On30 turnouts, try LIT

[toysnstuff]

Anyone waiting for ME turnouts why not try Light Iron Turnouts. Can be had w/wood ties or pc ties and cost less than ME, and available now . Go to Light Iron Digest.com and klik on turnouts. 

This is the addy.   http://www.maine2footquarterly.com/turnout.htm

[the Bach-man]

Dear Al,
I agree!
I have several, and they're excellent!
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[450sel]

And I second that, the after sales service is also great...

Ron

[Ned]

I've never tried to build track or turnouts; can these be fitted to E-Z Track or manufactured track without the roadbed or is it best to hand lay all the track?

Ned

[Woody Elmore]

Ned; handlaying track is not all that difficult but it does require some care. For On30 you can use HO track gauges, NMRA gauge and spikes to do regular track. Switches need to be spiked down with care, keeping flangeway clearances in mind. Remember that although track is HO gauge, all clearances, platforms, etc., need to be upsized for On30.

I don't think that mixing switch kits with sectional track is the way to go.

You will find that handlaying track is enjoyable and much more economical than sectional track. There are publications out there that will take you through all the steps.

[Ned]

Thank you Woody.

Perchance I'll summon the courage to actually try that!

Ned

[eric]

Ned,

Not to dispute Woody Elmore's statements about hand laying track, but if you want an alternative, the LITCO switches fit manufactured track.  They work well with Micro Engineering ON30 flex-track.  I think the rails used by LITCO are made by Micro Engineering.  The switches could be made to work with E-Z track, but would require shimming since E-Z track has a built in roadbed that the LITCO switches do not.

Just another choice.

Eric Root

[nosamnod]

Interested in all the good comments about Litco (Light Iron) turnouts.

I bought 11 of the On30 ones (in 2 separate batches):

The first batch were fine. Sadly I cannot say the same for the second lot:

Four were tight on gauge at some point through the turnout (all in different places), down to 15mm gauge (!) in one instance. Another two were tight on gauge at the blade ends due to these not being machined thinly enough (easy to see by comparison with the others) and a sixth had the blades soldered so closely together on the tie-bar so that the length of throw needed defeated all known commercial switch machines.

I had to get out the soldering iron and adjust 6 out of the 11 before I could get standard Bachmann stuff to run smoothly through them.

A seventh was just binned.

All the other 10 are absolutely fine now - but I thought the work I had to do should not have been necessary for the price.

Was I just unlucky, or has anyone else had similar problems?

[450sel]

Did you contact Gary from LITco about the problems ? 

[nosamnod]

Yeah - but he maintained his "....these turnouts are perfect and all tested mechanically and electrically before despatch....." stance.

Well, clearly that wasn't the case...

To be fair to Gary (who's a nice guy and whom I actually get on with quite well from a 'Maine Two-Foot modelling' point of view), he did state that any faulty units would be replaced, 'without question'. Period.

But that's not the point - I'm in the UK and the sheer cost and hassle of sending them all back (having already waited six months to get them in the first place) just wasn't worth it when I could sort them myself and get them on the layout.

To be equally fair, once I got them sorted I have to admit they look good and perfom well.

I just feel the percentage of problem turnouts was a bit too high, that's all.

[450sel]

Mmm, I am curious how my turnouts turned out. A friend of mine brought nine of them from the USA to The Netherlands, I still have to pick them up..
And you're right, it's a hassle to get them replaced when not living in the USA, I hope I won't get the same problem...

[gary kohler]

Hi all,

Thank you for all the great comments regarding LITco turnouts. We have added several new On30 turnouts to our line and will be adding more soon. Contact us for more info.

See you at the convetnion!

thanks
Gary Kohler

[hminky]

Hi all,

Thank you for all the great comments regarding LITco turnouts. We have added several new On30 turnouts to our line and will be adding more soon. Contact us for more info.

See you at the convetnion!

thanks
Gary Kohler

That statement is a joke, Gary, right.

Harold

[felix]

Hi all,

Thank you for all the great comments regarding LITco turnouts. We have added several new On30 turnouts to our line and will be adding more soon. Contact us for more info.

See you at the convetnion!

thanks
Gary Kohler

Gary,

The first step in resolving quality issues is noticing them.

Second usually is getting them fixed.

Third is the promise to upgrade quality.

Fourth is actually doing it.

Problem for me is I don't see any of that in your communication. Caveat emptor prevails in cases like this.

Felix

[450sel]

I just received 9 On30 #6 turnouts from Litco, very well packed, excellent quality, tested each of them and no binding or other problems....