The majority of track in use (and to be laid) on my layout is Shinohara.  I’m also using Atlas code 83 track in the hidden staging areas.  My choice of Shinohara was simply because I already had quite a bit of it salvaged from previous layouts.  However, I wasn’t opposed to mixing other brands of track.  Case in point: I had acquired a number of Micro Engineering switches a while back and planned to use those.

In laying the mainline through Willis, I came to the first location where I’d be using an ME switch.  I noticed immediately that the switch sat higher than the Shinohara track due to a thicker tie base.  As a result, I started building up ramps to match the rail heights.  Near this same location I was also to transition from the 1/8″ thick Homabed roadbed to Midwest cork roadbed, which now is 3/16″ high.  I tried creating those tapers in my ill-fated attempt at using my belt sander (see post prior to this one).  After considerable effort to repair the damage I did with the (now banished) sander, it became apparent that no matter how nice a job I did of tapering the roadbed up to the ME switch, I would still have a hump in the track at the location of the switch.  This was particularly apparent while sighting down the track, something easy to do at this location and with a 53″ roadbed height.  Rats!  I didn’t like that look, and worried that it might cause operational concerns.  The other solution would be to sand down the entire area under the switch to lower it enough to flush the railheads out with the Shinohara.  The thoughts of sanding Homasote down smoothly and evenly over just the length of the switch just didn’t appeal to me, given the hassle of sanding Homasote.

So I decided to simply throw in the towel and purchase some new Shinohara switches to replace the ME switches and be done with it.  Trackwork is already taking so much longer than I anticipated and I am of the opinion that I need to take every opportunity to reduce time spent doing it without sacrificing the quality of the work.

So I have a number of new Micro Engineering code 83, number 6 switches that I will be disposing of.  I suppose I’ll conduct a surplus property sale for them.  It’s a shame they weren’t lower in profile relative to the Shinohara, as shimming them up would have been so much simpler.

Edit: Today (Saturday) I sanded out the tapers that I’d built to accommodate the Micro Engineering switch, then test fit in a Shinohara switch.  Much better!  The mainline is nice and level as it should be.  I’m glad I made the decision to switch the switch….

-Jack