10-05-2011, 04:55 PM
Lester Perry Wrote:Russ nobody near me that can do it. The reason is the one I have now is Atlas #6 code 100. I have a 2-10-4 that refuses to go through it. It seems to start binding up as it goes into it (it slows) it then comes off the track in the middle of the crossover and it is the center drivers that usually come off. The only thing I can think of is the wiggle in the center is just too much. It goes through other # 6s with no trouble if I take it slow and easy. I do have a flange-less driver in the middle.
A #8 or #10 should be plenty big enough to handle your 2-10-4, especially if it works on other #6 turnouts but doesn't like the #6 cross over. I would still recommend the Peco large simply because they are the closest r-t-r turnout to NMRA standards. One of the guys at the club did a clinic on making turnouts work reliably. The first point that he made, which was echoed by Joe Fugate in his clinic at the NMRA convention in Sacramento as well, is that you want the gauge at the points to be near the wide tolerance on the NMRA track gauge; but the gauge at the frog should be right on the narrow tolerance of the gauge. The Atlas and Shinohara turnouts needed the most work to get them "right on", but all the Peco needed was 1 or 2 .005" shims on the guard rails between the guard rails and the stock rail to make the guard rails fully functional.