Atlas Code 80 #8 Turnouts Quality Issue

[EmdFan]

Steve @EmdFan

Just touching base to see how things are progressing?  The package of switches arrived to your facility on October 5th.

Thank you.

I checked out your switches then sent them to the factory for them to inspect. I noted that most of them had the issue with the point -> stock rail clearance. I would say one of two of them may have been passable, but just barely. The immediate goal now is to send replacements. We have to inspect our remaining inventory of #8 switches, there are quite a few so it may take a little time with most of us only going in the office one day per week. But when we do start the inspection I will pick out suitable replacements and send them to you. Give me another week or so then check back in, I am hoping to have something to send you by early next week.

Thanks.

Steve W

[CBQ Fan]

Thank you Steve!  I appreciate the update.

[EmdFan]

Brian,

What we have found is that there are some cases where the points are a bit distorted, resulting in the point/stock rail clearance being too tight. We are working on getting this taken care of, in fact we're having a (virtual) meeting with the factory next week and this will be one of the topics.

What I will do is go through our inventory and find good replacements for the ones that you sent in. I understand that you may have a few more on your layout, contact me directly and we'll work that out.

So far the problem does not appear to be that widespread, so we're hopeful that we can head this off now.

Thanks for your patience and for bringing the problem to our attention.

Steve W

[Jbub]

This is good customer service! Thanks Atlas!

[EmdFan]

Brian,

I was supposed to go in the office this week but the schedule has changed. I should be in one day next week to locate replacements for you. Sorry for the delay, I could have someone else pick out the replacements but I'd rather handle it myself. Hang in there a little while longer!

Thanks.

Steve W

[CBQ Fan]

No hurry. I appreciate the update. I still have 12 more that were on my layout that had the same issues plus about as many new in the package.

[CBQ Fan]

I received a new batch of switches back from Steve at Atlas just before Thanksgiving. I inspected them after taking them out of the package and they looked better and felt more true when you switched them. When I replaced them I used #6 switches and I replaced them in a modular fashion so all spliced sections were inside.  So all the external mainline flex sections were unaltered. The odd thing is the replacement #8’s did not drop in like they should have.  Not by a lot but just enough that I had to alter the external mainlines to make them fit.  I ran two trains heading into the switch points to see how they did.  After 20 minutes plus of running moderate speeds I had no issues what so ever. I am pleased enough at this point that I am going to pull out the surrounding sections of flex track and clean up the whole switch area. I have two mainlines and a third loop on the inside. These switches allow passenger trains to exit the passenger yard and enter any of the three main loops around the layout.

[CBQ Fan]

Just thought I would update the status here.  As stated before, all of the 9 turnouts I received back work fine.  I sent back in the remaining 19 switches on December 29th and have traded several emails with Steve.  He is working hard to locate replacements. It appears they have put a hold on the current supply and are working to address the QC issues in production.

[CBQ Fan]

Situation resolved! 

Started Thanksgiving and some 25 emails back and forth I have replacements for all of my original purchase. The replacements are all working flawlessly. Steve was great to work with!  Thank you Steve and all the crew at Atlas for your support. @EmdFan @Atlas Paul

[randgust]

It's a bit OT, but maybe not.

I've got a couple 40-year old Atlas C80 switches in my hidden track, and worn enough on the stamped points that I'm replacing them.   Some of these date back to the 70's, they don't owe me anything.

I was REALLY surprised when the 'brand new' standard manual switches came up 'tight' on flangeway with my NMRA gauge after test runs of some of my legacy stuff promptly piled up on the frog. yeah, that's it.   Narrow flangeway, particularly on diverging side.

I know that the old-style were notoriously sloppy on the flangeway to the point where  flangeway shims were sometimes in order, but finding them 'tight' was not expected.   The rails, however, are dead-on in gauge (old turnouts often wide at points), point fit is good, etc.   

Anybody else notice this?   Not that a lot of people are using C80 switches and testing them this hard before installation, but I'm not sure if this is actually an 'improvement' at some point or a manufacturing glitch.  I'm quite capable of widening it on the plastic flangeway, but it's certainly a surprise.   I learned a long time ago to do a QC check on turnouts before you put them in, from anybody.

[peteski]

Situation resolved! 

Started Thanksgiving and some 25 emails back and forth I have replacements for all of my original purchase. The replacements are all working flawlessly. Steve was great to work with!  Thank you Steve and all the crew at Atlas for your support. @EmdFan @Atlas Paul

While all those  turnouts should have been manufactured correctly in the first place (or failed  inspection and never shipped), and you shouldn't have had to gone through all this pain, it is good to know that the problem was resolved to your satisfaction, and that Atlas stands 100% behind their products (of which I never had any doubts).

[CBQ Fan]

It was an adventure to say the least. I actually felt good about being a small part of the process in helping to identify the issues and be involved in the resolution. I am glad to have it wrapped up now. Atlas made it right and I appreciate how hard they worked to do it.