Walthers New Turnouts

[Schraddel]

Hello,

up to now Shinohara was the main supplier for Walthers tracks and turnouts. Shinohara has ceased his business and Walthers had lost it's main supplier. So Walthers made a buy out of the assets of Shinohara to continue production of track and switches. But this was not done in Japan, Walters went to China for production.

Meanwhile the first items of Walthers track system has reached Europe and i purchased a #5 turnout from my dealer.


So it's lookalike





The frog area is similar to the old Peco Insulfrogs. The frog is completely insulated from the rest of the rails. The insulation gaps are only app. 1mm short. A soldering eyelet at the side enables a simple conversion to live frog with simple soldering skills.





The points are not separate parts, they are an integral component of the diverging rails.





A look from the point side.





A look from underneath of the point area. There is just the same sprung mechanism as with Peco turnouts. The little spring is simply removeable if needed. See the small recangular plate in the middle of the long sleeper.





Look from underneath of the frog area. All rails each of one side are electrical connected.





At least a look with removed cover.


In my opinion Walthers has made a excellent job with this new turnouts. Some of the usual pitfalls with turnouts were very smart avoided and user friendly bypassed. As the point blades were not of the articulated type, but instead are integral parts of the diverging rails, there were no joints which are tending of eletrical failure of oxidation, dust and weathering. All parts are solid connected by soldered strips and there are no moveable joints wich can fail electrical.
The frog is insulated and for this dead. It is yours to decide to let it dead or make it live. Latter is also user simplified by the eyelet.
At least a very very userfriendly and finicky construction with the license of no hassle.


Lutz