source for Atlas Code 55 #7 turnouts?

[peteski]

Even if they were bulletproof you still have the problem of the points and frog turning copper/bronze the first time you clean the track.

While it's not quite *THAT* bad  (the top plating is a bit thicker), after multiple Brite-boy cleaning the copper plating will eventually become visible.

It is an odd design. It looks like the frogs, points and guardrails are cast from Zamak (or some other similar alloy), then that is copper-plated which is then I assume plated with nickel or nickel-silver.  So if you keep on cleaning the frogs after they turn copper, they will eventually turn silver again (when you break through the copper and reach that inner silver-looking white metal.

[Chris333]

If that is the case they why did they plate them? Just leave it silver.

[peteski]

If that is the case they why did they plate them? Just leave it silver.

Because you would not want bare Zamak rails It does not conduct electricity well and it can oxidize very heavily. Plus the color is different.  Nickel silver has a warm-silver hue where Zamak is bluish-silver.  That is likely why they went through the trouble of double plating.  Maybe it is cheaper or easier to do this than have those items just cast out of solid nickel-silver (like Micro Engineering does).

[mmagliaro]

I'm no pro at this, but having played around with electroplating, I'd bet that the reason they double-plated the frogs is because nickel will not plate over the base metal.  They had to put a copper layer on first in order to have something that nickel would plate to.

[jeffstri]

Nate,

I have 10 right and 6 left Altas Code 55 #7 turnouts that I don't need. PM me if you're interested.

Jeff

[altohorn25]

Nate,

I have 10 right and 6 left Altas Code 55 #7 turnouts that I don't need. PM me if you're interested.

Jeff

Jeff,

Through some others on Railwire and some buddies of mine, I was able to procure what I need for the layout (80+ turnouts mixture of #7's and #10's).

Thanks for the offer.

Nate

[Point353]

We have some at the shop I work at, but only 1 or the other.  Someone else was looking for some and they bought all the left ( or right ) we had in stock.  I will update once I get into work today

@altohorn25 we have 7 #7 right hand in stock.  No lefts.  https://mainlinehobby.com/

This shop shows the left-hand turnout as "in stock". No indication of quantity, though.
https://www.patstrains.com/View_Details/?ID=38055&View_Details=View+Details

[mu26aeh]

Wow, $10.99 

[John]

Wow, $10.99 

I bet these are old stock ..

[chuck geiger]

A month and change back I found 3x for 24.00 bucks (all 3 for 24 bones) and thought this might be a scam. First Ebay purchase and it was legit. Turnouts
went in last weekend and that was something you will not often see. You will also see ACTIVE POWERSPORTS when you Google ATLAS N SCALE CODE 55 TURNOUTS. They are not in stock.

[Dave V]

I bet these are old stock ..

Even better. The first release of these (I used some in Enola Yard on the old Juniata Division) seemed to be much higher quality.

[mike_lawyer]

Even better. The first release of these (I used some in Enola Yard on the old Juniata Division) seemed to be much higher quality.

I agree, I had a layout I built in 2008 and my dad built a layout at the same time, we both used Atlas Code 55 flex and turnouts.  We never had a single problem with the Atlas C55 turnouts from that era.  Fast forward to today, and there seem to be a lot more QC issues.

[nickelplate759]

If I recall correctly, the earliest runs of Atlas code 55 were produced by a different factory than the more recent runs.

[Chris333]

I pre-ordered Atlas code 55 turnouts when they were first introduced. And I have some from the newest re-tool. They are exactly the same.

EDIT: I think they did update the throw bar because the points could lift up higher than the stock rail. If it wasn't the throw bar, it was the area the throw bar fits.

These two cross blocks were not on the original turnouts

They help hold the throw bar down.

[spr1955]

I built a layout starting in 2005 that used code 55 #7s for all the mainline turnouts, over 100 of them on tortoises,  the big problem I had was with right hand turnouts where the cast point rails on the right point rail grew over time (metal crystallization) and popped/broke.  My solution was to remove the turnout, cut out 5-6 plastic ties and replace with pc ties and a new set of points and throwbar. Worked great. Ran lots of op sessions with 21/22 trains per session until I moved and tore it down in 2019.  Rebuilding now and need #5s, which also can't be found, so I already have #4 fast tracks jig which is very close and will use those, they do operate much better and smoother.  I run transition so large steam and early diesel. Passenger and heavy freight. I think making them is the best solution for optimal performance. All these #5s are going in a steel mill facility.