I thought about using Walthers double slips to save some spacing for a passenger terminal. If I put two back to back (as drawn below, how far apart would the parallel track centers be?
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Which divergent angle are we talking about? Does Walthers have more than two kinds in HO? I have a W/S #6, and a quick measurement would have your parallel centers at very near two and five-eighths inches if you do no trimming of the turnouts. Mine is a Code 83 insulated frog.
Crandell
The best way to find out is to acquire two and test fit them. Note that there is no rule that says you can't trim rail from the commercial product, or insert a short length of flex to widen the spacing.
I design my track plan, then adjust the specialwork to fit - not vice versa.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork)
selector Which divergent angle are we talking about? Does Walthers have more than two kinds in HO? I have a W/S #6, and a quick measurement would have your parallel centers at very near one and five-eighths inches if you do no trimming of the turnouts. Mine is a Code 83 insulated frog. Crandell
Which divergent angle are we talking about? Does Walthers have more than two kinds in HO? I have a W/S #6, and a quick measurement would have your parallel centers at very near one and five-eighths inches if you do no trimming of the turnouts. Mine is a Code 83 insulated frog.
Perhaps you mean 2-5/8" for a #6 (I have the same unit)? About 2-1/2" for the #8.
Dante
Yes, you are right...thanks for correcting me. I have corrected my post.
tomikawaTT The best way to find out is to acquire two and test fit them. Note that there is no rule that says you can't trim rail from the commercial product, or insert a short length of flex to widen the spacing. I design my track plan, then adjust the specialwork to fit - not vice versa. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork)
Chuck
That would be the most expensive way to find out the answer. At $75 retail and $63 on sale, that would cost $150 retail for two double slips and $126 on sale. I think that the OP would rather learn the answer first from someone who has already purchased them.
Rich
Alton Junction
There's both a #6 and a #8, and per 3rdPlanit's geometry, it comes out to about 2 13/16 for the #6 and 2 19/32 for the #8. So if your track is on nominal 2" centers you'll have to flare out and then back in around the slips.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Peco also makes double-slip turnouts that may be shorter than the Walthers/Shinohara product, and I believe they may also be slightly cheaper if purchased from Cherry Creek Hobbies in Torrington, Wyoming or some other mail order sources other than Walthers.
Two Pecos back-to-back should give you track centers very near 2 inches center to center.
Thanks all.
A wealth of information as always!
I needed 2" centers for the Milwaulkee train shed which is spaced on 2" centers. I was hoping it could solve a minor layout problem I had where I wanted to create a seperate spur that lead to REA buildings and car shops.
I'll have to chew on it some more.
Tanks again. :-)
It may be possible to cut back some of the track beyond the frog, but I don;t have a physical sample to verify that. I don't think there's a high likelyhood of being able to cut off nearly half an inch from each slip, though.
Yes, as I stated earlier in my post, the 'as-built' W/S #6 that I have is of a certain length. It can be trimmed in such a way that I am sure you can fit them into a yard with this engine house. The one I have has a solid 3+ inches of track outboard of each frog on both exits.
I overlaid a scan of a #8ds on an installed #6ds (don't have another #8). It appears that to achieve a 2" spacing on the parallel routes, you will have to cut back about 7 ties worth of rail, trim the ends of ties on both turnouts where they join and lay them with the long headblock extensions away from the junction (or cut them off).
I just laid out two Walthers/Shinohara No6's in Anyrail and it scaled to 2 17//32' spacing using them as they come out of the box. I don't know how many ties you can cut but it would seem there is some room for reducing the spacing.
Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!