Bachmann E-Z Streets Switches

It won't hurt to try, I suppose.  But each manufacturer of 'Streets, in turn, K-Line, Lionel, now Bachman, has not, even though turnsouts were listedin the original Superstreets catalog.  Bachman has a way to go, though, just to get back to offering all the products that were offered prior to their taking over the line - the vehciles other than the Fordpanel van, etc.  

BTW - when I need switches on my 'Streets, I use Lionel O-27 with transition pieces to and from the 'Steets track and put the switch in an out of the way place: behind a building, inside a tunnel (one road in, two out, etc.).  

You can be sure that Bachmann is well aware of the desire/need for E-Z Streets switches, so awareness is not the problem.  It's likely more a matter of priorities in Bachmann's overall product line, and I guess new additions to the E-Z Streets line is not high on that list, at least at the present time.

If I hear anything different, you can be certain I'll share it here.

Streets switches would be a most welcome addition, although everyone's comments sound more logical as to why they aren't making them now. Terry

They make tram switches in 1:45 scale by ETS. http://www.ets-trains.com/sekce.php?id=19

Too bad there was not a way to incorporate their items.

This is exactly why we used ETS 2 rail trolley track on our first trolley line  We needed five switches to do what we wanted with it.   We used K-Line Streets on the other side but its just one giant loop that three trolleys traverse ( As long as they don't catch each other )

Looked at Bachmann/Williams online catalog the other night and it don't look like Bachmann is going to make switches for EZ Streets, nothing listed. Maybe there will be something announced in April at York PA, otherwise don't count on Bachmann making the switches.

I like the idea that Lee Willis has, to use an 027 switch with adapter pieces. That for now will be as close to a switch for either Super Streets or EZ Streets.

K-Line was about to make switches for Super Streets before the Lionel takeover, but that never happened, so there were no Super Street switches either.

Lee Fritz

I have some of that track as well...picked it up at the last York Meet.  Forgot all about it until you mentioned it Ben, and I may want to dig it out of storage and put it to use (I also bought one of the ETS trolleys at the same time).

Is there any easy way to configure an MTH PCC (for example) to run on the 2-rail track?

Hey Ben

What is the NJT on the ETS track?

Thanks

Ed

My question about the ETS 2 rail trolley track is this, can you convert it to Super Streets and 3 rail operation or is it very difficult to do?

Lee Fritz

It might be easier to add a third rail to ETS track than to convert the MTH trolley to 2-rail.

It may be as simple as tacking a bare wire down the center of the ETS track and jumpering the running rails together.

Here and there, I've suggested to the NJHirailers' "bridge and structures department" that they look into making their own SS switches with the laser cutter they use for bridges. Lay out a baseplate as one layer, then the road surface with flangeways goes over that. Add pivoting switch point/s with a throw lever wire running through a groove milled into the baseplate (the laser-cutter can cut grooves in the material used without going all the way through), and finally cement metal strips or heavy-gauge wire into the surface for the running rails (grooves can be cut to accommodate these too)

---PCJ

Before converting an ETS streetcar switch for 3 rail operation, a very important question is which commercially available 3-rail O gauge vehicles will be able to negotiate the curved portion of those ETS switches?

The radius or diameter of the curved portion of the ETS switch is not given in that link provided above by Dmasso.  The ETS curved streetcar track elsewhere in that link includes the text “R170mm”.  Does that mean the radius is 170 millimeters?  If so, is the curved portion of the ETS switch the same radius as the curved track? Can someone who has used that track please answer these questions?

Doing the conversion, 170 mm works out to a radius of only 6.69”, or a diameter of about 13 3/8^th inches. For comparison the Superstreets/E-Z Streets nominal curve diameters are 16” and 21” for the narrower and wider curves, respectively.

If the ETS switches also have a diameter of 13 3/8^th, that would eliminate all of the O gauge trolley vehicles that I plan to run, including the MTH PCC’s which just barely make it through the D-16 curves and are my primary reason for wanting E-Z street switches.

Bill

The one picture that I saw of it looked like a larger curve than that.

I'd like to see a flex track too, maybe using a rubber road.

I'd love to see most of the ETS line 'copied' by WBB in EZ Streets format. (not copied but the same variety ETS has which is GREAT)