Date of Manufacture

[regorsky]

Is there any way of telling when a piece of track was made?

[Trainman203]

I have to ask..... why?

[regorsky]

Just curious. I just bought a new turnout from Amazon. I did not pay attention to the picture ( which showed the old style push button control). When it arrived I saw the control and was surprised. The switch has a date of 2006.
It does not matter about the control at this point because I am not using it. so, I am curious--am I buying 13 year old parts at 2019 prices?  Again, for me the turnout is just fine as I do not use the control. But for someone just starting who does not know there is a better control available it might not be just fine.

[Trainman203]

Post a picture of it.  Someone will know. I've bought ez track switches from a hobby shop that had multiples of the same switch with 2 very different prices.  I didn't say anything, just bought the cheeper one 🤫😂

[jward]

Better control available? Seriously? This is essentially the same twin coil motored switch with pushbutton control box that has been marketed in one form or another, by almost every brand of track, for at least 50 years. The only new thing here is that the track now comes with plastic roadbed under it.

[regorsky]

Better control available? Seriously? This is essentially the same twin coil motored switch with pushbutton control box that has been marketed in one form or another, by almost every brand of track, for at least 50 years. The only new thing here is that the track now comes with plastic roadbed under it.

better control--same twin coil mechanism. The old control is a push button and if you hold it down too long it burns up  the coils. The newer one is a capacitive discharge switch and much easier on the coils

I know it has been around awhile which is why I am asking if there is a way to date them.

[regorsky]

Post a picture of it.  Someone will know. I've bought ez track switches from a hobby shop that had multiples of the same switch with 2 very different prices.  I didn't say anything, just bought the cheeper one 🤫😂

It looks the same as it has for a very long time

[jward]

better control--same twin coil mechanism. The old control is a push button and if you hold it down too long it burns up  the coils. The newer one is a capacitive discharge switch and much easier on the coils

[/quote]

Capacitive discharge in a switch control box? i highly doubt it. Who told you that?

The size of the necessary capacitor would make this almost impossible to do. A usable CD unit has a very large capacitor. Mine has one about the size of a Pepsi can, and the kits i've seen have one about half that size just to provide enough oomph to throw one switch motor. You can't fit that into a switch control box, and even if you could, it'd probably add $20 or more to the price. The control box would be so large it would be almost as large as the entry level power packs in train sets.

WHatever the "Improvement" you think you're seeing in those control boxes, a CD unit ain't it.

[Joe323]

It is possible that the date could matter as newer bachmann turnouts are machined to tighter tolerance then older ones anf in my experience work better.

[regorsky]

better control--same twin coil mechanism. The old control is a push button and if you hold it down too long it burns up  the coils. The newer one is a capacitive discharge switch and much easier on the coils

Capacitive discharge in a switch control box? i highly doubt it. Who told you that?

The size of the necessary capacitor would make this almost impossible to do. A usable CD unit has a very large capacitor. Mine has one about the size of a Pepsi can, and the kits i've seen have one about half that size just to provide enough oomph to throw one switch motor. You can't fit that into a switch control box, and even if you could, it'd probably add $20 or more to the price. The control box would be so large it would be almost as large as the entry level power packs in train sets.

WHatever the "Improvement" you think you're seeing in those control boxes, a CD unit ain't it.
[/quote]
OK, I surrender--my guess is the date of manufacture is not discoverable. Thanks to all