# information on usage of track switches



## RIO WARREN (Dec 9, 2009)

As new modeler to garden railways ,moving out side from 30 odd years of H O modeling both indoors & garden
My instinct tells me that there is no major difference in the basic theory of standards (gradients, clearances etc )until you get to track laying and that is where I am seeking advise & opinions. I have decided to use battery control and expect to lay track on compacted fill and ballast the track allowing it to float with expansion &contraction My problem is can I be safe in assuming that the track switches if designed into station yards and passing sidings along the main line will hold up and be reliable in operation as I have come to expect from my H O days. From my research of magazines and following many forums on this and other sites it appears that the least number of switches tends to produce running I have started to accumulate U S A track components for my track with radius to be 8ft min
I am located in Melbourne , Australia and do not have imediate access to many of the products advertised in the various magazines so any advise or comments most welcome

RIO WARREN


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

You want your switches on a real solid base. Such as a steel plate ( I use a steel plate the length and wiith of the switch and 1/8 inch thick. I also use concrete pad I mis and pour) or some of the Handi Board. Handi board is the concrete board they use on Bathroom Floors. I do not Ballast my Switchs because too much stuff gets in the switch parts and stops them from working. 

There is a mulitude of material to use. Some of the other guys will be here to give you more advice. 
JJ


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

can I be safe in assuming that the track switches if designed into station yards and passing sidings along the main line will hold up and be reliable in operation 
Well, you have to accept that an outdoor environment is much less predictable than indoor. You don't get animals walking on your HO layout, nor are there torrential downpours and extremes of temperature. It's much more like the real thing! 

The track will hold up, but maintenance is required to ensure reliable running. Here in MD, where we get plenty of rain and emtremes of temperatures, my track all 'floated' on well-tamped ballast, just like the prototype. Every spring I had to go around with my track tools and re-ballast areas that had been washed away, and re-tamp where it looked to have sagged. 

I do not Ballast my Switchs because too much stuff gets in the switch parts and stops them from working. 

A valid point from JJ - you do have to take a brush and a stick and clean out your switches before use if they are floating in ballast. 

If your railroad has lots of switches and you want to run trains a lot, then laying the whole thing on concrete can be a valid approach. If you model a sleepy branch line, then following the prototype also has its charm.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

All my switches are ballasted and have very few problems with the ballast getting in to the points. I have more problems with seedlings from trees gumming up the points than any thing else. so even if you rest them on concrete you still may get debris in the points. It's out doors. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By RIO WARREN on 19 Jan 2010 11:59 PM 
As new modeler to garden railways ,moving out side from 30 odd years of H O modeling both indoors & garden
My instinct tells me that there is no major difference in the basic theory of standards (gradients, clearances etc )until you get to track laying and that is where I am seeking advise & opinions. I have decided to use battery control and expect to lay track on compacted fill and ballast the track allowing it to float with expansion &contraction My problem is can I be safe in assuming that the track switches if designed into station yards and passing sidings along the main line will hold up and be reliable in operation as I have come to expect from my H O days. From my research of magazines and following many forums on this and other sites it appears that the least number of switches tends to produce running I have started to accumulate U S A track components for my track with radius to be 8ft min
I am located in Melbourne , Australia and do not have imediate access to many of the products advertised in the various magazines so any advise or comments most welcome

RIO WARREN

Unfortunately it's not safe to assume that operation will be as you have come to expect in HO.

You will find all kinds of new issues, and things you never thought of.

There's been some good suggestions already. If you are getting Aristo-Craft switches, read my web site on them.. it's under TRAINS...TRACK...ARISTO TRACK... you will see several articles about their switches.

(My web site is a clickable link in my signature below) 


Regards, Greg


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## Brendan (Jan 12, 2008)

I think I know what you're talking about. I'm in Bendigo, Vic. If you like cntact me and maybe I can help. I can also assist re local uppliers etc.

Brendan


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

You don't get animals walking on your HO layout, 
I dunno, Pete. My old HO line wasn't called the "Cat Mountain & Southern" for nothing.  

The most important thing with switches is that you want the tracks leading into and out of them to be on the same plane as the switch for at least 12" beyond the switch. Any of the underlayment ideas mentioned above would work well in making sure that happens. Mine are attached to 1/2" ID PVC pipes that run under all my track. On my old railroad, I hand-built all my switches on long battens to keep things flat. The key is that you don't want any kind of twisting as the cars near the points or the frog which would give the wheels any excuse to derail. They'll find plenty of reason without that. As for ballast, it's gonna work its way into the points regardless. I always carry a small brush in my back pocket to keep the points clear. It's just part of the fun of being outdoors. 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I use larger ballast near the switches, almost the size of the spacing between the ties. This greatly reduces anything obstructing the switch points. I have all my switches ballasted except for the switchyard which will be ballasted. It's a once in 8-10 month problem on my layout. 

Sure, my ballast is larger than scale, but then so are 1:1 raindrops and water from a hose. 

Works for me. 

Regards, Greg


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Rio,

All good advice above.

I'm in New Zealand and can appreciate the tyranny of distance. Local pricing for turnouts is/was horrendous over here (try $240 for a Aristo wide radius, $600+ for a #6) so after only 18mths in the hobby I started building my own. Way cheaper, just as reliable as pre built (after a few false starts







) . 

Here's a link to a thread I did on one of them. Good luck, and have fun.

*http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/9/aft/72713/afv/topic/Default.aspx *


Cheers
Neil


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## RIO WARREN (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks Guys 
have read with interest and taken on board all the suggestions and will make sure that I get a level surface under each of the switches and suck it to see how the ballasting goes (that will be a little time off ) The suggestion of P V C pipe sounds good and I have read a bit about it in the how to do it publications on road bed and track laying 

do you find that it holds the track straight and on the levels it has been set particularly flex track ? 

RIO


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

the track straight and on the levels it 
Outdoors, all bets are off. Frost heave, subsidence due to torrential rain, cracks due to drought - you're gonna get them all. Just be prepared to maintain your railway like the pros do.


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