# Ok What are they?



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What are we going to call them 

The things we use to send a train on a different course.

Switchs?

Switch Tracks ? 


Turn outs ? 


Divergent Machines? 

When I was a kid we called them switch tracks.

What say you ?

JJ


PS We are talking about track parts. This is not a poll so this belongs here. Forget about it is in the wrong forum


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

For my whole life (and everyone I have ever talked to) they have been: 

Switch or Turnout. 

For both model trains and the real thing. 
terms used interchangeably, to refer to the same thing. 

Scot 

Scot


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

People on real railroads call them switches... in england or other places can be called "points" 

Model train people call them switches or turnouts. 

From what I read, in the hobby, "turnout" was chosen so as not to confuse with an electrical switch. 

I see that wikipedia uses the term "turnout" once and then uses "switch"... wikipedia is not a real authority, even though it is becoming better "checked" 

I found a lot of other sites that use the term "turnout" for the real thing, but I did not see any original documents using that term, mostly stuff from hobbyists explaining them. 

I use the terms interchangeably... when I talk to a real railroad man, I use "switch", I use either when talking to a hobbyist. 

Greg 

p.s. It would have been cool to make it a poll to see the results easily though...


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I call the turnouts "turnouts" and electrical switches "switches" just to avoid confusion.

But a train may be "switched" from one line to another. Nobody says a train is "turned out" from one line to another.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 17 Oct 2011 12:58 PM 
People on real railroads call them switches... in england or other places can be called "points" 

Model train people call them switches or turnouts. 

From what I read, in the hobby, "turnout" was chosen so as not to confuse with an electrical switch. 

I see that wikipedia uses the term "turnout" once and then uses "switch"... wikipedia is not a real authority, even though it is becoming better "checked" 

I found a lot of other sites that use the term "turnout" for the real thing, but I did not see any original documents using that term, mostly stuff from hobbyists explaining them. 

I use the terms interchangeably... when I talk to a real railroad man, I use "switch", I use either when talking to a hobbyist. 

Greg 

p.s. It would have been cool to make it a poll to see the results easily though... 



I agree, Greg.

I think that over the years the two terms has swapped as to which discipline prefers which term. It used to be that Model Railroaders used the term "Turnouts" (probably to avoid confusion with electrical switches) and Real Railroaders used "Switchs". But just recently on the Trains dot com forum I read a post from a Real Railroader and he belittled the Modelers for using the term "Switch" because "real railroaders call them Turnouts". 

And Bad means Good and Good means Bad; white is black, black is white... all praise Big Brother... errr, wait, that was back in 1984...


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 17 Oct 2011 12:58 PM 
People on real railroads call them switches... in england or other places can be called "points" 

Model train people call them switches or turnouts. 

From what I read, in the hobby, "turnout" was chosen so as not to confuse with an electrical switch. 

I see that wikipedia uses the term "turnout" once and then uses "switch"... wikipedia is not a real authority, even though it is becoming better "checked" 

I found a lot of other sites that use the term "turnout" for the real thing, but I did not see any original documents using that term, mostly stuff from hobbyists explaining them. 

I use the terms interchangeably... when I talk to a real railroad man, I use "switch", I use either when talking to a hobbyist. 

Greg 

p.s. It would have been cool to make it a poll to see the results easily though... 

Greg,
As a former rail I used both terms. When you are referring to a switch stand it's simply 'go throw the switch' when talking about track arrangements to MOW its commonly referred to as turnouts. But as a general rule of thumb turnouts are referred to as switches. So in essence you have three things; turnout, switch, switch stand. BNSF TY & E safety rules S. 13.7 Operating Switches and Derails (this rule 7.1-7.4 gives instructions on how to properly operate a switch using various kinds of switch stands. In the timetable it refers to Switches and Turnouts. Ex. Seattle Sub 1 (c) Speed- Switches and Turnouts... trains over 100 TOB must not exceed 35 mph through turnouts shown as 40 mph and 50 mph...

