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Question about pavement around turnouts

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Question about pavement around turnouts
Posted by York1 on Saturday, April 15, 2023 12:07 PM

On the layout, I'm putting in a small intermodal yard.  There is a turnout that will be in the yard.

I'm putting in pavement for the whole yard, and the pavement also is between the rails.  I'm unsure how to handle the turnout.  Is there some secret to putting some pavement between the rails of the turnout?  Should I just leave the area inside the moving parts of the turnout alone and not put anything there?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

York1 John       

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, April 15, 2023 1:04 PM

Here are a few crossings near turnouts, but not within the moving parts...

...and a couple more not near a turnout...

...these are a bit more developed...

Here's the crossing in my version of Dunnville...

...which is near several turnouts, but not at all impinging on the points of the turnouts...

 

I don't ever recall seeing pavement within the points of a real turnout.

Wayne

DrW
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Posted by DrW on Saturday, April 15, 2023 1:20 PM

Perhaps you should have a look at tram turnouts...

310+ Tram Switch Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock

 

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, April 15, 2023 4:26 PM

Walthers offers a set that includes a turnout pavement section:

https://www.walthers.com/street-track-insert-set-kit

Lately I've been using EVA foam for 'pavement' within my stereet running areas. It is easy to cut and remains flexible. I would suggest making a paper template (run your finger over the paper to make a crease at the rail head) of the area around the turnout you want to pave then transfer it to some 1 or 2 mm EVA foam and make the adjustments as necessary to maintain point clearance.

I use PVA (AKA canopy cement, Eileen's tacky glue, Mod Podge, etc.) to hold the foam in place which is easy to remove if needed.

A while back I could find EVA in gray and also a tan color that looked better for asphalt or concrete pavement. Lately I've only seen black or white and I use the black and dust it with gray primers and tinting powders to simulate asphalt. I use Rustoleum Camo Khaki to give it a concrete base color then weather to suit.

This is all EVA foam 'pavement'.

 Chem_pave-tar3 by Edmund, on Flickr

 

 

More ideas here:

https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/221879.aspx

 

 

Good Luck, Ed

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Posted by kasskaboose on Saturday, April 15, 2023 5:38 PM

Here's an earlier thread about the same topic: https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/221879.aspx (sorry the link doesn't work).

Our own Mr. B was also an invaluable contributor. Bow

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Posted by York1 on Saturday, April 15, 2023 6:04 PM

Thanks everybody for the help, the photos, and the links.

The layout is N scale, and I use styrene for the pavement.  As the older article in MR said, I think I will try to cut some very small inserts and play around with how they fit.

If nothing else works, I will leave the moving parts without any pavement.

York1 John       

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Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, April 16, 2023 3:10 AM

Here is a working link to the thread that kasskaboose mentioned:

https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/221879.aspx

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by Outsailing86 on Sunday, April 16, 2023 7:29 AM

Don't pave the turnout. Put Jersey barriers around it. 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, April 16, 2023 7:46 AM

York1
The layout is N scale, <SNIP> If nothing else works, I will leave the moving parts without any pavement.

In N scale I would suggest not paving the points. 

I tried it, and the un-prototypically wide flange ways and point movement forced the pavement to be very thin, and it ended up looking silly.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, April 16, 2023 1:59 PM

kasskaboose
Here's an earlier thread about the same topic: https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/221879.aspx (sorry the link doesn't work)

hon30critter
Here is a working link to the thread that kasskaboose mentioned:

That looks suspiciously like the link I provided in my reply. 

Maybe it isn't showing up anymore?

Thanks, Ed

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Posted by dknelson on Monday, April 17, 2023 10:26 AM

SeeYou190
n N scale I would suggest not paving the points.  I tried it, and the un-prototypically wide flange ways and point movement forced the pavement to be very thin, and it ended up looking silly. -Kevin

There have to be compromises.  The key thing is to replicate the feel of these areas where trucks can freely drive around without too many obstacles.  To follow Kevin's experience and advice, consider painting those portions of the turnout that cannot be paved the same color of grayish tan that the pavement itself is painted.  Minimize the obtrusive and eyecatching blobs of black plastic in what should look like a seamless expanse of pavement and railheads.

Dave Nelson

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Posted by kasskaboose on Monday, April 17, 2023 3:05 PM

Great minds Ed!

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