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Turnouts…Is one brand better to use than another?
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[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by pcarrell</i> <br />... <br /> <br />As to the number (angle of the departure rail to the main) of the turnout, I'd use the largest turnouts that you can fit in your space. Number 7's or larger on the mains, and number 5's or larger in the yards. If you can use number 10's or 12's on the main it would not only look much better, but it will work with your equipment better too. <br /> <br />I hope this answers some of your questions. If not, ask away, and we'll give it another shot. <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />As for frog number of the turnout, I concur that 'higher is better'. And my recommendations are similar to pcarrell's, though in a slightly wider "range." (I'd say #4-5 for yards and #6-7-8 for mainline) <br /> <br />BUT... Make sure you keep to reason. Realize that higher number turnouts take dramatically more linear space with each step up in frog angle. So let's say you must change your design from 28" to 22" radius curves to accommodate #8 turnouts... that makes no sense... Here's my reason: <br /> <br />One of the confusions is that the diverging part of turnouts aren't constant "curves" (except for 18" radius 'snap-switch' turnouts, but forget about those). You can't say "the diverging track of a #4 turnout is equal to a 22" radius curve." Turnouts are generally more complex and aren't a constant curve, and because of this, they tend to be a little "harder" on rolling stock than a similar-in-divergence piece of curved track. <br /> <br />Having said that... try laying a #4 turnout on top of a piece of 22" radius track... You'll find that they're similar in 'curve' radius... and that the turnout's diverging path is perhaps even a little less 'curved' than the curved track... <br /> <br />My point? Say that we play around and discover that a #6 turnout is roughly similar to a 28" radius curve... Okay, cool. But at the same time, it starts to illustrate why having #8 turnouts on a layout with 22" radius curves is becoming a bit of overkill (other than visually). You're using turnouts that are several steps more navigable than your main track. <br /> <br />So in the end, I'm simply suggesting that you should seek a happy medium of your turnout angles and your track radius, not take one to an extreme at the expense of the other. In short... I say don't start cutting track radius to minimal levels to accommodate very high-number turnouts; conversely you wouldn't use snap-switches in order to facilitate 32" radius curves (though most people get this one innately)
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