I have been looking for 3-way turnouts and could not find any other manufacturer except for Peco through my research I already written down that I will only use 3 (2 for my double end trainyward and another for my mine scene) on my layout while the rest of my turnouts and tracks will be Atlas.
However, as I was researching I came across many forums saying that Peco is more European than American prototypical and that you cannot mix two different brands together.
If I cannot use Peco and Atlas together in a very limited area, what is the next best for me to do?
Edit: At least, the part about not being possible to mix them is totally false.
You might need to shim a little, and you might need to file the bottom of the rail on the PECO turnouts. If you are only doing this in two locations, it’s completely possible.
Of course, it’s also possible to rework your design so as not to require the three-ways.
Yes, Peco fellows European practice when it comes to tie layout. But this will be hardly noticeable once you have ballasted the track. However, you should not cover the ties with ballast.
Sorry to say it like that, but I really meant putting some ballast in-between the rails to have it look more realistic like so many other modelers picture with their layouts.