Atlas Code 55 Turnouts...

[basementcalling]

About six months ago I fixed a #5 switch that had a point rail falling out.  The fix was a one piece rail salvaged from a piece of code 55 flex track, notched at the hinge point, pretty much as described here by others.  The only real difference was that I didn't replace the tie bar but basically duplicated the original small attachment plate and assembled as the original. 

This was accomplished by cutting the rail to length, notching the top and bottom faces in to the thickness of the rail web to make the hinge/ flex point, and then, before to file the point rail taper, I soldered a blanked piece of .005" strip to the rail bottom.  The little plate was not drilled yet, the length was oversized, and the rail was still full width.  That made positioning to solder very easy as only the position at the end of the rail was critical and even that had some fudge room.  I tinned the bottom of the rail and the top of the plate and then soldered in place.  I had a resistance solder unit and used the tweezer attachment which I feel makes it easier but could be accomplished just as well with virtually any solder rig.  Once soldered all of the filing of the rail point and trimming of the attachment plate was completed with the bar as one piece with the rail, using the old point rail as the model.  Once the filing was completed the new rail piece and old point rail were set on a flat surface with the attachment tabs facing back to back and the attaching plate hole was drilled with the drill gripped in a pin vise and using the original hole as the guide, like a drill bushing.  The finished replacement rail assembly was then slid into the ties, a couple of drops of CA on a few of the plastic pins to assure it stayed in place and then a small dab of solder was used from the rail foot to the phosphor bronze hinge point contact plate, ahead of the filed hinge notches, to assure a good connection.  It has worked flawlessly and was all done without removing the switch from the layout.  A little neolube was used to touch up the color on all of the new components.  All of this work was actually pretty easy to complete as described.

In these pics it's the right rail point rail that was replaced.

(Attachment Link)

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What's the sensor for, and what are you using to throw the turnout?

[Cory Rothlisberger]

I know this is an old thread, but it seems like the best spot to ask...

I'm curious about the geometry of the Atlas Code 55 wyes.   They offer a "#2.5" and "#3.5".   Oddly, the #3.5 is shorter than the the #2.5.  I'm assuming those are nominal frog numbers in any event, and it looks like the angles of the #3.5 mesh nicely with the #7 switch.   I'd really like one that meshes nicely with #10, but ....

So - is the #3.5 effectively the curved portion of two Atlas #7 switches overlaid?
And yes, I know that the #7 switch isn't exactly a #7.
And yes, I also know if I lay my own switch I can get any # I want.

Correct. The #2.5 wye pairs with the #5, and the #3.5 pairs with the #7. This was a looooooooong time ago, but if I remember correctly, the #3.5 wye is shorter than the #2.5 so that it could fit into the geometry of the code 55 sectional track system. If we had made it bigger, it was going to be an awkward looking turnout. Don't quote me on that though... 

[crrcoal]

@Cory Rothlisberger were the crossings matched up to the #5's 7's and 10's? and if so which ones? Thank you!

[Cory Rothlisberger]

@Cory Rothlisberger were the crossings matched up to the #5's 7's and 10's? and if so which ones? Thank you!

22.5 = #5
11.25 = #7

Nothing for the #10...