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Curved turnouts

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Flushing,Michigan
  • 822 posts
Curved turnouts
Posted by HaroldA on Thursday, December 28, 2017 2:33 PM

I have been wondering about curved turnouts.  I don't recall seeing anything about radius, size, if radius is dependent on the manufacturer or if they can be treated as flex track.  I would assume their use depends on overall radius of a curve but just looking for info. 

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, December 28, 2017 3:31 PM

Not sure exactly what your looking for, but a Google search for "curved turnouts" shows just about everything, the different manufacturers, sizes, track codes, hand layed, and even some prototypes.

Check out the images.

Mike.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Flushing,Michigan
  • 822 posts
Posted by HaroldA on Thursday, December 28, 2017 4:00 PM

mbinsewi

Not sure exactly what your looking for, but a Google search for "curved turnouts" shows just about everything, the different manufacturers, sizes, track codes, hand layed, and even some prototypes.

Check out the images.

Mike.

 

I was looking at MB Klein's web site and saw Shinohara curved turnouts for sale.  I have seen them but don't think I've ever seen stated radius or modifications.  I could be wrong but just wondered.

 

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, December 28, 2017 4:04 PM

It's a controversial matter. 

EDIT  

Holy Moly, I didn't not mean to do that. Failure of Control C, lets try this again. 

 

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/78451.aspx

 
 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    October 2017
  • 20 posts
Posted by Clutch_Cargo on Thursday, December 28, 2017 4:14 PM

Every manufacturer is different. Lots of data out there. The radii are fixed, not like flex track at all.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Thursday, December 28, 2017 4:22 PM

The Walthers/Shinohara curved turnouts that I acquired 12 years ago were overstated in radii.  I don't honestly recall the exact numbers at this point, but I seem to recall that I purchased four of their #7.5 curved turnouts.  The radii were listed in the literature as something like 28 and 24 for the outer and inner routes respectively.  However, that wasn't what they turned out to be.  It was more like 27 and 22 inches, with that latter reality a show stopper for my main line application.  I tried a single #8 curved in the W/S line which turned out to less than described as well (30/26 as opposed to the advertised 32/38).  I had to hack them up horribly in order to spread their routes wider to use them.  

This may not be what you hoped to hear, but unless the solely, uniquely, Shinohara version is unlike the W/S version, you should heed the warning and go one full frog number higher.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, December 28, 2017 5:01 PM

BigDaddy

It's a controversial matter.

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1kvJpkOzazmGE

 
 

This link goes to what appears to be a partisan political site.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
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  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, December 28, 2017 5:24 PM

MisterBeasley
This link goes to what appears to be a partisan political site.

Wow, I guess!  Whats up with that Henry?

Mike.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, December 28, 2017 5:37 PM

mbinsewi
Wow, I guess! Whats up with that Henry?

He's just a cartoonist, but clearly a brain gas moment on my part.  I fixed my post and this is the link I intended.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/78451.aspx

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Posted by peahrens on Thursday, December 28, 2017 5:38 PM

I have a tight 5' x 9' HO layout and found that using curved turnouts gave me some interesting flexibility.  I have two crossovers using the Walthers-Shinohara code 83 7-1/2 turnouts, plus another 7-1/2 lead-in to a yard off of a curve.  

I've been happy with these.  I was aware of the tighter than nominal inner curves so it worked ok for me.  I had planned my layout with XTrackCAD, which allowed calling up these items, though I can't verify how accurate the templates are.  When I placed the turnouts on my actual layout per my plan, I do not recall having to make radical adjustments.

Do recognize that these turnouts have some pretty long frogs.  The size I have do not pose problems for my locos, though I did power the frogs via my Tortoise contacts. 

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, December 28, 2017 8:27 PM

BigDaddy
He's just a cartoonist, but clearly a brain gas moment on my part. I fixed my post and this is the link I intended.

OK, well, they're wasn't any cartoons, just talk.  Anyway, I'm sure it will be gone soon!  Laugh

Mike.

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