shinohara curvable turnouts

[Anonymous]

Anyone here used a shinohara curvable turnout?
I see that it has a nut and a screw and ar rivet of somesort?
yet no instructions I guess everyone who is in model railroading is an expert track worker.

Just need some info on how its suposed to be assembled

[wp8thsub]

I did use one of these on my 8th Sub. The turnout had a curved frog and was only flexible through the closure rails and points. It was easy to install: spike the frog area in place, then curve the remainder of the turnout as needed and spike it down. The flexibility of the turnout does have its limitations (you can't just put it anywhere), but can be very useful where the geometry of rigid curved turnouts won't fit just right. I already had spline roadbed in place in preparation for handlaying a turnout but found the Shinohara product could fit the area almost perfectly, so it saved me the work of scratchbuilding. No other curved turnout would fit.

Mine came pre-assembled, but I do remember there being a small bolt and nut holding the points onto the tie strip - probably at the heel of the points where a metal crosspiece held them apart. In what state of disassembly is the one you have?

[Anonymous]

I have seen them in the package the slip tie screw and nut, rivet, brass strip in a bag. the points not connected.
I need it for an odd location that is neither a number 6 curved probalby more like a 7.5 curved but that isnt made in code 70

Sean

[Don Gibson]

The intended use of Shinohara curved turnouts is you can lay them on a curve and maintain it's radius. Curved swiches are rated by radii. Ther is no # 6 matchup.One has to match up with the designed radius to be effective. The difference between the outer curve and inner curve is generally 4" in radius, such as 28"/ 24".
Since wheel flanges tend to pick the frog more than 'straight' turnouts I would caution you to avoid, unless there is no other answer. Not really for beginners or 'plug and play' types.

[Anonymous]

Bought a #8 curvable turnout fits like a glove and is a smoother look.
As for plug and play I do not consider myself one most things come with instructions and I do not toss them aside like most people.

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by unionpacific4018

...I do not consider myself one ...most things come with instructions

1. No one said you were.
2. Did you think to write Shinohara's Importer?
3. YOU were the one asking for help.

[wp8thsub]

I worked this weekend on a friend's layout where a good sized stockpile of Shinohara turnouts was on hand, new and used, but alas no flexible ones in the bunch. With my examples in storage I can hazard a best guess about how to proceed.

First, see if there's hardware to attach the points to the closure rails. Earlier Shinohara turnouts had metal straps attached to both ends of the point assembly (the one at the heel attached to the ties with a rivet), while later ones use joiners at the heel. You can use your own joiners if no hardare comes in the package. Also install a jumper wire between the point assembly and closure rails to ensure electrical conductivity is maintained after the track is painted and ballasted. If the points use the older straps, reliability can be improved if the assembly is modified to attach the points with joiners per above.

Second, are there parts to attach the throwbar? if there's no plastic throwbar attached to the points (it could be held on with a rivet, or with a screw driven in from below), but the nickel silver strap is in place, you can fabricate a replacement throwbar from styrene strip and attach it to the strap with a screw cut to length (possibly the screw in the package). You could also dispense with the strap and install a new throwbar fabricated from PC board material, just like many of us use with handlaid turnouts. Cut insulating gaps as needed (either between the points or outboard of them depending on how you wire the turnout) and solder the points in place based on the NMRA gauge, which has spacing for points built in.

The process is probably more difficult to describe than do. Before calling the installation finished, check everything one last time with the NMRA gauge and test run a car or loco through. I've installed and scratchbuilt many a curved turnout, and found that they deliver operation no less reliable than through straight frog turnouts if properly gauged and carefully installed. Good luck.

[cwclark]

the only turn out i know of that supplies nuts and bolts are the atlas mark 3 turnouts...it has an insulated, unpowered frog and the nut and bolts are for adding a bar underneath the frog to power it ; changing it to a select control turnout...I use a few shinohara curved turnouts on my layout and they work fine...I like them because they are select control turnouts and a train can't run into an "automatic derail for sure" if the points are not in the correct alignment with whatever track the train is on... I use the 36" to 32" radius curves..be careful if you solder the rails together...the shinohara ties don't take the heat from the soldering iron all that well and also, it's real easy to break the ties when you nail them in place...Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

Firste let me apologize I interprtated Don's reply as a negative statement about my abilites when it was a just a generalization of the types of skills needed.
Second I have the curvable in place and checked and they are functioning fine.
thanks to everyone who answered