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jim2272- <br /> <br />Most turnouts are not actually of a given radius; instead, the tracks diverge a tthe points at some radius, then straighten out as they pass through the frog. The #4 or #8 or whatever refers to the angle that is created between these straight track segments. It actually means the ratio of the length of the straight-through route versus the perpendicular separation between the routes. That is, a #4 switch has a frog that has the rails crossing such that they spread apart by one foot after four feet of length. A #8 switch diverges one foot after eight feet of length, and thus represents a shallower angle. <br /> <br />Peco makes switches that are a constant radius rather than "flattened" through the frog. I am not sure what their radii match. They make really good switches, which makes up for the fact that a constant-radius turnout usually causes problems in operation. As a general rule, one should use the largest # (or broadest radius) switch that will fit in a given location.
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