turnout gapping distance

[DeadheadGreg]

Hey, I'm just wondering how far away gaps can be placed from a frog on a power-routing turnout.  I'm handlaying my own using BK Enterprises frog/point assemblies, and they have the frog rails extending about...  2 inches past the frogs.  Is it okay for me to simply put gaps at the ends of the rail, or do I really need to trim them and put the gaps like a half inch past the frog?

[NeO6874]

Assuming that you'll power the frog assembly AND that we're talking about the end away from the points (IIRC the 'heel' end) - just go ahead and gap at the end of the frog assemblies after you clean them up a little (assuming they're cast parts).  If you're NOT powering the frog, you'll probably do better to just gap between the first set of ties after the frog.

[tomikawaTT]

You can gap the 'away' rails of a powered frog turnout anywhere out to the clearance point (the point at which rolling stock on the converging tracks would sideswipe.)  Placing the gap farther away could lead to electrical shorts as a locomotive pulls up to hold in the clear of a turnout set to the opposite route.

OTOH, if the turnout leads to a stub-end siding, no gap is necessary unless you want to park a sound-equipped loco on the spur and keep the sound running.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork)