All the gory details can be found in the NMRA data sheet D3d.2. But roughly speaking thetrunout number is units of length per unit of divergence. To relate it to Z, the 55 mm, 26 degree turnouts are roughly a #2.5 and the 110mm 13 degree is roughly #4 or #5. Relating to the prototype the standard Z scale turnouts would be for street cars and branch lines. NMRA recommends a #7 as a minimum for modelling main lines and the prototype I model specified a minimum of #8. Hope this helps, Mark
Practically speaking, something like a #5 would be used for very crowded yard trackage or industrial trackage. In model railroad applications, it geared toward smaller layouts mostly. A #7 would be a more realistic yard/industrial turnout, and a better compromise as a mainline turnout. The #10 would be your penultimate model railroad mainline turnout. Some demand larger, but for practical purposes a 10 is a good compromise between looks and real estate.
Paul that is great news. But please can we get something bigger than what Rokahun, MTL and Marklin has already given us? How many times can we run a Challenger and Big Boy or SD70ACe over the same existing No. 5 or 6 turnout that is just different in manufacturer name only. Please give us an 8, 9 or 10. We thank for your entry in this scale.
Track arrived today, beautiful looking and as well waiting now to get started but waiting for switch news!!
Melodrama or no, I voiced the complaint of many about the short lengths of flex. Strange how Marklin and Peco can do it, but others? Hmmmm.........
I apologize for necro-posting, but I think this thread deserves to be resurrected. I've just bought my first Nn3 boxcars and a Marklin locomotive, and I'm looking for track. I use Atlas products almost exclusively in N, so since I discovered this thread and the possibility that Atlas may come out with Z gauge turnouts, I'm very excited to see them. And, to be honest, no matter if everyone else is making a #6, I'd still love to see a #6 with no roadbed and no big ugly switch machine! So when can we expect to see these things, in general? A few weeks, before summer, sometime this year? In the meantime, can I use MTL flex with MTL turnouts, despite the roadbeds? If I later switch to Atlas, will the rail size be an issue?
Maybe, within the year. Likely next year. Maybe not. Paul mentioned they were looking at it. But our small <5% of the market scale means Tooling costs take time to recover. Hence, careful decisions.
Small potatoes but I'll need 50-60 for the new yard and big end module. You guys fight over the other couple of thousand.
Any hint as to what number or at least if your going larger than what is currently available? I keep leaning towards making my own.....just downloaded their templates and printed them to actually see the difference in sizing from a #5 to at least the #8. The track laid down nicely and and now I have a corner module finished and trying to decide what to do for switches!!!!
They sort of already hinted by saying "matching crossover". The only turnout with a matching crossover in their line is a number 5. That is of course assuming they are emulating their N Code 55 line geometries.
