Atlas Code 83 Turnouts

[Cody J]

I have started laying track and just recently finished the yard, When I go to throw the switch between the main line and to go to the yard I have about a 50/50 chance of getting the front truck to go to the yard track then sometimes the trailing truck stays on the main. The frog? maybe doesn't go all the way to the outside rail. Anyway to fix this without spending 14 bucks on a new turnout?

Thanks

[OldTimer]

The frog is the part of the turnout where the rails cross.  Your problem is with the points (the moveable rails) not snugging up to the stock rails allowing the wheels to do what is known as "picking the points."  I suspect that something is binding the points, not letting them throw all the way.  Disconnect the switch machine and move the points by hand.  Do they move smoothly?  If you've ballasted the track, look for grains of ballast on top of the ties around the points.  The other possibility is that your wheels are out of gauge.  If you have an NMRA gauge, you can use it to check the wheel sets as well as to checking the turnout for being in gauge.

I try to let my turnouts float as much as possible to avoid warping them when laying track.  Obviously, care is required when ballasting.  A little plastic compatible oil around the throwbar will keep glue from immobilizing the moving parts.  Hope this helps a little.
Old Timer

[Cody J]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have yet to ballast, the wheels of the rolling stock/locos are in gauge, there is nothing blocking the points, and I will disassemble the switch machine and points.

[jward]

while you have the track apart, take a file and sharpen the points. a blkunt switchpoint will cause the sort of derailments you are having. bevel the tends so that your wheels don't catch the blunt end of the rail and ride up over the point instead of following the rail.

another trouble spot can be the spot where the moveable popint meets the fixed rail leading to the frog. if these aren't precisely aaligned you also have a place where your wheels hit a blunt rail end. it is alot harder to file this blunt end, but you should bevel it as well.

[RAM]

also makesure that the place you are installing the turnout is flat.