Poor atlas track.

[rogerw]

ok ummm for sale never used atlas switches .. lol

 

[eric halpin]

Guys;

I have just installed 39 Atlas turnouts. Now that they are bought and installed I am not happy with the rail warpage, the raised frog issue and now you guys are inducating long term electrical problems. This non quality control problem is a major issue and I think MR and RMC should be serving the hobby better by evaluating this stuff. I did read an MR evaluation and they never indicated all these problems. I may just have to write a letter of complaint about this product.
Eric

 

[Squidbait]

You're dealing with turnouts that were old when Noah came off the Ark. The wheels and flanges were considerably larger than they are now.

If the trains aren't de-railing through the turnouts, just "clunking" through them, I'd suggest living with it. If it really bothers you, get some 0.010" styrene strip from Evergreen and glue them into the bottom of the flangeways, it'll prevent the clunking.

The newer Mark IV turnouts have a reasonable frog, and don't "clunk" quite as much.

Peco makes some fine turnouts, but given the exchange rate between the dollar and the pound, are about twice the price of Atlas turnouts.

BT - why the 1st layout-2nd layout track strategy? The new Atlas code 55 track doesn't have the problems of the older code 80's - metal frogs, tighter flangeways, and scale-looking to boot.