Atlas #5 turnout... and, the S curve...

The atlas switches are sized to fit the standardized lengths of their track system. I think the #5 is like 20" long which is absurd. A true #5 can be about 16" long if it needs to. A ross regular (which is a fudge of a #5 but its close enough, can be made even shorter than that.  But if you can get a pair of Atlas 5s in, you probably can get in Ross #6s which would be a fair compromise. Print out the switch footprints from Ross and see what you can get away with. Any crossover of numbered switches is better than using OXX switches, because the numbered ones are divergent tangents, whereas the 'O' switches are curves.

Thanks!!!  I've been looking for dimensions most of the day and cannot figure out why they are so hard to locate???  I wound up dropping them in SCARM to get an idea.  The Atlas #5 is 20" and the #7.5 is 24" (well, according to SCARM).  I'll stick some Ross switches in and see how that goes.

What are the folks using for crossovers for their 18-21 passengers and SCALE Challengers/Big Boys etc???

Our club uses #5 Atlas switches exclusively and the members run everything from speeders to big boys on it. Postwar, traditional and modern do well on them. The one drawback is that magnatraction is useless on the Atlas track. Those with postwar make it work but traction tires work well on the Atlas track and switches.

Running any large/scale equipment through curves (whether individual pieces or switches) will always look better (and track better) as the curve size increases from O72 (because they usually can't run through less than this) to O120.  With numbered switches, the higher the number, the gentler the tangent separation becomes, but also, correspondingly the switch length increases.  I have not heard of too much equipment that will fail to run through a #5 switch; maybe you will be one of the "fortunate" few to identify a beast too large for a #5 switch.

Chuck

Thanks Ron!

I only have a few traditionals with magnatraction remaining.  They pull their original rolling stock/set just fine (even, up grade) on my Atlas.  Most of my inventory is Legacy with a few TMCC pieces in there as well.  The trains run just fine through the O72 crossovers... they just look like crap!!!!

Thanks Chuck!

I do have a VisionLine GG1 (my largest loco)...  and, it does just fine through the O72 crossover ...but, it looks horrible doing so.  It's primarily a shelf queen so no foul no harm or however that goes.

Maybe I'm losing my mind?  This all started when I began thinking about shortening my passenger car couplers and staring at them at they traversed the O72 crossovers.

Update:  I just measured (SCARM) from center rail to center rail through the crossover.  The #7.5 = 32"  #5 = 24"  O72 = 18".   To keep 4.5" track separation I would have to add 'about' a 2 inch straight on the #5 to maintain the separation as is.   I'll take a look at the Ross #6 tomorrow...

Atlas-O #5 switches work fine and are a vast improvement over 072 switches for crossovers. The track to track spacing is 4.5”.

Not sure why the 20” length is relevant.

If the rest of your track is Atlas, why use a different brand of switch?

Thanks ctr!

Length is relevant as a positioning variable... I don't have a very large layout so inches matter.  I am very happy with my Atlas switches and track... just not their switch machines.  GO TORTOISE!

@Ron_S posted:

...snip... The one drawback is that magnatraction is useless on the Atlas track.  ...snip...

If you can locate any of the Atlas track with BLACK ties, it is steel and works well with Magnetraction-equipped trains.

@PRRMP54  The club would mutiny if we tore out the current Atlas track and rebuilt.   Luckily, the postwar crowd enjoys what we have, runs modern a lot and everyone still gripes about more running time to the VP who controls the run schedule for us.

Like the old saying, "Many would gripe if were hung with a new rope!" 

Number turnouts different from curveturnouts:  #5 indicates that for every 1 unit of diverge, left or right, there is 5 units of run, linear length of the switch. Larger switches, #8 (Example), usually require a fair amount of space, especially if used as a cross-over pair.  IMO, Mike CT.

Maybe consider a non catalogued Ross one piece single cross over which consists of two Ross switches Siamesed together.  GRJ just installed two pair of these in his yard.  They are very compact with no wasted length.  Sweet piece!

The Atlas #5 switch length of 20" in either 2 rail or 3 rail is designed to facilitate the replacement of two sections of 10" straight track in the Atlas track "System".  We routinely trim back the ends of the #5 turnouts to fit particular situations.

@Tom Tee posted:

We routinely time back the ends of the #5 turnouts to fit particular situations.

Thanks Tom!

I considered the Siamesed/Double Crossover.  My current crossovers are about 12' apart which I really like and is part of the positioning considerations mentioned... nothing is a game killer though.

AND, what the heck is 'Time Back'?  (I swear I'll never learn enough before I die.)

I guess there are no issues on how the Great Big Passengers  'L(.)(.)K Visually' traversing the modest 'S' of a #5 crossover as that has not been mentioned.

THANK YOU... ALL!!!!

I think he meant to type “Trim back the ends.”

Here are some pictures of my Weaver Pullman Bradley cars going thru a #5 “S” curve consisting of a #5 double slip switch and a #5 switch.

THANK YOU CARL!!!!

Perfect!   Great Photos!    I'm ordering the #5s today.

Thanks Again!

Trim

I have the Ross #4 switches on crossovers, and also the Double-Slip Switches, both are 14º diverging paths, and my Vision Line Big Boy and his articulated friends all make it across them.

The switches Tom mentioned, they are kinda' cool.  They're basically two back-to-back #4 switches and they are on 3.5" track-to-track centers, something you can't really do with two real #4's.  The length of the whole pair is 26" end to end.  You could cut 4-5 inches of that off as there's quite a few ties on either end that could disappear.