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Question: Wye switches thrown/closed

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  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, April 11, 2024 4:03 PM

DigitalGriffin

This will make flag type switches, and dawrf signals confusing.   Red is Reverse/
Thrown, while Green is normal/Closed.

I guess you cant use color type semaphors for Wyes

 

Not sure I understand

Sheldon

    

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, April 11, 2024 3:40 PM

This will make flag type switches, and dawrf signals confusing.   Red is Reverse/
Thrown, while Green is normal/Closed.

I guess you cant use color type semaphors for Wyes

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, April 11, 2024 2:11 PM

Some railroads physically designated the points in the field:

 Points by Edmund, on Flickr

I have some 3" tall N and R cast iron letters that came off an abandoned New York Central turnout.

I still despise the nomenclature that Digitrax likes to use 'thrown or closed' for customizing their products. To me it is quite arbritary. On my layout I use normal/reverse and have never had any problems with orientation.

Good Luck, Ed

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Posted by dehusman on Thursday, April 11, 2024 12:11 PM

DigitalGriffin
With normal switches, the straight route is closed.  Thrown is the diverging route.   With Wye turnouts which direction is closed?

None of the above.

Railroads don't use those terms.

Switches are normal or reverse.  Typically normal is the straight route and reverse is the diverging route.

With an equilateral switch (wye) they will designate one route or the other as normal.  Depends on where it is used.  For example if it's a high speed switch at the end of two main tracks, typically "normal" will be for whatever hand running is on the two main tracks.  If it's right hand running then they may have "normal" as single track to the right main track.  Otherwise they will have normal be the most used or through route.  If the main track is on the ledt route, then left is normal.  If the main track is on the right route, then right is normal.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, April 11, 2024 8:37 AM

gregc

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Whichever route the railroad decides.

 

CTC panels identify the turnout positions as N and R, presumably normal and reversed.

 

Yes, "Normal" is the primary route and the position the turnout should be returned to after taking the "Reversed" route.

But Normal and Reversed has nothing to do with the geometry, the "normal" position can be the "curved" route.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
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Posted by gregc on Thursday, April 11, 2024 7:22 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Whichever route the railroad decides.

CTC panels identify the turnout positions as N and R, presumably normal and reversed.

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, April 11, 2024 7:02 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

Whichever route the railroad decides.

Actually, same is true of any turnout. Railroads don't care about the geometry, it is route priority that decides.

Same with curved turnouts.

Now, we know that when railroads need the curved route thru a turnout to be high speed, they have lots of technolgy for that, closing frogs, very large turnout size, special guardrails, etc.

Do they prefer the primary route to be straight? Yes, but just like our model layouts, that is not always practical or possible. 

 

Sheldon 

 

Good answer. +1

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, April 11, 2024 6:47 AM

Whichever route the railroad decides.

Actually, same is true of any turnout. Railroads don't care about the geometry, it is route priority that decides.

Same with curved turnouts.

Now, we know that when railroads need the curved route thru a turnout to be high speed, they have lots of technology for that, closing frogs, very large turnout size, special guardrails, etc.

Do they prefer the primary route to be straight? Yes, but just like our model layouts, that is not always practical or possible. 

Sheldon 

    

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Question: Wye switches thrown/closed
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, April 11, 2024 3:56 AM

With normal switches, the straight route is closed.  Thrown is the diverging route.

 

With Wye turnouts which direction is closed?

 

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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