Trailing point vs.leading point turnouts

[dknelson]

In my hometown, the C&NW had a double track mainline and was regarded as the "passenger main," although it saw a few through freights and local switching and a daily turn.  Not far away they had a single track main (with plenty of passing sidings) which was regarded as the freight line.

With just one exception every turnout in town was trailing point, even if that resulted in some awkward trackwork that almost resembled the John Allen timesaver puzzle.

And in the center of town there were what you could think of as "frontage" sidings on either side of the main line, allowing the local switcher to do some of its work without fouling the main.

The only exception was a single facing point turnout leading to a cement distributor - and a crossover (trailing point) was nearby just to aid in switching that plant.   There were other crossovers in town (also trailing point) but this particular industry had its own crossover.

This was the Route of the 400s and passenger trains through town probably were going close to 90 mph in the golden age of steam.  Trailing point turnouts were likely not only safer for fast trains to go over, but it also meant that the local switcher was doing its work as quickly and efficiently as possible.  My hunch is that that spur to the cement plant was one of the last "new" industries in town. 

  Dave Nelson

[BRAKIE]

The railroads does what needs doing. Double main lines will have crossovers. A facing point industry may come on line and a facing point switch was needed to serve this industry.

It's not uncommon for a local to crossover from (say) main one to main two to serve a facing point industry on main two then cross back over to main one.By doing this that facing point becomes a trailing point setout.

Some times the local may reverse back to the crossover clearing main two.

 

[ndbprr]

I know the term leading point is wrong but I am having some recall problems following a cardiac arrest.  Any how did railroads attempt to set up turnouts in a common direction when they could.  So on a two track main it would expidite traffic if they were all trailing point.