I have seven Atlas code 83 Snap Switch turnouts (item no. 542, basically a #4) on my layout, all powered by Tortoises. They've been but moderately used for only about four years now. Over the past few months, three of the turnouts have begun misbehaving by derailing all my locos (four diesels and one steam) on nearly every occasion - but only when entering the diverging route. When switched to the mainline route - or when the locos are exiting the diverging route - they operate perfectly and cause no derailments. A fourth turnout, strangely enough, derails the locos about 10% of the time when they are exiting from an adjoining mainline track. But perhaps that's another story.
I've checked everywhere there is to check on the turnouts, the adjoining trackage (also Atlas code 83 snap track and flextrack) and the locos' wheels and trucks with the NMRA gauge. All appear to be properly and proportionally adjusted. I also see no kinks or other track or loco anomalies. And when the Tortoise is activated, both point rails snap smartly and firmly against their respective stock rails.
A close eyeball inspection of the problematic turnouts, however, shows that both trucks of the locos jump in the same two places on the outside point rail (again, only when entering the diverging track): first, one tie beyond the throwbar and again exactly half way across the point rail. That one outside point rail is also not precisely aligned at the pivot point with its other half (as is the inside point rail); it leans inwards just a tad and wiggles slightly at the touch of a finger - and it has a slight, but visible, bend along its entire length. The inside point rail is perfectly straight and firmly in place. Additionally, the ends of both point rails (which are sharp and not at all blunted) long ago worked themselves loose from the throwbar. I used to push them gently back in until they "clicked" in place in the throwbar, but they'd always pop out again. More recently, I used CA to secure them in place, a remedy that seems to have worked. Mostly.
All this tells me there's simply a quality issue with the design and manufacture of Atlas turnouts. I even replaced one problematic turnout with a brand new, identical one last week, only to find that the locos continue to jump at the same two places on the same point rail and immediately derail. Rarely will the locos continue ahead, but always with an audible "complaint" before re-righting themselves on the track. The new turnout also has the same point rail misalignment and wiggling issues as the older one (you'd think developing such a problem would take time!). Oddly, both turnouts also have a noticeable vertical bend in the middle, which according to a review on the M.B. Klein site I recently read, is a chronic problem with Atlas turnouts.
Given all this, is there a way I can fix and eliminate this problem for good? Am I missing something? Or, as I'm starting to think, should I dump Atlas turnouts and go with a better quality make? I'm thinking Peco, Walthers or Micro Engineering. Are there any compatibility issues with those three makes and Atlas tracks? Building new turnouts by hand is not something I wish to get into, however. So it's either fix or replace.
I look forward to reading your potential fixes and recommendations on quality of design, build and operation of other brands.
I've checked everywhere there is to check on the turnouts, the adjoining trackage (also Atlas code 83 snap track and flextrack) and the locos' wheels and trucks with the NMRA gauge. All appear to be properly and proportionally adjusted. I also see no kinks or other track or loco anomalies. And when the Tortoise is activated, both point rails snap smartly and firmly against their respective stock rails.
A close eyeball inspection of the problematic turnouts, however, shows that both trucks of the locos jump in the same two places on the outside point rail (again, only when entering the diverging track): first, one tie beyond the throwbar and again exactly half way across the point rail. That one outside point rail is also not precisely aligned at the pivot point with its other half (as is the inside point rail); it leans inwards just a tad and wiggles slightly at the touch of a finger - and it has a slight, but visible, bend along its entire length. The inside point rail is perfectly straight and firmly in place. Additionally, the ends of both point rails (which are sharp and not at all blunted) long ago worked themselves loose from the throwbar. I used to push them gently back in until they "clicked" in place in the throwbar, but they'd always pop out again. More recently, I used CA to secure them in place, a remedy that seems to have worked. Mostly.
All this tells me there's simply a quality issue with the design and manufacture of Atlas turnouts. I even replaced one problematic turnout with a brand new, identical one last week, only to find that the locos continue to jump at the same two places on the same point rail and immediately derail. Rarely will the locos continue ahead, but always with an audible "complaint" before re-righting themselves on the track. The new turnout also has the same point rail misalignment and wiggling issues as the older one (you'd think developing such a problem would take time!). Oddly, both turnouts also have a noticeable vertical bend in the middle, which according to a review on the M.B. Klein site I recently read, is a chronic problem with Atlas turnouts.
Given all this, is there a way I can fix and eliminate this problem for good? Am I missing something? Or, as I'm starting to think, should I dump Atlas turnouts and go with a better quality make? I'm thinking Peco, Walthers or Micro Engineering. Are there any compatibility issues with those three makes and Atlas tracks? Building new turnouts by hand is not something I wish to get into, however. So it's either fix or replace.
I look forward to reading your potential fixes and recommendations on quality of design, build and operation of other brands.
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