superelevating a turnout.

[jwar]

Thinking of cutting in a turnout on a curve. My problem is that the super elavated track looks great as it swings out of a canyon. If I install this turnout I loose the visual effect that I like, can a turnout be installed in a elavated turn (36 rad) and not cause a problem. and above all look decent.

If I reduce the elevated track infront and behind the turnout I will loose the effect.
I dont want to just try it as the scenery is in place. But if this has been done effectively I'll go for it.[:)]

Thanks for the input.....John

[mcouvillion]

John,

We super-elevated several turnouts on curves on our club layout. We used 1/4" strips of masking tape under the outside rail to get the increase in height on that side of the turn. Where the turnout was positioned in the curve, we had to build up the level of tape under the diverging (straight) route so that the turnout was supported completely. The level of tape was extended along the diverging route for a few inches, then the thickness of the tape was gradually reduced into the siding, until there was no tape under the track. The tape on the diverging route is the same thickness under the entire width of the diverging route, whereas it is only under the outside rail on the super-elevated curve. Our curves are 45" radius with the large radius Peco curves installed (60" radius of the curved route). You can't tell the difference in the radius of curvature. I think it would work for a 36" radius. Peco's medium radius turnout has a 36" radius of curvature on the curved route. We have run ours quite a bit and not had any problems.

While we are talking about super-elevation, we used two layers of masking tape from about a foot (12") into the tangent track to start lifting the outside rail before the curve. We then went to 4 layers of tape through the transition spiral, then 7 layers of tape through the entire arc of the curve. Gets to be a lot of tape! Lay it out on a pane of glass and cut it into 1/4" strips with a metal rule and razor knife. It is fairly easy to lay out once the track centerline is established.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Good luck.

Mark C.

[j1love]

mcouvillion, I am curious, does your club layout have any turnouts on a curve where the diverging route goes inward?? (inside the radius of the "straight" route)..If it does, how do you handle the superelevation problem in that situation?? BTW, I am saving that last tip for my own layout...sounds like a really great simple solution [^] thanks!

[mcouvillion]

Jim,

No, we don't have any that diverge to the inside of a superelevated curve. Since there isn't any change in elevation, I suspect it would be pretty easy to do. The only problem might be the angle of the diverging route toward the roadbed. You might have to dig out a little of the roadbed, but I'm not sure. I'd have to try it. Our track plan didn't call for any of these!

Realize that the change in elevation is very subtle. You really don't notice it until the trains are running and they lean into the curves. Too much elevation ruins the effect.

Mark C.

[jwar]

Thanks Mark.

Thank you for your timely reply. My partner just droped by and we just read your input. Were going to grab a cup of coffee and go for it....Thanks again...John