Peco Curved Turnouts Out of Guage


G

GT_Mills

New Member
I bought 6 code 100 curved HO Peco curved turnouts: RH SL-86, LH SL-87 (60" OR, 30" IR) and 2 each ST244 RH and ST245 LH 9 (about 18" radii both ways). The rails are so close together that the test car ( a Tyco bobber caboose) binds going through them and stops. On the larger radii turnouts it derails on the inside leg because the rails are too close together, forcing the flange into the frog. The outside track is passable.

I'm guessing the only thing I can do is use a flat file and take off the inside of the rail head of the inner track. I checked around the web and no hits, no one else seems to have reported this being a problem. Why am I the only one who's noticed it???

Any suggestions how to bring it into spec? An NMRA guage binds up quite obviously.
 
Your caboose is one thing, but your other rolling stock is another. Why not see what makes it through and what, if any, other rolling items have troubles? Does your caboose still check out with an NMRA gauge?

I'm not doubting what you have claimed above, just trying to keep some perspective, make sure the caboose really is in gauge, or that the tight gauge notwithstanding, your other cars and locomotives may not actually have troubles due to variances or wheels closer together than those on your caboose.

Those turnouts are expensive, and they should be correct. I would ask the supplier to take them back if they're as badly out of whack as they seem. I wonder if one of the rails was inadvertently tilted and makes the gauge tight. But on two of them? That's a problem.

I would not file them. It may work, but you will need to do a very fine piece of paring over maybe six inches and not leave a 'nuther problem you had not anticipated.
 
Don't be tempted to file them. As it appears, being new, any returns under warranty would be voided.
 
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