea of what the Railway Engineering turnout would look like. Plus, I just like the look of ME’s weathered ties. Look at the NYO&W layout that was in Great Model Railroads a few years ago, the guy from Connecticut. His double-level layout has
In some places I did it, I build continuus point rails. Look more at the sites http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/turnout_3e.html
I’ve pictured different ways of turnout buildings.
You need only to make your own points.
Wolfgang