puzzle switch

[cabforward]

in the 12/11 news wire, there is a story about bnsf changing a switch tower and installing puzzle switches.. whats that?

[Anonymous]

Train, I think that you got it backwards. If the story that you are talking about was at USTICK Tower at Murray, they removed the puzzle switches, installed new signaling, and installed a series of crossovers. I got to see those MOW guys and signal guys bust their humps to get that stuff installed in a relatively short amount of time. My explanation of a puzzle switch is poor, but, here goes...instead of having a succession of crossovers, the puzzle switches are kinda a combination of crossing and crossover in one. Very complex item, and I are very pricey. **** poor explanation, you need to see one to understand it. The company that I used to work for manufactures them, there may be some pics on their home page. Try a search on "ABC Naco or Meridian rail products," or try a search on the competitor "Progress rail," You will know it when you see it. The frogs and switches are clustered togeather. They look like a bunch of rails going every which way. Hope this poor explanation helps.

[Anonymous]

Train go to lbfoster.com Lots of trackwork pics.

[alangj]

Aren't those "puzzle switches" as you've described them also known more formally as "double slip switches" or "single slip switches" (depending on their configuration)? The ones I'm thinking of are those that are typically used seen in passenger station throat trackage, to make it easier to get a train from any station track to any lead track in as short a distance as possible.

Alan

[Anonymous]

Alan, I couldn't tell you one way or or the other on what the formal name is and configuration options. I do however have a clarification on my description of a puzzle switch for Train. A puzzle switch can line movement into more than two tracks. I don't work M.O.W. and don't really concern myself with that end of things, as long as I can see that the switch is lined for my movement, I am content. I would like to know where/what line you work on just simply because of the difference of jargan and how regional it is. It is fun to compare. Old BN coupling is a "joint," old SantaFe guys out west call it a "Hook." It sounds like we are talking about the same thing Alan.

[Soo2610]

Ironken,
Actually, your explanation wasn't too bad. It explains very accurately all the switches and crossovers coming out of the Metra terminal in
chicago. I know exactly what you are describing after reading your response.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Len, The other guy knew the tech. term for them, But everybody I know on the Kansas Div. calls 'em puzzle switches. I'm kinda glad that they tore them outta Murray at USTICK. It makes it easier to see that you are lined for the proper route when you are shoving in the middle of the night with the new installed crossovers.

[Anonymous]

Also, Len, since you mentioned Metra in Chicago and those puzzle switches. The company that I used to work for before I sold my soal and hired out on the RR actually produced most all of that trackwork in our plant. They are a nightmare to build as opposed to a regular Turnout/X-over.

[Anonymous]

Hate to bother you but what does MOW stand for?
TIM A

[Jackflash]

Maintance Of Way (Maintance in the Way)

[Anonymous]

To visualize a puzzle imagine track shaped like the letter H then take the bar out of the H and squeeze it together in the middle. A puzzle allows the movement from a track coming from one direction to either of the tracks going the other direction. They were used in places where space was in short supply. Although I think many times they were over used. We had a puzzle in the yard where I work that they removed and replaced with two switches facing point to point. At Chicago Union Station the puzzles were taken out about 15 years ago. Puzzles are high maintenance, so they were removed at the expense of flexibility. NO longer can a train move from main 1 all the way to main 4 within the confines of the Union Station plant.

[Anonymous]

Maintenance Of Way, Tim. No bother!

[BR60103]

Toronto Union Station west end has a whole series of double slips. There are 12 tracks in the station platforms dropping to 8 or so on the leads. There are two parallel tracks crossing over all the others from north to south and another two crossing the other way. There are double slips at almost every crossing and when the tracks meet they have double (scissors) crossovers using four double slips and a diamond. To add to the non-standardness, there are self-guarding frogs in the double crossovers next to the diamonds.
We had fun in a blizzard a few years ago, because every train that wnt through filled all the points with snow and they had to be dug out again.
--David

[cabforward]

in model railroading, double-slip switches are also known as butterfly switches.. that term is probably too delicate for full-scale railroaders.