My first EBAY purchase

[chuck geiger]

WOW my first EBAY purchase. I found three Atlas Code 55 L and R #5 and #7 turnouts for 24.99 for all three. Hope I don't get Thomas The Tank Engine turnouts. 🙂

[Rivet Miscounter]

WOW my first EBAY purchase. I found three Atlas Code 55 L and R #5 and #7 turnouts for 24.99 for all three. Hope I don't get Thomas The Tank Engine turnouts. 🙂

I remember my first eBay auction purchase, in 1999.   3-pack of BNSF ACF Covered Hoppers that were HO-scale listed in the N-scale category, no mention of scale in the description and bad photo.  Numerous lessons learned.     So, also my first eBay auction sold.   

[chuck geiger]

I questioned the seller about the price and yes they had pics of the turnouts and they are the hard to find, which I didn't tell him. 48 backorders according to Steve at Midwest. This could be the find of the century or bust.

[robert3985]

You might want to be cautious with the Atlas55 #5's.  They're not proportioned correctly and their effective diverging radius is closer to a #4 because the distance from the point of the frog to the closure points is significantly too short, making that curve an equivalent of a "kink".  Peco55 Streamline Electrofrog "Small" turnouts are proportioned better except for the Peco tie proportions and spacing.  However, they don't have a reputation for derailing engines and cars which the Atlas55 #5's have.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[dem34]

On top of the #5s propensity for the frog rails to fall out at the slightest bit of pressure placed on them.

Fixable by flooding the rail webbing with thin CA before installation but still not an issue encounted with ME, Peco, and the larger # of Atlas turnouts.

[chuck geiger]

I have used them on 2 layouts before this and the ones on this layout are fine. But thanks for the info.

[chuck geiger]

Just got back and these were here.

[porkypine52]

You got a DEAL!!!   2 ea.  #7's   and a #5!   For $24 and change.  Of course shipping and TAX.   Not bad--not bad.  With availability of ANY Atlas code 55 at this moment.

No #4's or #5's for me.   #7's in the yard and #10's out on the main.   Ya gotta allow for it when you are running BIG STEAM!   And I am looking at HAND LAYING also!

   
 

[robert3985]

You got a DEAL!!!   2 ea.  #7's   and a #5!   For $24 and change.  Of course shipping and TAX.   Not bad--not bad.  With availability of ANY Atlas code 55 at this moment.

No #4's or #5's for me.   #7's in the yard and #10's out on the main.   Ya gotta allow for it when you are running BIG STEAM!   And I am looking at HAND LAYING also!

 

Hand laying is the way to go.  Just takes time to make 'em, but it's not rocket-science.  I've been doing it since the early 80's and have saved thousands of dollars rolling my own.  Properly constructed hand-laid turnouts will look better, run better and be more durable than any commercially available turnout in N-scale...and be a helluva lot less expensive AND always be available.

Get to it! 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[davefoxx]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  We know, Bob.  Speaking as someone who has handlaid track, it’s not for everyone.  So, the need to disparage those that don’t handlay track with passive aggressive posts is unnecessary.

Thanks,
DFF

[robert3985]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  We know, Bob.  Speaking as someone who has handlaid track, it’s not for everyone.  So, the need to disparage those that don’t handlay track with passive aggressive posts is unnecessary.

Thanks,
DFF

I never claim that hand-laying is for "everyone".  See any indication of that in my post?

You have a problem?  I would hardly call what I wrote as being "passive aggressive" nor "disparaging".

Take a couple of deep breaths and calm down....

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Philip H]

I read it the same way Foxxy did. I know it’s tough to get how words impact when only typed - which is why I tend to avoid phrases like “xxx is the only way to go.” No doubt you weren’t meaning to sound condescending but that how it came out. 

[wazzou]

…except I don’t see the word “only”.   

[davefoxx]

I never claim that hand-laying is for "everyone".  See any indication of that in my post?

You have a problem?  I would hardly call what I wrote as being "passive aggressive" nor "disparaging".

Take a couple of deep breaths and calm down....

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

No, I don’t have a problem.  I’m not the one who showed up to burst someone’s balloon about buying manufactured turnouts and then, once again, tooted my own horn about my own accomplishments.  It was unnecessary, irrelevant, and, as far as I’m concerned, unwelcome in a thread where the OP was happy to receive Atlas turnouts.

So, I don’t need to take a couple of breaths and calm down.  This is just model railroading.  Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

DFF

[Dave V]

You might want to be cautious with the Atlas55 #5's.  They're not proportioned correctly and their effective diverging radius is closer to a #4 because the distance from the point of the frog to the closure points is significantly too short, making that curve an equivalent of a "kink".  Peco55 Streamline Electrofrog "Small" turnouts are proportioned better except for the Peco tie proportions and spacing.  However, they don't have a reputation for derailing engines and cars which the Atlas55 #5's have.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

This is why I built the Colorado Midland 2.0 with Peco code 55. Well, Atlas code 55 track in general...between the mystery metal in the frogs, the bizarre gauge issues, the loose points, and the near 100% failure rate of the little frog power tab on the turnouts, I vowed never to use the stuff again regardless of how good it appears.

In my case the larger Peco tie spacing played to my advantage as I was simulating late 1890s trackwork rather than more modern US mainline trackage.

As for handlaying... There's not much I can't do in model railroading these days, but what little experimentation I've done in the handlaying department is sufficient to inform me that I neither enjoy nor excel at that particular aspect of the hobby. I do think it's a skill that everyone should at least try when they have sufficient confidence. The old adage, "I'll try anything once..." But in the end, it won't be a skill for everyone in a large part because of how unforgiving trackwork (especially in smaller scales) must be.