Hello all, new here & have gotten many tips through this forum - Thanks!
I’ve been out of the hobby ~ 15 yrs, had built a few sectional layouts, & am now planning my first HO flex layout (while I finish my off my basement space!). I think I have a good basic understanding of DCC (i’ve chosen NCE), and have tentatively decided on Atlas SuperFlex w/ Walthers turnouts, code 83. My minimum mainline radius will be 26" I have a couple of questions, would like your feedback / opinions on these:
In John Armstrong’s “Layout Planning for Realistic Operation”, his discussion of turnouts leads me to think that generally, a #5 would be of sufficient size to match my minimum radius (26"), & that anything larger would just be a waste of space. Am I reading him right? Opinions?
When leaving electrical gaps in the track, for power districts, spur shutoff, signaling, etc., do you guys use insulated joiners in areas that are seen? They seem so bulky to me, but I wonder if just a gap, with nothing to hold that gap apart, is sufficient. I will be building in a humidity controlled space, but I know the track still could move. Alternatives?
Thanks in advance, looking forward to working with you all!
A number 5 turnout, or even as small as a number 4, should be sufficient for sidings, but I would use nothing smaller than a number 6 on the mainline.
You can get insulated rail joiners in clear plastic, which are not as objectionable as colored ones, but are still larger than metal joiners. One alternative I remember reading about many years ago was to use automotive body putty to fill in rail gaps, and then sand it smooth after the putty has dried a couple of days. I’ve never personally tried that, but imagine that getting the putty into the gap would be a tedious task.
I agree that no. 5 turnouts are gentle enough for any equipment that can negotiate 26"-radius curves. However, there’s nothing wrong with using longer turnouts for cosmetic effect – a good look! – in places where that won’t shorten the length of sidings and yard tracks.
I cut my own insulating gaps with a cutoff wheel in a motor tool. To fill gaps so they can’t close I prefer strips of Plastruct light gray ABS. I cement the plastic strips between the rails AND into slits cut in the roadbed with epoxy. After the epoxy sets I trim the plastic to the contour of the rail with knives and files. The gray color comes closest to matching the silver of the railhead, and if the filler extends into the roadbed it can’t fall out of the gap. See my book, “Easy Model Railroad Wiring,” page 108.
One place Armstrong does recommend longer turnouts is in crossovers where he recommends no 6 especially for passenger equipment. (Probably should include todays longer freight cars as well.) I use clear plastic insulated rail joiners and trim the ends. I find that they aren’t very noticable.
Enjoy
Paul
I am an advocate of large curves and large turnouts. In code 83 I am using Walthers #10’s for mainline crossovers, freight and passenger sidings and A/D tracks. Passenger head end traffic, industry sidings, runarounds, and freight yard leads and yard tracks get #8’s. Service tracks and most industrial spurs are #6 with the occasional #4 on an industrial property that has 2 or 3 tracks. Also the oil/sand spurs at the engine service are #4. I model 1947 Great Northern with FT’s and all my freight cars are 40’ and under. However my 12-14 car Empire Builder is 85 footers pulled by a pair of E-7’s.
You do not mention it, but I hope that you realise that Atlas code 83 has ties that are .017" thicker than other manufacturers code 83 track. Thus you will need to place .017" shims under the turnouts…
Nigel, didn’t realize the 17-thou difference in height, shimming sounds like a pain. I hear so much good about the Atlas SuperFlex, could I get some opinions on Walthers / Shinohara flex (which I asume matches the turnout height)? As easy to work with as Atlas?
I would suggest Peco’s new line of code 83 USA turnouts. The club I belong to in OKC found that Peco was the most reliable under thier demanding conditions, Shinohara required more maintence.
Shimming is not a big deal, and can be used as an advantage providing more clearance for the throw bar. Go with .015" plastic shim stock, which you can get in large sheets, then cut it with scissors, paper cutter, knife, whatever into strips about 5/8" wide. Cut the strips to length to suit.
With the exception of the crossovers #5’s should be OK. I cut the gap in the rail and fill it with some thick ACC(super) glue. May have to a minimal amount fo filing. This has worked for me and held up over time.
Nigel didn’t mention (this time) that the .017" additional thickness of the Atlas code 83 ties is to make Atlas code 83 match Atlas code 100 in height at the rail head.
This is a very good thing to know (and I learned it from Nigel.)
I’m using Walthers code 83 switches and Atlas code 83 flextrack. Parts of my layout have been operating for better then 2 years and I haven’t had any trouble with the tie thickness differance. I use the Walthers rail jointers because they have a snug fit.
I’ve also found out that the best way to mount a Tortoise is with silicone. I buy it at Lowes and the brand name is Goop Household. If you put to much, you can’t get the Tortoise off. I’ve had 2 (out of 32) of them come off before the silicone set and I just picked them up off the floor and put them back. After the silicone dries it they are there for good.
an alternative to insulated rail joiners, that’s been around for years (the method, not the joiners[:)]) is to cut through the rail with a cut off disc in a motor tool (Dremel is a popular brand) or with a razor saw (I heard years ago that you shouldn’t use a hacksaw on rail-I forget why), put in a peice of styrene or some other plastic (a peice of sprue from a kit will do) or wood, foam, or some other insulating material, or a drop of epoxy, or CA (“super glue”) if you use plastic, etc glue it in place with the glues mentioned above, after it dries cut and file it to shape. If the rail was painted before you did it, paint it to match the rail, otherwise, it’ll be painted along with the rest of the rail. Either way, it will be virtualy invisible.
I use the slot & styrene method, with great results. One minor problem: if you do this before you paint the track, the gaps become so invisible you might have to use a multimeter or loco to find where you put them!