Atlas Code 55 yard ladder

[Scottl]

Right, now I get it!  Thanks!

[davefoxx]

If you think you can get away with using #7, then by all means do so. Our group used #5 and #7 for sidings and yards, but reliability of Atlas #5 are flaky at best (derailments and electrical contacts). Thus we've decided to stop using #5s altogether and stick with #7 until Atlas can work out tolerance issues.

I have not had these problems, and, in my experience, any derailments on Atlas' #5 turnouts are usually attributed to misgauged wheelsets in locomotives.  Unfortunately, most, if not all, N scale locomotives come new in the box with out of gauge wheelsets (undergauged).

DFF

[Ian MacMillan]

...People are probably tired of me posting this picture, but it shows the ladder that I built on my old layout with #5s:...

We are... Next exhibit councilor.

On second note...nice to see Im not the only one who uses clear push pins to hold points until I get switch motors in!

[nscalemike]

We are... Next exhibit councilor.

On second note...nice to see Im not the only one who uses clear push pins to hold points until I get switch motors in!

Holy cow!  I didn't even notice that before.  What a great idea!  I just flipped them with my fingers and say a prayer when I take a train through the turnout.   Push pins will be installed tonight!

Mike

[MichaelWinicki]

I have not had these problems, and, in my experience, any derailments on Atlas' #5 turnouts are usually attributed to misgauged wheelsets in locomotives.  Unfortunately, most, if not all, N scale locomotives come new in the box with out of gauge wheelsets (undergauged).

DFF

That's the one right there...

Re-gauge loco wheels to the proper width and the problems with Atlas #5 will decrease– a lot.

[kelticsylk]

Another way to save space is the "compound" ladder.

http://www.nmra.org/member/sites/default/files/datasheets/Trackwrk/d3h1.PDF

I plan on using them for the Altoona yard, combined with the shortened #5 turnouts.

Frank Musick

[robert3985]

Another way to save space is the "compound" ladder.

http://www.nmra.org/member/sites/default/files/datasheets/Trackwrk/d3h1.PDF

I plan on using them for the Altoona yard, combined with the shortened #5 turnouts.

Frank Musick

Not only do they save space, they look much more interesting...not your "typical" model yard ladder by a long shot!

Cheers!
Bob Gilmore

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Whoa, that NMRA Datasheet is awesome.

[conrail98]

Whoa, that NMRA Datasheet is awesome.

I agree, never knew these were here. May have to link to them for the LDSIG site,

Phil

[3DTrains]

I have not had these problems, and, in my experience, any derailments on Atlas' #5 turnouts are usually attributed to misgauged wheelsets in locomotives.  Unfortunately, most, if not all, N scale locomotives come new in the box with out of gauge wheelsets (undergauged).

Thanks, but all wheels are in gauge. FWIW, observation were from day in and day out running during shows - and not with just my stuff - and our modules contain about a dozen or more #5s.

However, I failed to note that the reliability issue is with 6-axle units, and derailments occur about 1-in-10 (4-axle sets do not appear to be an problem at all). The only consistent glitch with Atlas c55 turnouts is when running Broadway Limited sound equipped E-Units (stop, sound reset, go, stop, sound reset, go, ad nauseum), but I suspect this to be more of an issue with the flanges on BL equipment (the locos perform flawlessly on ME turnouts, however, but then so do pizza cutters, and I don't have any of the PAs to check if this a common occurrence with BL).

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[MichaelWinicki]

Thanks, but all wheels are in gauge. FWIW, observation were from day in and day out running during shows - and not with just my stuff - and our modules contain about a dozen or more #5s.

Even a slightly underguaged wheelset will cause an issue on an Atlas #5.

Ran into this with my fleet of SD35's and Alco 6-axle centuries... It took a little "tweaking" to get them just right.

[wm3798]

A couple of swipes with a jeweler's file through the frogs and guardrails provides all the elbow room you need.  Takes much less time than fooling with all your wheelsets.

Lee

[pnolan48]

Hmmm. My No. 7 ladders ended up at 1-1/16" centers. That's what I wanted (about a scale 14'), and I may have bent them to fit, as I am wont to do. I just ran a straight line of six right handed switches at one end and six left handed switches at the other, at a calculated angle of 8.1 degrees, or whatever the figure was that Paul Graf at Atlas gave me back in 2002. That resulted in a pyramid yard, which I wanted. I remember asking Mr. Graf about it before I drew the yard.

I've never used a No. 5 without chopping off the tail. But then, I had lots of length, but limited width, so No. 7s worked better.  The longest track was about 21', and the shortest track probably about 14'--more or less, I'll measure the next time I've got both "modules" free.

[elnscale]

If you use a small curve at the start of the ladder, you can steepen up the angle of the ladder. Maybe just an inch or so of flex track. Then use a piece of curve from the ladder into the yard track. This is easy if you're laying flex track.  You can also use this to more easily layout a compound ladder and get more tracks with less distance used in the ladder. The link to the NMRA document shows an example of this type of ladder.