# #6 turnouts? large dia. track.



## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

I have 16.5ft dia curves, what turnout dia, would i need to match the curves? 

Track is oval shaped and i want to add a second loop, retaining the oval look, if that makes sense(2 circles in 1 loop).

Miguel C.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The LGB 18000 series switches are very close.

Chuck


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

this may of use.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Have you bent your curves or are you using sectional track and can you add a small piece of straight track to the outer curve if necessary? If you are using sectional whose is it and what is its number? 

Chuck 

A #6 has a shallower (smaller) divergence than the LGB 18000 series. I do not know by how much. If you want a #6 you will have to adjust your curves to less than 16.5' to fit in the space. Do you really need a #6? Any trains that run through your existing curves, will run through an 18000 series switch and the LGB 18000 curves will fill in the curve nicely. You might have to add a small piece of straight to one of the curves. It all depends on the origin of the curves, sectional or bent flex track.


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

i could bend my own track. 

im using sectional aristo 16.5ft dia. 

straight on outer curve to widen the track? i could of used 20' dia. 

#6 switches are roughly what dia...i could use 10' turnouts, with straight maybe than.


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

A #6 is a 20 foot diameter 10 foot Radius.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

#6 switches are roughly what dia... 

Miguel, 
Things are never simple . . A #6 switch, as defined by the prototype railroad, has an approx. 9.5' diameter curve at the points and straight track through the frog. 
No reason you can't use it. 

Some manufacturers of model track make the curved portion match their track sections. They look different from a #6. (Top is a Llagas #6, bottom is LGB - you can see the curve.)


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

thanks for the info so far. 

i can't seem to get a fix on if the LGB 18000 switch's are true 15ft dia diverting track, or if there 10' dia...mainly i just want to know if i can use 10' dia. or usat #6, or lgb18000("15ft" dia.) switches with 16.5ft dia curve and end up matching on the otherside. since they don't make 16.5ft switches.... (pic above in red) or **** forget this business and make a new track plan all together... 

Miguel
EDITED.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The 18000 switches are as close as you will get. They match the 18000 curves. All I can say is that they are close to 16' diameter. They will easily fit into the space. You may end up with a too tight fit on either the inside arc or the outside arc. A short segment of straight track will easily correct the difference. In my opinion using 18000s will be your easiest solution. I'm a firm believer in keeping it simple and the 18000s are the simplest. I just went to an LGB catalog the diameter of 18000 curves is 4640 mm. My calculations put that at 15.1 '. If you used this track you would need 1.4' of straight to fill the gap. My train has Aristo 10' diameter curves and I have replaced all of my 10' diameter Aristo switches with LGB18000s. I can run all cars as long as the USAt streamliners without a problem. My longest engines, USAt GG1, SDmac70, and Aristo Mallet handle them without a problem. The only engines that won't are the Allegehanys, Big Boys, and Chalengers that are designed for 20' diameter curves. Those wouldn't work on 16.5 either. I am a lot happier with the LGB 18000 switches than I ever was with the Aristo wide radius (10'd). Chuck


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

thanks for the conformation on the LGB's! 

looking into getting those 18000.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

If you go with 18000' work your way in from each side. Then cut the straight track to fill the gap. Don't rely on my estimate. There are too many variables, for me to calculate the exact difference. Chuck


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

roger that. thanks for the help. 

manufactures should create switches for each of the curved track or, there should of been a standard. 10', 15', 20'...and make a switch for each...not this 16.5 business....


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Even better the LGB 18000's are in stock. Good luck finding Aristo or USA #6's.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

According to LGB the 18000's are R5 radius on the diverging side, and that is 15' diameter. 15.22' diameter to be exact.

There's a lot of places where the LGB data is in error.


LGB "R"
number common LGB
track number degrees
per section switch
number frog
number 

true radius
MM
true diameter
MM true diameter
inches true radius
inches * closest* foot
diameter *closest *foot
radius R1 11000 30 12000 2 600 1200 47.244 23.622 4' 2' R2 15000 30 none 778 1556 61.26 30.63 5' 2-1/2' R3 16000 22.5 16000 3.5 1198 2396 94.33 47.16 8' 4' R4 see note ~3500 ~11-1/2' R5 18000 15 18000 5 2320 4640 182.68 91.34 15' 7-1/2'


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## spoolthis (Mar 22, 2012)

thanks for the chart!


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