I kind of at a stopping point. I need track and turnouts to continue on with my layout. I would like to finish the track work before I move on to something else. Does anybody have any idea when the stores will be restocked?
Atlas makes track again!!?? Na......... I don't believe it. I thought all they made was locomotives now? Lol!! Ha ha.... Probably come out the same time the Challengers do! If ever.....
A post on the N Scale Yahoo list says August/September. I'd strongly suggest ME track (I use it and like it; think it looks better too) and custom built switches. The Atlas switches are OK, but a custom made one will likely be far more rugged. They are not THAT expensive (compared to not having any) or you could lay your own - I am told it is not that difficult. Had I been in your shoes I would definitely try hand laying.
Thanks for all the replies. Not sure I want to wait until August/September. Jim - would it look bad to have half atlas and half me on a layout? Can you tell the difference after they have been painted? Also where can I get custom made turnouts? Not sure I am up to making my own, but the number I need might make it cost effective.
If only we knew. Some pieces are showing to arrive in June but turnouts and flex are still "Unknown" on the few distributors I have been watching.
ME track looks fine with Altas code 55. As for the turnouts, they are not hard to make once you take the time to try. The first 2 or 3 are tough, but then it gets easier and easier. After a while you could crank out a couple in about an hour or so.
I agree with many here. ME track looks better than Atlas 55 because its "spike head" details are finer...way finer. BUT, that being said, you probably won't notice the difference unless you're really anal about your track like I am. Handlaying turnouts is not difficult, but it's sort of jumping-off-into-the-dark until you get the hang of it. As has been stated, it'll take at least three before you get one that will work right and look okay...that's just the way it is. AND, you do not need expensive jigs and fixtures to make 'em. I've built hundreds of turnouts both for myself and others, and I've never used a jig or fixture. I commonly use templates you can download from the Fast Tracks or Proto87 Stores websites (free). I then print them out at 100% and tape them to my workbench and use them as guides to build my turnouts. Works great for me. Here's a photo of an entrance into a UP style center siding I built for my Emory Center Siding module. Note that I use a lot of PCB ties because my layout is portable and I don't want to take a chance of damaging my turnouts while in transit either to or from a show. For a permanent layout, probably not so many PCB ties need to be used, but don't skimp...better to be a little too rugged than not rugged enough. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about hand-laying turnouts if you decide to go this route. Cheers! Bob Gilmore
All my flex track is ME (both wooden and concrete tie) and all my turnouts and short sectional track are Atlas. Everything looks good. Funny thing, the very first piece of N scale track I bought was a single piece of Atlas Code 55 flex, and I still haven't used it to this day!
Hello! I have a question: Which Custom constructed turnout kits will fit to Atlas and can be easily bought online? I see that Atlas seems to be off track and turnouts for a long time. ----------- Vadim
Vadim, Both Proto87 Stores (http://www.proto87.com/model-railroad-catalog.html) and Fast Tracks (www.handlaidtrack.com) offer "kits", but after perusing what they offer, I would discourage anybody from buying them simply because they're too expensive. Proto87 Stores offers kits, but Andy Reichert's vision of building an N-scale turnout isn't mine. He wants it superdetailed and glued to ties rather than soldered to PCB ties, which I say is ESSENTIAL...and...the kits are $19.95 each. Fast Tracks is more interested in selling their jigs and fixtures than really getting you started building turnouts. A turnout kit from them, which include "all" the tools, jigs, fixtures...and is only good for ONE style of turnout, runs over $200 USD!!! Criminy!!!...and doesn't include the rail. You'll be much better off buying PCB tie material in 1' lengths from Clover House and cutting them to length, using wooden or Styrene tie material that's the correct size and cutting it to length, buying your code 55 rail in 3' lengths from Micro Engineering and grinding/filing your own frogs, guard rails and closure points. A package of ten 1 foot lengths of N-scale PCB tie material is less than $8.00 from Clover House and that will make at least eight turnouts depending on their numbers. I use Styrene tie material rather than wood for my turnouts nowadays because it's easy to come by and looks great when painted and weathered. I'd venture a guess that you can build a #7 turnout in code 55 N-scale for less than three bucks, and maybe a lot less. Since I bought all of my turnout materials years ago, my cost is about $1.75 per #7, and a single turnout takes me about 45 minutes to make. So...if you've got money to burn, then the kits would work okay I suppose, and I'd make sure I constructed my Proto87 Stores kit using PCB ties...which is gonna add to that $19.95 cost. Just get the materials yourself and construct 'em yourself. Just as easy, and a lot cheaper. Cheers! Bob Gilmore
I think, that's it's too fiddly and time-expensive procedure, if one need about 50 turnouts for new part of layout. ---------- Vadim
Correction to Roberts post - Fastraks complete turnout kits come with enough supplies to do a dozzen or so turnouts if I remember correctly. The Fastraks jigs and tools are meant for mass production of turnouts. If you are in a club or have a large layout with 50 turnouts to do and you want each one to be just like the last, the jigs speed up the processes and help offset the cost of buying pre-made turnouts. If you have to do just a couple of each size, then you can just as well build them off of a template and save some money at the expense of time. As Robert mentioned though, building turnouts can be a lot less expensive than buying them.
Just out of curiosity, how do ME's turnouts compare to Atlas? Hey Bob - interested in making some money
Two things regarding ME track that have not been mentioned: You can get the track pre-weathered - no more painting! And ME has concrete tie track available. And yes, Robert, I also think it just plain LOOKS better. There is at least one person on eBay selling custom switches... The reason I'm pro custom built (or build your own) is I have some of each. I had switches custom built for my staging yard which is inaccessible - they needed to be perfect and rugged, and they are. I simply have no problems in staging. My visible areas are all Atlas - which were in good supply at the time - and they look fine but are definitely flimsier than the custom made. In fact I had to replace a crossover because of that flimsyness...
Thanks, I watched all video instructions carefully. But i see that Atlas undertable swich machines cannot drive this turnouts. These hand-made turnouts have not any free joints(hinge) at wing rails and at throw bars as Atlas C55 turnouts have, and, therefore, they will require for it's switching much more force than Atlas undertable swich machines can produce. Any kinds of tortoises or servos have much more larger thickness(height), than have Atlas machines. This facts prevents to make tunnels (hidden underground stations) under turnout areas of upperground stations. I have a lot of such ways and situations. From the other hand it seems that one can make more deeper tunnels - as a solution of this problem, but it will lead to more steep slopes, which will lead to unavailability to pass long trains... etc. Therefore i have 2 questions: 1) Which compact, convenient switch machines with build - in relay will fit to this turnouts? 2) Does these kits have modified versions with joints in aim to rich less force for switching? ------------- Vadim
This gets asked at least once/week and usually the thread derails into a flame war on the merits of hand laying or the political atmosphere in China, with Kato's "western bias" and the accuracy of some Micro-Trains box cars somehow being dragged into the conversation. The only people who know when Atlas products will be available again are Atlas, you'll have to ask them. The answer you get from Atlas you might not like, and because the situation changes day to day you might get a different answer tomorrow, but it will be the best most accurate up to date answer to the question. Nobody want's Atlas track back in stock more than Atlas.
