Shinohara Track

[bill937ca]

I recently came across dealer information on Shinohara track on another board.  Its available in HO code 100, code 83 or code 70  and N code 70 (without a roadbed) and offers many of the options only found with Tomix track.

 

HO code 100

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shinohara_Track___Pointwork__HO____Aiguillages.html

 

HO code 83

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shinohara_Track___Pointwork__HO__Code_83.html

 

HO code 70

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shinohara_Track___Pointwork___HO__Code_70.html

 

N code 70

 

http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shinohara_Track___Pointwork__N____Aiguillages.html

 

Scalelink web page:   http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

[David]

What is the prototype - are the sleepers meant to represent standard gauge like Atlas/Bachmann, or cape gauge like Kato/Tomix?

[Martijn Meerts]

Interesting... The Shinohara track has quite a few options that Roco and Minitrix etc. lack. I've been considering using the peco code 55 for Shinkansen lines, and then some other system for other lines. The Shinohara track might be that other system... (although, I guess my storage yard will be all peco code 55)

[KenS]

Shinohara makes (or used to, anyway) the HO Code 83 track sold under the Walthers brand in the U.S.  My old HO layout used a mix of Walthers 83 and Shinohara Code 70, and it was quite good.  I preferred it to the one piece of Micro Engineering flex I tried (which was too stiff, and had an odd cross-section).

 

I still see Shinohara Code 70 and Code 100 HO in hobby stores from time to time.  Usually quite dusty, as people bought it back around 1990 when word first got out about Walthers C83.  I think most of the people willing to pay extra for it were more interested in the Code 83 stuff.

 

The older stuff used a live-frog design on switches that was incompatible with DCC (well, it could be made to work, but was always a source of problems for me).  They eventually fixed that sometime well after I bought mine, but you need to watch out if that matters as some of the old stock is probably still around.

[Bernard]

My LHS has a few Shinohara turnouts that never sell. I have to think that they are code 70 has to be one reason.

So since most manufactures make either code 80 or 55 in n scale, why did they go to code 70 and is it compatible to line up with code 80?

[KenS]

In HO scale, code 100 (the usual Atlas size) is way too tall to be prototypical (unless you're modeling a really heavy-duty line like the Pennsy).  It's equivalent to about 156 lb rail.  Code 83 lines up with heavy modern mainline rail (132 lb), and Code 70 with secondary rail used on sidings (its about equivalent to 100-lb rail, and secondary rail is often 109-lb in the U.S.).  If you're modeling an older prototype, Code 70 might be a good match for mainline rail in many places.

 

I used Code 83 for my mainline, and Code 70 for sidings and yard track, and I was planning to use Code 55 for some underused industrial sidings, although I never got to that.  In HO the difference is subtle, but noticeable.

 

For N-scale, everything is oversize (even Code 55 is heavier than real-world track).  This is one place you have to get interpretive.  I suspect the reason for three sizes is that many trains have trouble with 55, and 70 looks better than 80 while dodging some of the problems.  But that's a guess, as I've never got into it in N-scale.  You can also use the three for main, secondary and siding, as I was doing/planning on my old HO layout.

 

There's a table of the HO sizes at:

 

http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/model-train-track.html

 

and a Model Railroader article talks a bit about N scale also.

[brill27mcb]

My LHS has a few Shinohara turnouts that never sell. I have to think that they are code 70 has to be one reason.

So since most manufactures make either code 80 or 55 in n scale, why did they go to code 70 and is it compatible to line up with code 80?

"Ahem," said the oldtimer, lighting his pipe and settling back to dust off an old tale. "In the 'old days' there was brass Code 100 and nothing smaller. Then along came Code 100, 70 and 40 in nickel-silver, and with Codes 70 and 40 you laid yer own ties and rails. Exotic sizes like Codes 80, 83, and 55, in fancy pre-made track, came after that..."

 

Rich K.