Atlas vs Life-like track (especially turnouts)

Spongemike

New Member
Hi There

just wondering, seeing as they are both made in the same country, is there any real advantage of buying the Atlas turnouts over the Life-like ones? Atlas is a bit more expensive, and doesn't have the same cheesey toy-ish packaging (makes it look like it's for 'serious' railroaders!), but from initial glances the geometry looks the same.

Do they have the same material for the rails, or have they skimped by using el-cheapo material?

Cheers from NZ

Mike
 

Relic

Member
Man i have inly been at this game for a coupla years but this is one thing I have experience with. The first switches( Turnouts sounds odd to me) I bought were Life-Like and I soon learned why they were so much cheaper than the Atlas, the ones I got were steel and corroded VERY quickly. The rest of my track was NS atlas and the trains would trundle merrily along 'till they came to a switch and stop, push it through the switch and away she goes
Now you may have learned two things
1.Steel track bites
2. Relic is long winded
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
Spongemike said:
Hi There

just wondering, seeing as they are both made in the same country, is there any real advantage of buying the Atlas turnouts over the Life-like ones? Atlas is a bit more expensive, and doesn't have the same cheesey toy-ish packaging (makes it look like it's for 'serious' railroaders!), but from initial glances the geometry looks the same.

Do they have the same material for the rails, or have they skimped by using el-cheapo material?

Cheers from NZ

Mike


They really are the same. I have both on my layout, and the only way you can tell the difference is the switch machine is more rectangular, otherwise the are exactly the same. as long as its nickel silver, it should be fine. Atlas is the preffered track though.
 

brakie

Active Member
Mike,I once built a industrial switching layout using Life Like switches,Model Power flex track and Atlas sectional track..Why? The price was right..50% off.:D
That layout lasted 3 years before I decided to redo the layout I still incorporated the switches on the "improved" layout.
 
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