So the railroaders use both terms interchangeably even though they aren't. A switch to me refers only to the moving parts of the turnout (the points). You use the switch stand to move the switch (points) but you can't ever move a turnout.

When some one runs through a switch it's simply that. No turnout involved. Engineering plans are labeled ex. "#9 Turnout with 39' rail" 


Craig


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Just for J.J. we'll call them "an accident looking for a place to happen" eh J.J. Hah LOL Regal


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## Andre Anderson (Jan 3, 2008)

The whole assembly of stock rails, frogs, points, and guard rails is the turnout, the movable points are the called the "switch" as that is what switches the one train from one track to the other track. When I worked for the Connecticut Valley Railroad I found out what the difference was when I needed to get a replacement "Switch" and all I got was the points, when I called up to find out where the rest of my "Switch" was I was informed in no uncertain terms but very politely that what I wanted was known in the trade as a "Turnout" which included all of the above parts. In fact we could order just the frog and points or what ever part of the Turnout we needed. 

So for me the term Turnout refers to the whole assembly and the term "switch" refers to the moving points of the turnout.


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

And working on NS, I have found that "switch" refers to the entire assembly, but specifically one in a yard or allowing access to a side track. A switch on the main line, more or less limited to switches controlled by a dispatcher and thrown remotely, is referred to as a "turnout". Thus I can throw the switch allowing access to the main line, and then go through a turnout from main one to main two. 

Ain't it confusing? 

I agree that, for model RR purposes, a turnout is a piece of track which allows a choice of two routes, and a switch controls an electric circuit.


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## work4fil (Jan 4, 2008)

I think we should call them anything we want, as long as it makes us happy. So I, for one am in favor of switch, turnout, points, siding, or my favorite, "that place where I will certainly have a derailment." 

Just sayin'... 

fil


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Eisenbahnweichen or Weichen for short....at least on my two German layouts... 

I will have to remember the derailment place tho....and some of the other crashes they cause in the model and even in the 1:1 world here in my new podunk home town here in TN when a track crew forgot to reset one.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well for all those that think they are in the know the term to use in the industry is turnout. Even the FRA book states it as such. Yes switch can be used as it was years ago but like anything else over time names change with the technology. Later RJD


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I guess the expression is idiomatic, because I have never heard anyone refer to "splitting a turnout." I have always heard and read the term for going on the ground in the turnout or the vehicle taking a different route on each of its ends as "splitting a switch." I managed to perform said feat with the Crown Metal Products 4-4-0 in the summer of 1967. Bumpiest ride I ever had in my life! It was a spring turnout (switch) and the spring mechanism had failed, leaving the points gapped. Big holed the brake valve, but my train was coming downgrade, and the weight of the train pushed the locomotive right up the center of the turnout. Took 4 and a half hours to rerail the locomotive. Don't ever care to repeat that experience. 

Okay, back to the main debate. 

Best, 
David Meashey


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

BNSF typically calls them switches.


But when talking to a dispatcher about the actual routing, the terms switch, diverging, or crossover are used depending on the track set up and region.


Words for referring to parts of a switch include; switch machine, frog, rail, ties, and points.


Never have heard the term turnout used on the BNSF.


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

I'll call it a "TURNOUT SWITCH" lol


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## pfdx (Jan 2, 2008)

Copied from the Glossary of the "The Track Cyclopedia" tenth edition, 1985. Published by Simmons-Boardman Books Inc. in cooperation with the Association of American Railroads, and the American Railway Engineering Association.

_Switch_: A track structure used to divert rolling stock from one track to another.

_Turnout_: An arrangement of a switch and a frog with closure rails, by means of which rolling stock can be diverted from one track to another. 

Most railroaders and modelers use the two interchangeably. 
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## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

And aren't they known as points in Britspeak?


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## Joe Mascitti (Oct 30, 2008)

How about "Point of derailment".....


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