A new micro layout

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 10 Oct 2006, 23:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I didn't know they did that. I may look at these myself.

Hi Neil,

We have an ehibition layout "St.Laurent" (based on SNCB Ardennes Region) that we have just refurbished. We had to construct a new fiddle yard & used Peco insufrog points. As we are going to automate the loops we have decided to replace all the points with FM Profi. The Peco ones are just too much hassle as we are running on DCC & the point blade contacts are not reliable enough.

Yes, we can switch the point blades, but when we look at some of the advantages of the profi's ;
The "live frogs"
The ability to switch the FM motors direct from a reed switch due to the presion mechanism/motor (don't even think about using CD units with these).
The ability to "drive through" trailing points whichever way they are set.
They can be used as "through" or "self isolating"
Looks don't matter on a fiddle yard (they don't look bad weathered).
We will change as soon as possible.

There are a few disadvantages though, namely price & for some people they are "German".

best regards
Brian

Just look at the prices secondhand Profi sells for on eBay !

QUOTE There are a few disadvantages though, namely price & for some people they are "German".

I don't have any issues with either of these at all. I find the anti-German views of some a bit sickening to be honest. As I am currently resident in Ozz I don't have to pay vat on stuff I buy from the UK or Germany. I recently purchased a Fleischmann turntable so it may be an idea for me to have a profi track fiddle yard.

These do sound very good from what has been written above. I have a Fleischmann catalogue and the motors sound a lot better than the Peco ones I previously had. I am planning a new layout and want to eventually automate all my points and control it from a DCC controller so I am thinking ahead here as to what is going to be the most reliable. I had a section of my current layout which had Peco point motors and found it unreliable, in fact to the extent that I took them all out and used a large Stanley screwdriver as a "remote control".

Thanks for your info, very helpful.