Are you building a siding or a yard? Or are you in the process of planning an N scale layout but not sure what turnouts are available? This N scale turnout roundup should help to answer some questions you may have.
Turnouts (also referred to as switches) are pieces of track that allow a train to switch between two or more tracks. They are used in determining the route that a particular train will take and can be manually lined (or switched) or controlled remotely. In the most basic form, these pieces of track work the same in real life and on our train layouts.
These turnouts are designated a number depending on the length-to-width ratio of the frog (the point where two rails separate). A No. 4 turnout requires less length for the tracks to split than a No. 6 and so on. To learn more about turnouts, check out this article about the basics of model railroad track.
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Atlas produces code 80 turnouts with insulated frogs in its Custom Line. No. 6, no. 8, wye, and continuous-radius turnouts are available.
Bachmann Trains
Bachmann offers turnouts in its E-Z Track line. These turnouts feature code 80 rail and are molded into gray locking plastic roadbed. No. 4, No. 6, and No. 6 single crossover turnouts are available. All of the turnouts mentioned are remote.
Kato USA
Kato’s Unitrack line offers a variety of turnouts. These turnouts are made with code 80 rail and are mounted on molded plastic roadbed. Pieces are connected with replaceable roadbed connectors. No. 4, No. 6, No. 2 wye, double crossover, and 6”-45 degree turnouts are available. The turnouts are controlled by concealed switch machines and can be remotely controlled.
Micro Engineering
Micro Engineering produces turnouts in code 55 and code 70. These No. 6 turnouts feature spring-lock switch points and molded plastic ties.
Peco
Peco offers turnouts in code 55 and code 80. All turnouts use the same frog angle and feature spring-lock switch points. Turnouts are available with insulated or all-metal-frog construction. More than 10 different standard and non-standard types of turnouts are available from Peco.
Atlas also produces code 55 turnouts.
There are two other ranges of N scale track which are not mentioned:
1) Tomix. This is a Japanese prefabricated track system like Kato, but with a much wider range of turnouts than Kato. Also it has a more realistic ballast profile than Kato.
2) Fleischmann. This is a prefabricated track system which is a popular brand in Europe, and been marketed for many years.
There are two other ranges of N scale track which are not mentioned:
1) Tomix. This is a Japanese prefabricated track system like Kato, but with a much wider range of turnouts than Kato. Also it has a more realistic ballast profile than Kato.
2) Fleischmann. This is a prefabricated track system which is a popular brand in Europe, and been marketed for many years.