Joe Baldwin aka Joe Daddy

Joe Baldwin aka Joe Daddy Http://www.joe-daddy.com

Prototype practices Choosing the right code rail for your needs Tools Interoperability and compatibility Turnouts Commercial Hand laying Rules and Laws Money Matters

Poor track work is prototypical!

S Gauge Turnout ME HO Gauge Turnout Z Gauge Turnout

S Gauge Turnout Z Gauge Turnout

S Gauge Turnout

Lots of opinions Code 100 is for toy trains Code 83 is the only acceptable mainline Code 70 for main lines, code 50 for sidings Micro Engineering track has proper spike detail Real model railroaders Hand Lay Atlas track sucks Bachmann outright laughter Kato I didn t know they made track

Decision Factor Code 100 Code 83 Super Track Reliability 3 2 2 Authenticity 2 3 1 Prototypical requirements 2 3 2 Cost 3 2 1 Ease of use 3 2 3 Speed of deployment 3 2 3 Kind of users (children) 3 2 2 Average Score 2.71 2.29 2.00

Jack Rummel BMRC Shinohara and Peco turnouts Many modular (train show) layouts Jeff Morrison, (good friend) Atlas Turnouts Dave Cochrun (Good friend) Atlas Turnouts All members of the Code 100 team

Jerry Gilland Jerry Wilson Bob Rothe Doug Geiger All members of the Hand Layers union

Doug Wright Peco & Walthers Turnouts John Parker - Peco Turnouts Joe Baldwin Atlas & Walthers Turnouts Code 83 Atlas

Porter Cable Model #371 compact belt sander 2.5" x 14 ~ 100 bucks Vacuum Port

Unfortunately, Tools like lasers don t ensure Straight track...

Unfortunately, Tools like lasers don t ensure Straight track...

Rail Height Micro Engineering Walthers Atlas Peco Micro Engineering Walthers Atlas Peco Web width Micro Engineering Walthers Atlas Peco Tie Height Micro Engineering Micro Engineering Walthers Walthers Atlas Atlas Peco Peco Areas of concern Rail Height Web Width (rail joiners) Tie Height Factors to consider How many interconnections? Location of the problem areas Personal skills Personal patience Time allocation Micro Engineering Walthers Atlas Peco

Topic Step 1 - Using Assembly Fixtures Step 2 - Pre-Building The Frog Points Step 3 - Solid vs. Hinged Switchpoints Step 4 - Installing The PC Board Ties Step 5 - Preparing and Installing The Stockrail Step 6 - Preparing and Installing The Switchpoints Step 6 (Cont) - Preparing and Installing The Switchpoints Step 7 - Installing The Guardrails Step 8 - Installing The Frogpoints Step 9 - Installing The Throwbar Step 10 - Cleaning The Trackwork Step 11 - Finishing With QuickSticks Building Z Scale Trackwork With Fast Tracks Assembly Fixtures

Rules o Rule #1 it is my railroad o Rule #2 when in doubt, refer to Rule #1 Laws o Turnouts must work in four directions o Don t trust the knowledge of internet forums o Code 83 means rail height, nothing else o Think hard before mixing track and turnout makers

Three significant cost drivers for my layout Track Turnouts Switch machines DCC / remote control

Rail Code Manufacturer Retail Caboose 100 Atlas Model Railroad Co Inc $ 4.65 $ 3.49 Peco Railway Models $ 7.60 $ 5.92 Shinohara Track $ 8.99 $ 7.05 83 Atlas Model Railroad Co Inc $ 5.75 $ 4.31 Micro Engineering $ 5.49 $ 4.83 Peco Railway Models $ 7.20 $ 5.61 Walthers Track $ 9.30 $ 7.99 75 Peco Railway Models $ 9.30 $ 7.24 70 Shinohara Track $ 7.99 $ 6.37

