are there any turnout that are made with 22" radius track or are they only 18" radius?
kris
The only Bachmann turnouts with a constant radius are the 18" radius ones. On their curved portions, they are meant to replace 2/3 of a standard 18" radius curve plus a 1-1/2" or 2" of straight track.
If you want turnouts that are more compatible with 22" radius, try some #6 turnouts. These do not have a constant radius but their minimum radius is much bigger than 18" radius.
Jim
ok if you read my other post about the underground yard the track that is coming from the helix is straight but in order to get it to flow in with the rest of my track there is a 22"r curve right in the way. so to integrate both tracks you suggest getting a #6 and make it work? or is their something better suited to do this.
thx jim
perahps a better fit would be to yse an atlas #4 plus a 1/3 section of 18" radius track. this will give you the 22.5 degrees of curvature to replace one section of 22" radius track. but it won't be a drop in replacement.
i would have to get 3 transfer pieces code 100 to code 80
is there something along the same line but in code 100?
Kris:
Why would you need to use code 83 rail? Atlas H0 track is available in both code 100 & code 83.
But if you are going to use an 18" radius turnout, probably better to stay with the Bachmann products.
Better still, I would use a #6 turnout if at all possible. That especially when your proposed helix will be 22" radius.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
ill add a pics of what i mean
Quote from: Kris Everett on December 30, 2010, 04:49:50 PM
i would have to get 3 transfer pieces code 100 to code 80
is there something along the same line but in code 100?
atlas makes both pieces in both code 83 and code 100.
Quote from: JerryB on December 30, 2010, 05:37:50 PM
Kris:
But if you are going to use an 18" radius turnout, probably better to stay with the Bachmann products.
an atlas #4 is NOT an 18" radius switch. that would be an atlas snap switch, and i don't recommend their use no matter who made them. an atlas #4 is more like an ez track #5 without all the extra straight track around the switch.....
another alternative would be a peco small radius switch, which is actually a 24" radius. but you'd have to do some cutting down of track to make the equivalent 22 1/5 degree turn. using the atlaS components you can get an exact match on the degrees using standard components, plus atlas track is way easier to find than peco.
Quote from: Kris Everett on December 30, 2010, 11:20:52 AM
are there any turnout that are made with 22" radius track or are they only 18" radius?
kris
Yes. Atlas makes these, both Snap track and Truetrack. They are 22R switches.
Truetrack part numbers 482,483,484 and 485
Snap Track part numbers 544,545,546 and 547.
These are all code 83 track.
What kind of track are you using anyway? That part is not clear to me at least.
Heres my problem
http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/
(http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/)
i hope this helps you understand what i need
Jb,
are those available in code 100?
Quote from: Kris Everett on December 30, 2010, 06:03:34 PM
Heres my problem
http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/
(http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/)
i hope this helps you understand what i need
Jb,
are those available in code 100?
It does not look like it,,this is where you can see the list of track parts,,just put the curser on the word TRACK on the upper left and a drop down menu will appear, i am sure you will figure the rest out from there.
http://www.atlasrr.com/
Quote from: jbsmith on December 30, 2010, 06:00:18 PM
What kind of track are you using anyway? That part is not clear to me at least.
bachmann ez-track
i couldn't find anything that was 22"rad in a switch
and those numbers you gave me they are all out of, no help their
Yes. Atlas makes these, both Snap track and Truetrack. They are 22R switches.
Truetrack part numbers 482,483,484 and 485
Snap Track part numbers 544,545,546 and 547.
[/quote]
when did they start making these? i just downloaded the latest version of the atlas right track software a couple of months ago and they are not in the track library.....
you learn something new every day. kris. those look like just the ticket for you.
yes i know but they are out of stock their i have a few sources that i can poke and see what falls but they are code 83 it would be nice if i could find something in code 100 if possible.
if any one wants to know what code is before they ask go here.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,13724.0.html (http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,13724.0.html)
last 2 pages
wonder why atlas didn't make them in code 100?
they might have i just don't know where to find them
Kris,
Fire up Anyrail and try a Bachmann #5 right, a half 22"R, and the rest full 22"R.
If you made a complete early cutoff, (#5 right, seven 22"R curves, #5 left) the #5 turnouts would force you wider than a 4 foot sheet.
(True 22"R curved turnouts would still fit within 4 feet.)
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
Kris-
Flex track will help you fudge this all together.
