WHAT is the deal with Atlas Code 55 turnouts?

[u18b]

Ha!
You're right.
Sounds like this is coming from a guy who lives through hurricanes.

The perception/awareness of a shortage leads to an even greater shortage as people hoard the item.

[Kiasutha]

You have my brain turning.  Why do people use more RH?

How about this as a stab-  it is the bias of the clock.

When you look at an overhead view of a roundy track plan- which direction do you envision the trains traveling.   I predict that most people would imagine the train traveling clockwise- an assumption they are not even conscious that they make.

If a train is traveling clockwise in a roundy fashion, then RH turnouts would be toward the middle, and left hand turnout would be to the outside.

Further, maybe the general RH bias in society leads many of us to build ward ladders with a RH bias.

Just total philosophical guesswork.
If I am wrong, there still has to be a reasonable explanation.

Which might suggest a preponderance of "island" layouts too.
But on a "shelf/around the walls" type,one might guess the main is usually toward the front-
clock bias then resulting in mostly left hand switches...
I'm a "lefty" btw,and agree with the right-hand theory...

[rickb773]

Which might suggest a preponderance of "island" layouts too.
But on a "shelf/around the walls" type,one might guess the main is usually toward the front-
clock bias then resulting in mostly left hand switches...
I'm a "lefty" btw,and agree with the right-hand theory...

My 4'x8' (island) had 9 RH & 6 LH.
My current shelf layout currently has 10 RH & 16 LH

[Rossford Yard]

I did overbuy my turnouts, spurred on in part by forums chatter that there was an Atlas track shortage that couldn't soon be rectified because of the factory situation in Chin just after I committed to doing a large layout in C55.  The overbuying was also in part due to my generalized track planning method of a sketch, with many track arrangement details left to construction, because in 50 plus years of MRR, and six layouts, I have never actually gotten a track plan to work exactly as I drew it on paper in the complicated turnout areas.  As a result, I have way too many curved ones, which I have tried to avoid using, and will try to return.

However, I did double checked my track plan this morning before ording so I am not hoarding, LOL.

On my layouts, it does seem that once a pattern is set, it does favor one side of turnouts over the other.  Not sure why the right would be the one, but maybe the clock theory has some validity.  On my track plans, there was usually a key element to work around in the room that set things up left or right turn wise, though.

[PAL_Houston]

Which might suggest a preponderance of "island" layouts too.
But on a "shelf/around the walls" type,one might guess the main is usually toward the front-
clock bias then resulting in mostly left hand switches...
I'm a "lefty" btw,and agree with the right-hand theory...

i agree with this.  My C&I Sub , but currently has 31 LH and 14 RH on it.  Although it is not complete (Flag Center and Staging are not yet built -- there's a return loop in place now) I expect I'll continue to need LH and RH in about 2:1 ratio.

 

[Rossford Yard]

LOL but just got a nice email from Mega Hobby, telling me that in addition to my small purchase to complete my no. 10 stock, someone else bought 20, reducing their number of No. 10 RH turnouts to below 10.....Who knows, they may have the last half dozen No. 10 RH turnouts in captivity!

[John]

I I have never actually gotten a track plan to work exactly as I drew it on paper in the complicated turnout areas. 

+1

[JoeD]

 I think it's a right wing conspiracy     The Koch Brothers have bought all them up and are behind the Ebay flood of overpriced right hand switches.

Joe

[Chris333]

Someone who knows how to use the search better than me can probably find Paul's post over at their forum a few years ago. He had no explanation.