Ok. I have gotten mixed info on this question. WHAT IS THE INNER RADIUS FOR A WALTHERS 6 1/2 CURVED TURNOUT!!!
On the Walthers site it says 20 in but i can fit my 22in ribbonrail track guage in it. WHAT IS IT????!!!!!
Thanks!
If you can fit your 22in ribbonrail gauge it it, then it must be 22R.
A better question for you is: Why are you so hung up on the inner radius specification?
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Every time I see questions about the true radius in a W/S curved turnout, I shudder. I have seen figures all over the map for them, and often they are from people who know how to measure them accurately.
I would have said I am very surprised at the apparent 20" radius, but if that gauge fits, it fits! My experience is that they are substantially smaller than their claimed values. It almost makes me wonder if someone has mis-packaged a ton of various turnouts.
Crandell
When you say the gauge fits in do you have to press it in? And does it flex the track any when you do? You should be able to just drop it in with no pressure if it's 22r. Also do you have a section of 22r snap track that you can place over it to verify?
Springfield PA
In my experience, including checks against drawn radii and a check with Ribbonrail gauges, a #6-1/2 labeled as 24/20 radii, is really 24/18. The other curved turnouts are similarly labeled 2" too high on the diverging routes (through routes are correctly labeled). I cannot fit a 20" Ribbonrail in my diverging route, let alone the 22".
Dante
I know that this topic has come up many times before and, of course, it is helpful to know the radius of the divergent track on a turnout. It is even more critical to know the radius of both tracks on a curved turnout for alignment purposes.
But, it seems to me that the radius is somewhat arbitrarily set by the manufacturer and the manufacturing process.
The frog is probably the most important part of a turnout because it determines the angle of the divergent route. Beyond the initial angle of the divergent route, however, the radius of the curve can vary. For example, it has been said that there is a kink in the divergent rail of an Atlas turnout whereas Peco has a much smoother curve built into its turnout.
Rich
Alton Junction
In my Walthers/Shinohara curved turnouts, both tracks appear to be curved through the frogs.
I say "appear" because on the DCC-ready units with the insulated frog, it is possible that the frog rail for the through route might just be straight (the curve is so gradual and the frog rail short), but the frog rail on the divergent route is definitely curved. No kinks are visible. On the units with the powered, non-isolated frogs, both rails are also definitely curved through the frog; no kinks here, either.
dante In my Walthers/Shinohara curved turnouts, both tracks appear to be curved through the frogs. I say "appear" because on the DCC-ready units with the insulated frog, it is possible that the frog rail for the through route might just be straight (the curve is so gradual and the frog rail short), but the frog rail on the divergent route is definitely curved. No kinks are visible. On the units with the powered, non-isolated frogs, both rails are also definitely curved through the frog; no kinks here, either. Dante
It is the Atlas turnout that some say has a kink in the divergent rails.
It's mainly because Atlas has a few switches that are real close to each other and not adequately advertised. Some will substitute no knowing they aren't the same.