I am about to start my first Z scale layout. I am planning on using Micro Trains flex and Micro Trains turnouts unless someone is selling fastracks turnouts at a reasonable price. What are the pros and cons of the manual and remote switches other than the obvious of powered and unpowered.
From the train's standpoint, the manual and remote MTL turnouts are exactly the same. The difference is the switch machine attached to the roadbed. The pro/con discussion beyond powered/unpowered is whether you like the look of the switch machine on you layout. Mark
My question is do you plan to run dcc. If you do, then go with power switches. Using macros, you can route your train trough a series of switches with one command.
I might go dcc but it won't be for quite awhile. I don't plan on having enough switches to use macros.
If you don't mind manually changing the switches, I would go with manual. It leaves the ugly solenoid actuator out of the layout.
If you are about to start your first layout, and considering the previous answers, you might want to consider using Rokuhan track system, same geometry as Marklin or Micro Trains but much more variety of pieces and, more turnouts to choose from, plus they come with remote already installed inside the roadbed, but can be operated manually as well, You have the choice of modern Precast concrete ties or standard wooden ties in your roadbed, The turnouts come set up for power routing or block wiring but with insertion of a couple of screws that come with the turnouts they can be made to be non power routing, which is DCC friendly, By cutting a small hole, under the edge of the turnout you can drop the plug and wire for remote operation out of site until you are ready to connect it up and Rokuhan has lots of cable options to connect that turnout out to a control lever without the need to cut and solder wires as they are completely plug and play, control system, Rokuhan is distributed in the USA so it is available to most LHS and there are several Internet stores that carry it also.
Actually I have to agree with Garth. On my new layout, I'm using Rokuhan turnouts and some track pieces with MTL flex. I'm using the Rokuhan adapter plates where I tie in the flex. My reason for using the MTL flex, besides the obvious, is that I have a couple of locations on my plan where tie spacing is really noticeable and the Rokuhan spacing is a little large compared to the prototype I'm modeling. However I am using the Rokuhan elsewhere. Mark
I have been in n scale most of my life and had ho for a while too. The n scale layout I have now I have had and have been working on for a couple of years. Yes this is my first z scale layout but not my first layout to begin with. I like the flex track and unless it's different in z scale, I would like to use it for several reasons. The main reason is for the looks and the American rail spacing. Actually, I guess all my reasons are cosmetic. I thought about going hand layed but if I did, I would want to get a #6 and a #8 kit. I need 14 turnouts total. I guess I could use a #6 and be fine but part of me says if I'm going to do it, I should go with both.
In my opinion, we definitly have a turnout issue with our beloved scale. No manufacturer releases any simple RTR turnout, without any plastic roadbed, with electrofrog and with no side mechanism, such as what is released for HO or N by Shinohara, Atlas, Micro-Engineering, etc.. One time a crafstman, Peter Wright, released very nice RTR turnouts including these features, but unfortunately he ran out of business for health reasons. I first tried MTL turnouts, ready to accept their look close to the toyish range in my opinion (definitly not liking any plastic roadbed) provided their tie spacing is prototypical, but I am disappointed as I has been facing stalls at low speed on some of them. As I'm a switching and low speed operation fanatic, I can't bear no stall for any reason. Running a mad cockroach at 250 smph is none of my business... So now I have been in the process to assemble Fast-Tracks turnouts for about 6 weeks, when I've a few hours off in my otherwise heavy schedule... Already 4 turnouts assembled to this day. I'm yet needing 10 times the same number. At the same pace, sould be out of that within one year and a half. I'm definitly pleased with their look. About their reliability, I've no data as long as they are not installed on my future layout and tested... Will depend on the time when I start building the layout... I will probably have to build X percent more than needed due to possible reliability issues, as I'm only an average modeller and will possibly f..k up some of these (sorry for phraseology...:question... But for the time beeing I consider I've no other choice than relying on FT turnouts. Unless one of these centuries a major player such as the manufacturers I was speaking of considers our pray and releases what we are dreaming of...:teeth: Dom
