Would like some info from the track experts out there re: Shinohara track products; ie, compared to Peco, Atlas turnouts, flex track, etc; switch machine mating; compatibility with older? Shinohara.
Thanks!
I had a couple Shin turnouts on an old Atlas code 100 layout. They looked and worked well.
Cons-They’re a bit pricey and at times very hard to find.
The one Shinohara double-curved code 100 HO turnout I have dealt with has a hot frog, which changes polarity according to which way the turnout is thrown, so both rails that diverge from the frog must be insulated or you will have short circuits.
The newer Shinohara code 83 HO DCC Ready turnouts are fully insulated and do not require any additional insulators as they are installed.
-
They still offer ‘Power routing’ turnouts with hot frogs (I like).
-
Tighter tolerances = fewer derailments.
I started with Atlas ‘Snaps’ , then Customline 4s and 6s, then Atlas kits. Derailments declined.
3rd layout went to True Scale turnouts, milled roadbed and hand laid rail. Labor of love. Only thing better were Anderson turnout kits.
4th layout 95% Shinohara. Only derailments on one 90 degree curved section of Atlas 100 flextracktrack. Too flexible (kinks), plus too wide (out of gauge). Replaced recently with Sinohara 100. Careful bending stays! -derailments now gone.
Sooner or later ther’ll be an engine that won’t like some turnout. I’ll sub an BK/Anderson kit (now made by Trout Creek engineering). I’m not an Atlas basher - I’ve had them and used them, but as you acquire more and more equipment, derailments really get old.
I’m now installing a double slip switch and double crossover in my yard. Stay tuned.
Don
Thanks for the input!!
Was wondering how Atlas flex track mates with Shinohara turnouts other than tie height issue…Shinohara turnouts seem “reasonably” priced but their flex track is soooooo expensive.
John (jobfather)
cacole:
As usual you’re right on. In DC days, most turnouts required insulating the TWO inner rails as standard practice, including Atlas which needed both inner and outer to prevent shorts from adjoining blocks.
DCC - being one big theoretical block, allows the ‘modules’ to do the blocking - and shorts are a no no.
I hope you are not offended by my modification of your statement above.
TO DATE shinohara has not marketed any code 83 products under their own name - (Walthers has exclusive distrubution). I hear this may change in the future and Shinohara may change their designs, but this hasn’t reached the market yet.
Don
Since you seem to have had a lot of experience with Shinohara code 100? can you:
-
Give us some detail on the differences between the older Lambert Shinohara vs the new Shinohara Walthers sells; and
-
Re: flex track, with Shinohara newest flex being soooo expensive, what other choices do you recommend (if any) and how would the Atlas flex work with the new and old turnouts?
Thanks!
Jobfather
The quoted part in purple is correct, but I cannot agree with the portion in red. I have had to cut the closure rail, the inner route rail, on all of my Code 83 Shinohara curved #7’s at a distance of about 5/8" from their own insulating plastic filler in order to get longer steamers through the diverging route safely.
-
Mainly a different Importer. Earliest products (1950) had thicker (uglier) plastic. Still works.
-
Their flextrack maintains better gauge. (Tighter tolerences). In forming a curve, once formed, stays formed.
-
DCC requires insulated frogs. (Shinohara-Walthers track has) Advent of DCC has changed turnout design to simpler Atlas ‘snap track’ style (Helps some engines - hurts others), but necessary for DCC.
My use of Shinohara has largely been to replace existing brands and (funny), it also reduces derailments - (Turnouts have gaps which cause derailments).
You mentioned ‘flextrack’: The Atlas flex I have is all wide - I guess to aid rigid wheel-base steamers, but it won’t maintain a curve because of it’s ‘looseness’. I end up with ‘curves’ within a curve. Yes, I’ve relaid it several times, and even used a ‘between tracks forming tool’.
Mixing brands shows discrepencies between products - which have to be addressed individually. In the case of trackage, it’s done with the rail joiners. Brand A track is ‘fatter’ than brand B. Walthers and Micro-Engineering both offer ready made conversions. The ME are insulating plastic. Heating them helps by making them pliable.
Hi John,
My layout is all Atlas flex and 95% Shinohara turnouts in both code 100 and code 83. Oh yeah, one length of bridge track too. Code 100 works perfectly, code 83 requires two layers of verneer (about 1/64th inch) under the TOs.
I do file every joint as needed (between sections of flextrack too), and solder most but not all joints. You should have no problems mixing the two brands if you do careful trackwork.
Good luck,
Karl