This is more of an editorial posting. I have been planning my layout for few years now and have been debating about what manufacturer to use for track. Walther's makes a nice looking product and has a wide variety of options for turnouts, crossings, etc. However I feel it lacks some of detail. Central Valley Model Works makes some wonderfully detailed tie strips for track and variety of turnout strips. It does require some assembly which can be a little daunting. Proto:87 is beautiful and very detailed. Doing a full layout would very time consuming if not impossible. This leads me to Micro Engineering. For the type of detail what I'm looking for I would be sold on using their product. Unfortunately they only have #6 turnouts. My minimal mainline turnout size is planned to be #8s. Most yards will be #6s. I sent an email to ME a few months ago and they indicated they are always looking at adding to their product line but no immediate plans to add other sized turnouts. What can we do to encourage them to expand their product line? May be wishful thinking but figured if there would be any support it would be from my fellow Trainboard members. Matt
Aside from adding your voice, there's not much a body can do. I suspect they're a bit conservative in nature. Atlas Custom Line makes decent turnouts, although I can't speak about their details. Does Peco Streamline Code 83 have a #8? I love their turnouts, although the blade points rails are a bit of a foobie. Operationally and reliability-wise they are excellent. For my own #8's, I built the Fast Tracks kind and must say I like them very much. for the key and most visible turnouts on a layout you could always add details available commercially.
Thanks Wolfgang, I had never heard of them before but their product line looks interesting and plenty of variety in all scales. I about to embark on my new HO layout and I might have to check them out.:tb-cool:
There is also Fast Tracks http://www.handlaidtrack.com/ It requires assembly too and is at least as good as CV (better IMHO) A plus is it uses ME rail in the construction, comes in all sizes including #8 TOs & curved TOs. They have a really nice 12 part video series on how to use there product (actually all of their products have videos ) http://www.handlaidtrack.com/online-videos-a/164.htm Just another contender to consider Steve
