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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 12, 2014 3:24:19 GMT -5
Hi,
Has anybody dealt with the Wright turnouts? Are they compatible with Peco flex track? They really look nice so I thought I'd see if anybody here knows much about them.
Mark
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Post by shamoo737 on Jan 13, 2014 9:25:15 GMT -5
Mark, you cant get them anymore. I don't think he is in business. A good substitute is Fastrack switches, but you have to build them yourself.
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Post by domi on Jan 13, 2014 15:00:50 GMT -5
Yes, I'm using Wright turnouts. My track is MTL flex so I don't know whether they're Peco compatible, but I guess so. I'm very, very satisfied with them. But I confirm craftsman Peter Wright gave up manufacturing them a few years ago due to health issues. I guess they're rather difficult to find on eb** or elsewhere... And true, I'm myself in the process of building FT turnouts as I'm definitly needing power routing turnouts, without roadbed nor side mechanism, such as is available for other scales with manufacturers such as Atlas or Sinohara...
Dom
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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 14, 2014 4:06:12 GMT -5
Well, that explains why he hasn't replied to my e-mail. Thanks guys.
I've looked at the Fastrack switches and am seriously considering it. Those of you who have done this, what do you think?
Mark
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Post by markm on Jan 14, 2014 11:32:09 GMT -5
Mark,
I watched an HO Fastrack construction session a couple of years back didn't look too hard as long as you have some basic soldering skills. I believe the Raildig.com site has an article the Z scale turnouts. What interested me is that you can produce them in different, more prototypical sized turnouts.
Mark
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Post by shamoo737 on Jan 14, 2014 13:32:02 GMT -5
They are not hard to build, but there's a learning curve. Build couple switches without using your laser sticks. Also, pay attention where you make cuts your gaps.
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Post by Admin on Jan 14, 2014 15:42:31 GMT -5
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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 15, 2014 0:58:57 GMT -5
Thanks for all the information guys. What I have learned is that the folks at Fastrack only go up to code 55 and the Peco flex is 60. I'm the first to admit that I'm not all that familiar with codes. I take it that code 60 will not work with 55 If this is the case, I'm out of luck here considering I bought a boat load of the Peco flex.
Mark
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Post by Admin on Jan 15, 2014 7:51:35 GMT -5
Rail height aside, you'd run in to a visual issue using PECO flex and Fast Tracks turnouts and that is the tie spacing. FT turnouts have more of what's been called a North American tie size and spacing while PECO is more along the size of Marklin track. You could shim the FT turnouts to take care of the height and do some heavy ballasting and weathering to camouflage the joins between the PECO and FT turnouts, but if you're going through the effort to make your own turnouts, I'd look at using Micro-Trains flex instead. I realize selling off the PECO track you bought isn't ideal, but given the work you'll be putting in I think it would yield the best results in the end. John Raildig.com |
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Post by markm on Jan 15, 2014 10:14:03 GMT -5
Mark,
The rail code isn't a big deal, about 5 mils in height. The various rail manufacturers in Z vary from code 55 to 63. I'm using various manufacturers on my layout and have experienced no major issues that couldn't be fixed with a couple of passes with a file. As for the tie spacing, which various by a factor of 2, there has been A LOT of discussion about it, but I don't really find it a major issue, particularly once the track is ballasted.
Tie spacing varies in real life.
Mark
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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 15, 2014 17:33:00 GMT -5
Trust me, you all have been a huge help. I have to admit something. Before I collected all of the Peco stuff, I had collected a bunch of MTL flex (before I ever saw the Peco and it's length). I just wanted to stick with the Peco since it was longer.
Looks like I'm still going to buy the Fastrack anyway. Thanks again so much everybody. There is so much to learn of Z.
Mark
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Post by shamoo737 on Jan 15, 2014 19:27:15 GMT -5
There's another option. Go all fastrack. They make jigs for mainline, branchline, and curves. Theyt sell 36" rails.
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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 16, 2014 18:24:14 GMT -5
OMG shamoo, I'd need to sell my plane just to afford them.LOL
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Post by BAZman on Jan 16, 2014 20:02:28 GMT -5
Peco flex and märklin flex are near absolutely identical (rail and ties). You could say it is code 60 but its pretty much c55. That partly comes from the rail sitting nearly o.012" off the ties (BIG tie plates) where MTL's sit very prototypical *on* the scale tie plate. The tie size is quite near the same for all three. So it is the BIG rail head of the Peco/märklin rail and the height it sits above the ties.
The big difference is the rail head. Peco and Marklin are wider, about 50% more than MTL flex and turnouts.
Peter Wright made his turnouts using the MTL flex I gave him and then later the Micro Engineering c55.
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Post by gyroflyer on Jan 20, 2014 1:15:07 GMT -5
Ok, I have everything worked out so now I plan to buy the Fastrack. What # of turnout is most used? The one Marklin turnout I have is I believe a # 5. Any suggestions?
Mark
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