# Atlas 850/851 Remote Switch Specs



## markgrecco (May 27, 2013)

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and a novice when it comes to this hobby but hopefully that will change. I've seemed to have run across a strange situation with the Altas 850/851 remote turnout. The turnout angle does not seem to match what Atlas says about it. I'm also using a layout program called SCARM (excellent software, highly recommend it) to design a layout now that I've cleared some room in my basement. The app matches what Atlas says but they both don't match the physical track. The app says the turnout angle is 20 degrees which lines up with what the Altas pdf says that the turnout + 1/3 18"r curve equals a full 18"r. As the 18"r turns 30 degrees that would make 1/3 18"r turn 10 degree meaning the turnout would need to be 20 degrees to make that statement true. I've measured the turnout angle with a protractor and it seems to be 15 degrees or very close to it. I can't seem to find any discussion on this subject or any actual specs on the Atlas track. What really burns about this is everything I've done with these turnouts in SCARM is off and i'll have to compensate when I actually put the track down. Has anyone run into this before or is there something I'm missing? Did Altas change the product at some point? A 20 degree turnout angle does seem a little much.

Thanks

Mark


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

markgrecco said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm new to this forum and a novice when it comes to this hobby but hopefully that will change. I've seemed to have run across a strange situation with the Altas 850/851 remote turnout. The turnout angle does not seem to match what Atlas says about it. I'm also using a layout program called SCARM (excellent software, highly recommend it) to design a layout now that I've cleared some room in my basement. The app matches what Atlas says but they both don't match the physical track. The app says the turnout angle is 20 degrees which lines up with what the Altas pdf says that the turnout + 1/3 18"r curve equals a full 18"r. As the 18"r turns 30 degrees that would make 1/3 18"r turn 10 degree meaning the turnout would need to be 20 degrees to make that statement true. I've measured the turnout angle with a protractor and it seems to be 15 degrees or very close to it. I can't seem to find any discussion on this subject or any actual specs on the Atlas track. What really burns about this is everything I've done with these turnouts in SCARM is off and i'll have to compensate when I actually put the track down. Has anyone run into this before or is there something I'm missing? Did Altas change the product at some point? A 20 degree turnout angle does seem a little much.
> 
> ...


I ran into this some time back. I was using Right Track software and I couldn't get the layout to match up with the actual track that I laid down. Atlas 850-851 are snap switches. Check and see if you are using Atlas 281-282 their #4 Customline Switches in your software. They are very similar to the snap switches, but not quite.


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## markgrecco (May 27, 2013)

Thanks for your reply. I also used Right Track for my last layout but I found the part specs not very accurate at all in that app. So I tried SCARM this time and really like it. I do have some of the #4 turnouts in the layout as well. Now what exactly is the difference between a snap switch and customline switch? besides the turnout angle and the fact that the snap switch comes with the switch & switch machine.

Thanks

Mark


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## mackdonn (Sep 26, 2012)

markgrecco said:


> Thanks for your reply. I also used Right Track for my last layout but I found the part specs not very accurate at all in that app. So I tried SCARM this time and really like it. I do have some of the #4 turnouts in the layout as well. Now what exactly is the difference between a snap switch and customline switch? besides the turnout angle and the fact that the snap switch comes with the switch & switch machine.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Mark


You stated the difference.....and when it comes to laying track the turnout angle or divergence is what matters most. My SD70ace's wont event navigate a snap switch.....


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

markgrecco said:


> Thanks for your reply. I also used Right Track for my last layout but I found the part specs not very accurate at all in that app. So I tried SCARM this time and really like it. I do have some of the #4 turnouts in the layout as well. Now what exactly is the difference between a snap switch and customline switch? besides the turnout angle and the fact that the snap switch comes with the switch & switch machine.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Mark


The #4 switch's curve is about 1/2" longer and the angel of the curve is less. The straight section is the same. When I first tried using Right Track I used the first switch in the inventory (#4) and tried to duplicate it with snap switches on my layout. It took awhile to figure out that the two were different.


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## markgrecco (May 27, 2013)

Thank you guys for your comments. Just as an update... I contacted the programmer for the SCARM software and he told me how to adjust the specs of the 850 snap switch. When I did all the measurements on the real track it turns out the 850 is the same as the #4 except the 850 diverts by 15 degrees where the #4 diverts by 12.5 degrees and the radius of the curved portion is 18"r for the 850 and 24"r for the #4. It's strange that they package a 1/3 18"r piece with the 850 because that only makes a 25 degree turn. You need to use a 1/2 18"r to make it match the same 30 degrees you get out an 18"r curve section. I have to wonder if they changed the specs of the turnout but yet kept the rest of the parts in the package the same. I'm guessing that a 20 degree change in direction is such a short distance would have caused a lot of derailments.


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