[riogrande]

Many like the quality of Peco. I decided to go with Peco for my current layout.

Some considerations. Peco code 100 streamline turnouts are British style track, if that matters. Peco code 83 is north American style track. Both have traditionally come in Insulfrog and Electrofrog types. Most are still available in both but as the tooling wears out, Peco plans to replace both of those with a single line of what they call Unifrog. The Unifrog is basically an Insulfrog with the plastic frog tip replaced with a metal frog tip.

I'm using Peco code 100 in staging where appearance isn't important and code 83 on the visible parts. Here is part of a staging yard, mostly Peco code 100 large Electrofrog. The curved turnout in the foreground is Peco code 83 #7 Electrofrog.

Beware, some report shorts where metal wheels bridge the rails of opposing polarity near the frog. This happens on both Insulfrog and Unifrog. I chose to go Electrofrog to avoid that scenario. The down side is on my layout I am using code 83 Peco and the #6 turnouts have switched to only Unifrog so Electrofrog are no longer being made. I stocked up, hopefully, on enough for my layout before they got out of stock in most places.

Shinohara used to make Walthers turnouts but closed down a couple years ago. Walthers has a new supplier and should start shipping code 83 turnouts of a new improved design in the coming weeks. They look very promising.

Atlas has been a supplier of turnouts for a long time in code 100 and 83. They are decent and less expensive. They work although they may need a little tweaking.

Lastly, MicroEngineering makes Code 70 and code 83 turnouts. They have gotten behind on supply but will hopefully get more out to shops soon. Some have reported problems with them in the past but they have supposedly been improved.

 

[riogrande]

The staging area is 1/2 inch thick Homasote screwed down to 1/2 OSB which is fastened to the benchwork frames. I painted the Homasote both sides to seal it a bit.

The curved turnout is where the subroadbed transitions from the Homasote to cork nailed down to OSB subroadbed. I simply mounted the subroadbed so the cork would be flush with the Homasote.

Here are a few construction photos:

I plan to install shelf brackets to there will be another yard (main yard) above staging with about 11" separation.

 

[riogrande]

I got the Homasote at Home Depot.

 

[riogrande]

I think it was a Manassas VA Home Depot and the called it sound board but it was Homasote.