Jump to content
 

PECO US Code 70 HO switches/points no show


Matador
 Share

Recommended Posts

PECO US Code 70 HO Switches / points, When Peco announced there US Code 70 track last year I bought 10 lengths for use on my switching layout, as of Sept 8th there is still no sign of the switches / Points. I have written to them over the past few months asking for a delivery date but they have not replied.

I am a Brit in the US and can go no further with my switching layout. Has anybody on that side of the pond heard anything on the Grapevine regards a possible delivery date.?

Edited by Matador
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Tim,

 

I have lived in the US for 35 years and I am a Pro Modeller so I am aware of all the Products over here. I have been using ME for the last few years but have had nothing but trouble with the Turnouts so it has all been lifted and I am moving to PECO. I have a small Scottish Branchline layout and I use PEO Code 75 on that and so that has swayed me to go to PECO US Code 70 for my US Switching layout.

I thank you for your reply and comments.

 

David.

A Yorkshireman in the USA.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Two more suggestions which you might find interesting to look at while waiting for Peco.

https://www.handlaidtrack.com/

http://www.proto87.com/

 

The P87 website looks intimidating at first but they do have product for regular HO. Building your own turnouts may seem intimidating at first but once you’ve done it you’ll never go back. My initiation was many years ago when I was going to build a North American switching layout and I looked at the price of switches to fit the plan I had in mind. I was shocked. For the money involved I could have bought a brass loco. Happily I had a friend who very kindly taught me the subtle mysteries of filing turnout blades and soldering frogs together and I have no regrets.

 

Cheers,

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm afraid this just a trait of the hobby.

Manufacturers cannot produce too much too fast. They need a return on their investment & if something fails to sell, introducing products more slowly allows them to continually re-assess the market as they release new products.

I am not familiar with US outline but with UK code 75, they released concrete bearer points in medium radius. I thought these would be better in long radius, but these have never appeared. Could this be because they did not sell well enough? Only Peco know the answer to that.

Peco released bullhead track a while ago but the long radius pointwork was more recent. Until they did, UK was in a similar position to you, except that bullhead points would have looked fine with flatbottom rail. From this point of view, Peco released them the wrong way around but I can understand it being less of a risk this way. It seems the long radius bullhead sells very well because they are now working on crossings, then medium radius.

I find it intriguing that the chose long radius for these first instead of the medium radius for concrete.

Peco announced UK outline catenary several years ago then went quiet about it. It seems it is still in their plans though.

 

I understand that north America is their biggest market, so I am sure the pointwork you want will appear if you can be patient. If not, maybe you could get on with another project, or do things in a different order (eg. start with buildings that you know you want on there). If you really need the pointwork now, then maybe building them yourself is an option? Peco will have lost a potential customer that way.

Link to post
Share on other sites

All PECO US style track has those way over scale pair of head block ties, ( =  throw bar sleepers) which show up in all the magazine layout photos.  A relic of the mounting of the standard UK PECO point motor apparently. The new US code 70 is supposed to finally be having decent  machined point rails, instead of the pressed thin sheet metal "half" ones on the US code 83. But it looks as though they will still require cut away stock rail bases.

 

Tim

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 08/09/2019 at 19:22, Matador said:

I am a Brit in the US and can go no further with my switching layout. Has anybody on that side of the pond heard anything on the Grapevine regards a possible delivery date.?

 

I used the contact form on the Peco website last night to query, and this morning had a reply back from Peco stating the turnouts are expected in November.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
1 minute ago, Hitchin Junction said:

Those pictures are of the new UK code 70 Bullhead track.

 

I do wish people would read what is posted.

 

Note that I said the **fourth** picture.

 

The first 3 pictures are the code **75** bullhead track (there is no code 70 bullhead UK track).

 

The 4th picture is the new code 70 North American track.

  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Hitchin Junction said:

 

Those pictures are of the new UK code 70 Bullhead track.

 

Tim

Look further down. And UK Bullhead is code 75.  The turnouts shown are Code 70 #6 when turnouts with the same geometry as the Code 83 #5 (#4.5?) would have been far more useful for those of us modeling yards and industrial trackage using code 70.  That and a slightly sharper wye turnout. Oh well, 2020 should bring the new Walther's line of track replacing Shinohara to market.

Edited by autocoach
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just make sure your mouse has a central wheel between the push-pads, then you will admit the ads must have been there, but not remember whose it was.  But seriously it even works with Fb for me.  OK, if you've already got a central wheel we urgently need someone with a better idea!

Jason

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
33 minutes ago, jasond said:

Just make sure your mouse has a central wheel between the push-pads, then you will admit the ads must have been there, but not remember whose it was.  But seriously it even works with Fb for me.  OK, if you've already got a central wheel we urgently need someone with a better idea!

Jason

Eh ?  

Link to post
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, mdvle said:

My apologies to @Hitchin Junctionfor the tone of my previous post, I was in a bad mood thanks in part to the new obnoxious ad placement that has appeared on RMweb that has me reconsidering participating on this site.

 

No apology needed. It was my mistake in the first place and I should have been paying more attention. I was looking for a close up of the new point blades and point hinging.

 

Tim

Link to post
Share on other sites

Quote

I have been using ME for the last few years but have had nothing but trouble with the Turnouts so it has all been lifted and I am moving to PECO.

 

Some time ago I built my first US layout using ME Code 70 track and turnouts. I exhibited it numerous times and did at least one redevelopment but never had any bother with the turnouts. They were manually operated, no point motors, whether this made a difference I don't know. I have built subsequent US layouts  using ME code 70 but they have been 'pointless' and am still happy with it.

 

I will be investigating the new Peco range for any future projects, if only as it won't involve importing from the States but won't commit unless I'm happy with it.

 

steve

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
3 hours ago, mdvle said:

Also "Coming Soon" in the Peco Spring Report 2020, posted in the Peco section of RMweb.

 

Peco has also announced Code 70 #8 turnouts.

 

https://mcusercontent.com/447cc01a867103118302481e1/files/3c31b010-9685-4c9d-83f4-974a2868c92a/Peco_Spring_Report_2020.pdf

A smaller radius code 70 turnout than a #6 would have been of more use as code 70 prototype size track would be used on branchline, siding, yard or industrial trackage.  Even #6 turnouts are less useful in the smaller rail for the same reason.  Have they swallowed the impression  of Model Railroader' s editorial choices in articles that would leave one to think everyone in the US has a huge basement and a mega layout. 

 

The Peco Spring Report was otherwise very interesting.  Would like to see that quarterly.

Edited by autocoach
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...