The Micro-Track line of Z Scale track components is due to expand with the release of their 110mm L and R turnouts any day now. The "Coming Soon" picture on MTL's website shows the turnouts, and they don't have that ugly slide switch box that Marklin turnouts have, rather there is a small nub protruding from the side of the ballast where the points meet the frog, and it looks rather stealth. I can't wait to get my hands on these and see how they perform with DCC. How many of you are getting them? And what's your excitement level of this new product... the first widely available NA style turnout in Z?
I would be more excited if I currently had the budget for the 46 or so I'll need for our massive staging/intermodal yard modules. mg: I'm just anxious to begin reading the performance reviews from people like you, who I know are going to put them through their paces right away! Please let us know when you get them and put them to work!
Long in Waiting! It's about time! I'm like Bryan, wish I had the dough to get the 30-50+ that I will eventually be using to build all the cool modules I want to build! I can hardly wait to play with one. The first turnout I pull out of the box will be opened immediately! This is going to be fun! It is as though the Z community can only expand to a point! So many Z scalers are building modules and layouts but can only go so far, as if the true potential can not be reached. Something holding them at a 60% of that full potential. Like the tracks all lead to a river with no way to cross it. Well, when the turnouts get here, they are like the bridge that can! Once that bridge spans that impassable river, the true potential of those waiting for these turnouts will be revealed. Go Micro-Trains!!!!!! I will be in need of 10+ turnouts for my proposed intermodal yard. As far as the freight/engine yard across the tracks, I have yet to count the # of lefts and rights that I will need. Now where is that overhead map of that yard!!!! Good Luck everyone with your projects! Post photos!!! Hobo Tim
Hey Robert, I'm super excited to get at least 5 of these for a Timesaver, maybe even 2 more to put together an Inglenook. I may not have time to get my module together, but I'm I can sure snap together a few sections and do some shunting puzzles! I've been jonesing ever since I stumbled on this site a few years ago: http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/ ~Jimmy
I am very excited. I can't wait to get my new layout rolling. Right now I am just waiting for the turnouts to get the trackplan down pat.
As I'll have to put some on spurs I already consider to file the plastic roadbed on some of them.... Dominique
They are supposed to be available for dealers to place orders with M-TL "mid-October". And, at 30% off for reserves these will go very fast. One note: since they are operating turnouts the mechanism is in the roadbed. Filing them may well produce results you may not want. I'd consider lowering the base under them to lower the level of a yard and then filling in with ballast & cork.
I'm going to experiment on some MTL straight track after work today. What I want to do is figure out how to ballast around the turnouts, so this is the plan so far: 1) Pull off plastic alignment pins and paint rail sides with Floquil Roof Brown. 2) Mask points, and frog, then Dullcote. (This allows white glue to stick to the plastic ballast) 3) Paint on 80/20 glue/water in between ties in center of track, and sprinkle Arizona Rock and Mineral N Scale ballast, shake off excess and let dry. Check operation of turnout is OK, and pick away excess ballast particles as needed. 4) Install on layout, and spread ballast profile to match flextrack profile, mist with alcohol/water mix, then dribble on glue/water mix as normal to the outsides of the track. -Robert
Well, I did a test section of MTL track with the treatment outlined above, and it really came out great looking! The turnouts should look great too! I'll post a picture tomorrow.
I was planning on doing things the hard way for my " big U in Z" layout by hand building turnouts but now i might just take the easy way out and buy a bundle of MTL turnouts. Is it just me or do they look like Kato N gauge No 6 turnouts. I just hope they blend in well with MTL flexitrack as that is what i will be using for the rest of the perway. Regardless its a big step ahead for Z. Well done MTL.
