What Turnouts Do You Use

I use prewar Lionel O-21 green manual turnouts and a 45 degree crossover. Since I’m also running Standard Gauge the prewar look appeals to me.

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My O layout is Atlas, but I have a stockpile of tubular and a couple train boards stashed in the shed for Christmas displays that use tubular. I use tubular for my Standard Gauge. We used Peco On30 for the narrow gauge portion of the layout and Bachmann EZ-track when we put the On30 under the Christmas tree (no switches, however).

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Those MARX switches look just fine. I also use O27 track because that is what I had.
I see this week Menards has come out with remote switches. I did not look to close because they would be in O gauge in O36 and O72. Looks like the O72 are already sold out. They must be testing the water on the first run.

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Has Menards not had switches previously?

Correct this is the first for Menards switches as far as I know. Beta 2.0 tell that they are in test mode.

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I just wish Menard’s would get rid of their flat end track pins. They’re hard to insert into any kind of track and dang near impossible to remove when you want to create insulated sections or blocks. The pointy vintage 1906 designed Lionel pins are far easier to work with.

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I use the K-Line Super Snap O-72 switches and have had good luck with them. Everything I run rolls right through them very smoothly, from my earliest prewar trains right up to what is currently being produced. Like any switches, they have their quirks, but with a little tinkering, they work very well. And, they match perfectly with my traditional tubular 3-rail track.

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Since I run O27 track I have limited choice. I am using postwar 1122 turnouts that have been modified to run on accessory power. I also have some MPC turnouts, but Im moving to K-Line as they seem more reliable, (maybe just newer)

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Speaking of Prewar & O-27 Tubular track, I like the Lionel 1024 switch turnout. Super easy to use, super reliable & now-a-days they are cheap and easier to find than before. My QUESTION is this: Will Lionel O-21 Prewar/Early Postwar switches work equally well with both American Flyer O-Gauge AND Marx “fat-wheel” locomotives? THANKS!

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[quote=“fwright, post:18, topic:409180, full:true”]
I also use the Marx turnouts because they are the only 027 turnouts that will let my Marx engines (and any other 027 rolling stock) through.[/quote]

Lionel 1121 & 1024 have that same attribute.

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@PrewarAmericanFlyer here is a good video describing different turnouts

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Thank you. Mike over at TTT&T does a good, solid job. I’ve been following his videos for about 5 years, and I was one of the early subscribers to his excellent channel. He actually has a small(er), budget focused, O-27 layout but his videos and channel hit well above the layout’s “weight class” :slight_smile: He has grown his channel into one of the largest in the niche North American O-Gauge video audience on YouTube :slight_smile: I salute Mike and all the hard work he has done to evolve his channel over the years giving us excellent info. BTW, I am running a LOT of Prewar trains so I need turnouts/switches than can handle all the Prewar and early Postwar locomotives without issues. Much of the Postwar and Modern-era production just can not deliver in that area.

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Good Info indeed! Looks like I will be adding MARX turnouts to my “buy” list for 2025! :slight_smile:
But also good to know the Lionel 1024 can handle all the Marx one can throw at them :slight_smile:

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Well, I mostly use whatever is available for the lowest price at the time. :wink:
This means that my railroad has a few old Marx turnouts (manual), a number of MPC Era Lionel turnouts (three are electric and one is O42; the rest are manual) and a pair of Prewar Lionel turnouts–also manual. There’s another manual Lionel turnout; I think that it’s Postwar but I never looked into it.

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I here ya there. I just have to be careful so all the locos I want to run can navigate through okay.

I Use standard Bachmann EZ track System turnouts

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That makes sense!
I do have a Marx 591 with the ‘fat wheel’ but since it actively hates me, the L&M, and life in general it doesn’t get run much. As such, I don’t worry too much if it can’t run on all of my railroad.

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Well the black ballast ones I got them at a hobby shop in Ankeny, IA they are the big turnouts not the small ones so its hard to make a yard. is there a certain type of HO-track that is good to use other than the Bachmann EZ-Track System?

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Lots of folks like Atlas, but I’ve had very little experience with it myself.
From what experience I’ve had it’s good quality.

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I wonder if Atlas will take a mass order :thinking:

I’m asking since I might buy a lot and have a warehouse built and dedicate that to Model Railroading and its supposed to be the full layout of Des Moines and surrounding areas railroads and short lines, Atlas tracks do seem pretty good just by looking at them right now, thanks @Engine_1988 :smiley:

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