Turnout Cost Comparison by Code & Manufacturer SKU Code Descriptoin Type W Decode scale MFG stock retail CH 150283 100 TURNOUT #6 LEFT HAND CODE 100 - BLACK TIES - CUSTOM-LINE - NS NICKEL SILVER TRACK Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $15.35 $11.51 150284 100 TURNOUT #6 RIGHT HAND CODE 100 - BLACK TIES - CUSTOM-LINE - NS NICKEL SILVER TRACK Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $15.35 $11.51 16044135 100 E-Z COMMAND #6 TURNOUT LEFT DCC Turnout HO Scale Bachmann Yes $60.00 $49.58 16044136 100 E-Z COMMAND #6 TURNOUT RIGHT DCC Turnout HO Scale Bachmann Yes $60.00 $49.58 16044559 100 TURNOUT #6 LH E-Z TRACK - GRAY ROADBED BLACK TIES - NS NICKEL SILVER RAIL Turnout Y HO Scale Bachmann Yes $43.50 $37.74 16044560 100 TURNOUT #6 RH E-Z TRACK - GRAY ROADBED BLACK TIES - NS NICKEL SILVER RAIL Turnout Y HO Scale Bachmann Yes $43.50 $37.74 5521905 100 TURNOUT #6 RH SLE95 CODE 100 - MedRadius- ELECTROFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER - Length 8-5/8in Radius 36in Turnout HO Scale Peco RailwYes $22.99 $17.90 Code 5521906 100 TURNOUT #6 LH SLE Manufacturer 96 CODE 100 - MedRadius- ELECTROFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER - Length 8-5/8in Radius 36in Caboose Turnout HO Scale Retail Peco RailwYes $22.99 $17.90 669118 100 WYE TURNOUT #6 NS c100 Wye HO Scale Shinohara Track $23.99 $20.13 669104 100 TURNOUT #6 RIGHT HAND NS c100 Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $21.99 $18.45 100 669108 100 TURNOUT #6 THREE Atlas WAY NS c100 Model Railroad Co Inc Turnout 11.51 HO Scale $ Shinohara Yes $45.99 $38.59 669127 100 TURNOUT Curved #6 RH Code 100 Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $35.99 $30.20 150505 83 TURNOUT #6 LEFT HAND CODE 83 HO TRACK BROWN TIES - NS NICKEL SILVER Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $18.50 $13.88 Peco Railway This Models is just the data 17.90 $ 150506 83 TURNOUT #6 RIGHT HAND CODE 83 HO TRACK BROWN TIES - NS NICKEL SILVER Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $18.50 $13.88 150563 83 TURNOUT #6 LEFT HAND CODE 83 CUSTOM-LINE - BROWN on TIES HO - NS NICKEL #6 SILVER Switches! TRACK - INSULATED FROG Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $17.35 $13.01 150564 83 TURNOUT #6 RIGHT HAND CODE 83 CUSTOM-LINE - BROWN TIES - NS NICKEL SILVER TRACK - INSULATED FROG Turnout HO Scale Atlas Mod Yes $17.35 $13.01 Shinohara Track 29.08 $ 3812860 83 Turnout LH electric #6 LEFT 34 5/16 10DEG Turnout Y HO Scale Kato USA Yes $55.00 $41.79 3812861 83 Turnout RH electric #6 RIGHT 34 5/16 10DEG Turnout Y HO Scale Kato USA Yes $55.00 $41.79 25514705 83 TURNOUT - CODE 83, #6 FROG, LH Turnout HO Scale Micro Eng Yes $20.95 $20.95 Bachmann Industries 49.58 $ 25514706 83 TURNOUT - CODE 83, #6 FROG, RH Turnout HO Scale Micro Eng Yes $20.95 $20.95 0552SL8361 83 TURNOUT #6 RH SL8361 CODE 83 - INSULFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER Turnout HO Scale Peco RailwYes $33.99 $26.46 83 0552SL8362 83 TURNOUT #6 LH SL8362 Atlas CODE 83 - INSULFROG Model - NS NICKEL Railroad SILVER Co Inc Turnout 13.45 HO Scale $ Peco RailwYes $33.99 $26.46 0552SLE8361 83 TURNOUT #6 RH SLE8361 CODE 83 - ELECTROFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER Turnout HO Scale Peco RailwYes $33.99 $26.46 0552SLE8362 83 TURNOUT #6 LH SLE8362 CODE 83 - ELECTROFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER Turnout HO Scale Peco RailwYes $33.99 $26.46 9488803 83 TURNOUT #6 LEFT Micro HAND DCC OK - CODE Engineering 83 Co Turnout 20.95 HO Scale $ Walthers Yes $24.98 $21.29 9488804 83 TURNOUT #6 RIGHT HAND DCC OK - CODE 83 Turnout HO Scale Walthers Yes $24.98 $21.29 9488814 83 TURNOUT #6 DOUBLE SLIP DCC OK - CODE 83 Double Slip HO Scale Walthers Yes $74.98 $63.79 9488826 83 CURVED TURNOUT#6-1/2 Walthers LH 18/24in - CODE 83 Track Curved 21.29 HO Scale $ Walthers Yes $41.98 $35.69 9488827 83 CURVED TURNOUT #6-1/2 RH 18/24in - CODE 83 Curved HO Scale Walthers Yes $41.98 $35.69 9488808 83 3-WAY TURNOUT #6 DCC OK - CODE 83 3 Way HO Scale Walthers Yes $54.98 $46.79 5521912 75 TURNOUT #6 RH SLE195 Peco CODE 75 - Railway MedRadius- ELECTROFROG Models - NS NICKEL SILVER - Length 8-5/8 Radius 36in Turnout 26.46 HO Scale $ Peco RailwYes $24.99 $19.46 5521913 75 TURNOUT #6 LH SLE196 CODE 75 - MedRadius- ELECTROFROG - NS NICKEL SILVER - Length 8-5/8 Radius 36in Turnout HO Scale Peco RailwYes $24.99 $19.46 25514805 70 TURNOUT CODE 70 #6 FROG LH Turnout HO Scale Micro Eng Yes $20.95 $20.95 7525514806 70 TURNOUT CODE 70 Peco #6 FROG RH Railway Models Turnout 19.46 HO Scale $ Micro Eng Yes $20.95 $20.95 669303 70 TURNOUT#6 LH Code 70 - NS - Nickel Silver Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $20.99 $17.61 669304 70 TURNOUT #6 RH Code 70 - NS - Nickel Silver Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $20.99 $17.61 70669308 70 TURNOUT #6 3-WAY Micro Code 70 - NS - Nickel Engineering Silver Co Turnout 20.95 HO Scale $ Shinohara Yes $45.99 $38.59 669326 70 TURNOUT Curved #6 LH Code 70 - NS - Nickel Silver Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $35.99 $30.20 669327 70 TURNOUT Curved #6 RH Code 70 - NS - Nickel Silver Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $35.99 $31.87 Shinohara Track 27.68 $ 669126 70 TURNOUT Curved #6 LH Turnout HO Scale Shinohara Yes $35.99 $30.20 $ 15.35 $ 22.99 $ 34.66 $ 60.00 $ 17.93 $ 20.95 $ 24.98 $ 33.99 $ 24.99 $ 20.95 $ 32.66

