HOn3 track - Shinohara?

[nachoman]

As of right now, your choices for prefab turnouts are Micro engineering (#6 only) and Shinohara (very sporadic availability). ME makes code 55 and code 70. I have used the shinohara in the past, and they work fine, but do require isolating the frogs by cutting rail gaps or through insulated rail joiners. Ebay is probably your best source there, but prepare to pay 20-25 bucks a piece for them. You can have people (Stephen Hatch) custom make turnouts for you on PCB ties - but you stil need to lay ties and spike them in yourself. I hadn't heard about Walthers' offering, but I am not suprised someone would jump in with the newer RTR HOn3 stuff now available. Dual gauge turnouts are Shinohara only, as far as I know. Check ebay, and prepare to pay top dollar.

Flex track - Micro Engineering and Shinohara. Again - shinohara is code 70 only, and ME codes 55 and 70 are common. ME looks much better, but is more delicate. Shinohara is often tough to find, but Coronado usually has some ME. If you are used to laying atlas flextrack, ME or shinohara will at first seem very frustrating to lay because it is stiffer and holds its curve.

I have gone to all handlaying. It takes a lot of time, but is kind of rewarding. Single gauge turnouts using PCB ties are relatively easy to make, and I would never consider a jig, but the dual gauge are a real challenge - and if I had many to do I would consider a jig there.

I recommend two things: 1) Check out stephen Hatch's website <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railwayeng.com">http://www.railwayeng.com</a><!-- m -->. You can order custom-built turnouts from him for about 25 bucks a piece, or you can follow his tutorial on how to build them yourself. That's how I learned to build them - and it is definitely worth the attempt. 2) Join the HOn3 yahoo group so you can search and browse the message boards. I rarely participate in the discussions (too much politics) but it is a great place to ask a question.

I have a few shinohara turnouts on my old layout that I could measure, but I have cut the leads shorter so I don't think the measurements would mean anything to you. The frog angle is pretty dead-on number 4, and you can cut the leads just in front for the points or just after the frogs and they still work okay.