radius of Peco Peco Streamline Code 83 #5 and code 55 questions

[dmiller]

Does anyone know of the radii of Peco #5 and #6 turnouts? Are they the same as Atlas ?
[h=1][/h] ALSO I noticed ( is this correct?) the code 55 turnouts are less expensive then the code 83 turnouts). I never used code 55 although I will be modeling a lumbering line and inner city, as well as branch line. Can I use code 55 for the whole layout. Any difference in performance with the correct trucks and flanges.
What lb. rate of track does code 55 equal in real life? is it more difficult to lay flex track?



Which code is preferred ?

Thanks

David Miller, Hagerstown, MD

 

[Selector]

The Streamline should always be a decent substitute for any Atlas configuration of the same frog number, but the code rail shapes won't quite match, and the tie thickness isn't quite the same IIRC. You will have to shim and solder unless you don't mind a gap. The Streamline have the proper N. American geometry with the diverging and through routes being tangent track at and beyone the frog; only the points rails are curved. I haven't looked, but a N. American style turnout of #5 geometry would have a radius of about 25-27" or so, but only on the one curved rail for the diverging route. I could be off by a couple of inches. A #6 turnout's curved rail will be closer to 38" radius, with its 'substitution' radius closer to about 44" radius. Generally, a proper #5 turnout should be good even for some brass locomotives, and a #6 will handle all but the longest twin cylinder steamers.

You ask which is preferred. What is your intended use for the rails? On a seldom-used spur with light traffic, Code 55 would be fine.

 

[dmiller]

With this pricing would you go with code 83, 55, 100 . I believe if you paint the train a flat rust color (except top) it looks much smaller so could stay with code 100 but 55 sounds vrey tempting
Peco Streamline Code 83 #6 Left Hand Turnout With Electrofrog

List Price: $34.99 Al's Price: $29.75 You Save: $5.24 Item Number: 552-SLE8362 Manufacturer: Peco Manufacturer Part No: SLE8362

Peco Code 100 Medium Radius Turnout Left Hand With Electrofrog

List Price: $24.99 Al's Price: $21.25 You Save: $3.74 Item Number: 552-1906 Manufacturer: Peco Manufacturer Part No: 1906

Peco Code 55 Electrofrog Turnouts: #6 Medium Radius Right Or Left

List Price: $24.99 Al's Price: $22.49 You Save: $2.50 Item Number: 552-1795 Manufacturer: Peco Manufacturer Part No: 552-1795

 

[dmiller]

Would code 55 be OK for the main on a branch line ??

 

[cuyama]

ALSO I noticed ( is this correct?) the code 55 turnouts are less expensive then the code 83 turnouts).

PECO Code 83 and Code 100 are HO gauge turnouts.

PECO Code 55 are N gauge turnouts. You can't use those with standard gauge HO trains.

All PECO C55 N turnouts are about a #6 frog, the difference between Small/Medium/Large are the radii of the diverging path.

Similarly, all PECO C100 (and Code 75) Streamline turnouts are about a #4.5 frog, again with different radii in the diverging leg for Small/Medium/Large

There are no longer any commercial HO gauge Code 55 turnouts. They were once offered by MicroEngineering, but the tooling wore out and has not been replaced.