Bob Rothe Or the Tortoise & the Hare Expensive Inexpensive

Old Atlas PFM New Atlas Electric New Atlas Manual Caboose Industries

Old Atlas New Atlas Electric New Atlas Manual

New Atlas Manual

Old Atlas

PFM

Peco SwitchMaster Tortoise High Current required Difficult Mounting Requires detent latch NOISY Easy to install Slow throwing Quiet Expensive Harder to wire Easy to install Slow throwing Quiet Expensive Versatile, other uses Plug and play decoders

Peco SwitchMaster Tortoise Easy to install Slow throwing Quiet Expensive Versatile, other uses Plug and play decoders Hare & Cobalt

Peco SwitchMaster Tortoise High Current required Difficult Mounting Requires detent latch NOISY

SwitchMaster Easy to install Slow throwing Quiet Expensive Harder to wire

Type Manufacturer Retail Caboose Quality Ease of use Comments Electric Atlas Model Railroad Co Inc 10.85 8.14 Low Poor Poor design, fragile Rix Products 12.99 10.98 No experience Peco Railway Models ** 13.99 10.89 High Poor Noisy, hard install Circuitron Inc (Tortoise) 18.95 13.27 High Great Flexible and easy Builders In Scale (Switchmaster) 22.65 19.25 High Good Passionate users Manual Caboose Industries 3.25 2.75 Good Good Inexpensive Atlas Model Railroad Co Inc 4.7 3.53 Poor Poor Poor design, fragile Accessory Peco 7 5.44 Good Reqiured** ** Required to give similar functionality as Tortoise and Switchmaster

Track How I did It How I'd Do it! Qty components Cost Total Cost Total Track 170 $ 4.31 $ 732.70 $ 3.49 $ 593.30 Turnouts 35 $ 21.29 $ 745.15 $ 17.90 $ 626.50 Switch Motors 20 $ 13.27 $ 265.40 $ 13.27 $ 265.40 Decoders 20 $ 15.00 $ 300.00 $ 15.00 $ 300.00 Fast Trax Jigs 1 $ 500.00 $ 500.00 Peco turnouts 16 $ 26.00 $ 416.00 Switch Motors 15 $ 11.00 $ 165.00 Accessory switches 15 $ 5.50 $ 82.50 Income from Peco 15 $ (6.00) $ (90.00) Refund from Jigs 1 $ (450.00) $ (450.00) Lenz LS150 3 $ 50.00 $ 150.00 Income from Lenz 3 $ (35.00) $ (105.00) $ 2,711.75 $ 1,785.20 $ (926.55)

Code 83 Atlas Flex Track Peco Insulfrog Turnouts (woops) Peco Switch Motors (woops) Lenz DCC stationary decoders (woops) Hand Laid (Fast Tracks) turnouts (BIG woops) Walthers and Atlas turnouts Tortoise Switch Motors (Used) Hare Stationary Decoders (Used)

Atlas Code 100 Flex Track Peco Code 100 Turnouts Tortoise Switch Motors Hare (Wabbit) Decoders Why? o Cheaper o Stronger o Easier (plug and play) o Quicker (my detours cost me 5 months work) o Look just as good (to Me!)