Dear Everyone: I am building my first HO layout and it will be DCC (probably NCE). Due to space limitations, curved turnouts will be very helpful and I'm reading that the code 83 line from Pilz Elit will be much more DCC friendly than, say, Walthers/Shinohara code 83. Can anyone confirm this? If true, can the one piece (hingeless)rail on the Pilz Elite turnout be effectively operated with a spring loaded manual ground throw? I will not be using powered switch machines.

-- Jim Stone (Jstone@unisonsystems.com), January 24, 2003

Answers

The Pilz/Tillig Elites are DCC friendly whereas the Walthers/Shinohara are not. So, yes, the P/T E's are much more DCC friendly.

See my web page for my discussion on turnouts and also my manufacturer's pages (in this case, importers of these turnouts).

Tillig has curved European turnouts if you are really hurting for space. These don't quite look right on American layouts, but if you need the space, you make the call.

Here is a nice little bonus you may be interested in. Tillig recognized that Americans may not like their curved European turnouts. So all the rails in their straight turnouts are loose. Think of them as flex track turnouts. This means you can curve their straight turnouts! I have done this twice. It requires no special effort to do this. Just nail them down in the flexed position you want them in. Cool! Just make sure when you are done, that the frog rails come together just right. If not, push on the rail that moved out of place before laying more track.

I am using Caboose Hobbies manual ground throws on some of mine.

http://www.WiringForDCC.com

-- Allan Gartner (bigboy@WiringForDCC.com), January 24, 2003.