-- D
ok now that i got my brain working again.
i have got a question.
will atlas's code 100 rail joiner and bachmann's track be compatible or will i have to get some universal rail joiners?
also can you cut the flextrack?
please let me know.
Kris
HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE
to answer your questions....
any code 100 rail joiner should work.
and flex track is designed to be cut to length. invest in an atlas snap saw, or better yet, a pair of xuron rail nippers. after you cut any rail, be sure to lightly file the ends on all sides. a couple quick passes with a jewelers file should be enough to smooth out any burrs resulting from the cutting. you'll also have to trim the molded spikee heads away on the ends of your cut track, just enough to slip a rail joiner all the way on. then you can drop the section in place and line up your rail joints, then slide the rail joiners out to connect to the rest of the track.
remember, you need to keep the curve smooth, avoid any kinks in the track where you join them together. the outside rail on the curve is critical, on the inside rail you don't have to be as careful as long as the rails are in guage it shouldn't bother you.
if you are intending to do ling runs of flex track, here's a trick i used to use to help keep the joints in line ( i build my own track now so i haven't done this in a few years.)
you will notice that one rail will slide completely out of the flex track. on the first section to be laid, cut this rail in half and set one piece aside, the other piece goes back into the tie strip. fasten your track down and mark where the end of the sliding rail is, then cut the spike heads off a couple of ties where the rail joiner will be. slide the rail joiner on theis rail, then connect the second piece of flex track to the first. slide the sliding rail on the second section into the tie strip of the first and butt it up against the rail already there. finish fastening down the second section, mark the rail ends and cut away the spike heads like on the original section, repeat this process for each section, then on the last section, slide the cut rail from the original section into the tie strip to compltet the track.
by staggering the rail joints, you use the rigidity of the solid rail to help keep kinks out of the joint on the opposite rail.
ok ill have to read that a few more time right now its time for bed so ill read it in the morning.
thank you.
KRIS
Kris-
Some folks solder the next section of rail to be laid to the previously laid rail before actually bending the curve so you don't get any kinks or trip spots where the rails join. Using rail joiners as jward described helps with this potential problem, too, but soldering is more of a sure thing. Also, don't try to have the joints in both rails adjacent to one another. In fact, don't even do that if the joints happen to line up that way by themselves. Stagger the joints a bit for a more reliable job. This is good to do on straight track and absolutely necessary on curves. Joints on curves will generally not line up, however, so you are unlikely to have that situation on curved track. It can happen on tangent (straight) track though, so stagger those joints at least a few ties.
-- D
i always soldered my joints after laying the track. you have to be careful not to melt the ties though. if you've laid your track on a material that holds spikes well, you can often push the rail joint into alignment, then use spikes alongside the joiner to hold the alignment. that's a method i use all the time on my handlaid track.....
Dear All,
Thanks to jbsmith for the heads up on the 22"R turnouts.
I wonder why Atlas didn't start making these in code 100 back in the fifties? It seems like a perfect follow-up to the 18"R Snap-Switch.
An oval with early cutoff would fit perfectly on a 4' x 8' sheet (the most popular layout size), and you could have an 18"R oval (with early cutoff if you wanted) on the inside.
If not then or since then, why now in code 83?
Anyone know any present or former Atlas CEOs?
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
a few years back atlas also came out with 24" radius curves. i've always wondered why they didn't make them say 24 1/4" radius so they could be used with the 22" radius curves to make double track with adequate clearance. in n scale they have 9 3/4 and 11 inch curves, and they make nice double track curves. they also have a #4 switch which is a drop in replacement for either a 5" straight or a 19" radius curve. it makes track planning a breeze........
in HO a 22" radius switch with a curved section of 15 degrees would work well with either 22" radius (it's a pair of 1/3 22" curves) or 18" radius (it's a half section of 18" radius.).......
i truly wish bachmann did as good a job of documenting their track pieces as atlas does. when you have switches where the straight section can easily be matched using standard track sections, and the degrees of curvature in the switches are a known quantity, with appropriate curved sections and crossings designed to work with them it's alot simpler to figure out a layout plan on paper.
That really cool i had no idea that they made so many cool thing i have so many possibilities no that i have never dreamed of before.
i lay my own track. outside of curved switches, there are very few track configurations that i make now that can't be duplicated using either atlas or bachmann track. i do things the way i do more out of cost considerations than anything else. if i had the money, i'd probably go back to regular track.
and yes, there are a world of possibilities out there. if you can dream it, and are resourceful enough to make it fit your space, nothing is off limits.