# Inexpensive turnouts



## Skeeterweazel (Feb 11, 2014)

What is the more correct term: turnout or switch?

Looking for the best deal on a 5'ish radius turnout. I'm not opposed to building from a kit. But not sure i want to tackle one from scratch. Think i'm looking for s/s to go w/ my alum track. I remember seeing a kit for around $50 but can't find that now. It had all the rails/parts, but was only connected to a few ties.

Thx for you input.

Marty


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## Cooke (Aug 26, 2012)

Check out Switchcrafters. They offer their turnouts as kits. http://www.switchcrafters.com/ez-catalog/X381875/28


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

'Turnout' seems to be a clearer term. A 'switch' sounds like something electrical and can get confusing when you use switches to control your switches and the English term 'points' is actually only one aspect of a turnout's parts.

Andrew


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Railroads were moving trains from one track to another long before electrons started moving through wires. I'm betting railroads were first in using switches.

What ever you do, do not skimp on your switches, turnouts, or points. They are fundamental to the smooth movements of your trains around your layout. 

Chuck


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## Skeeterweazel (Feb 11, 2014)

Thx. guys.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

What is the point of having a turnout on your switch.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Turnouts are where the slow pokes go, only switches move me.

I use both to avoid bad writing repetitions, I don't get too many fines from The Department of Redundancy Department.


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## Skeeterweazel (Feb 11, 2014)

Which switch do you think goes better w/ a 5' radius, #4 or #6? Better to have too big of a switch than too small? I have no plans to run big locos, only little 0-4-0s.

Thx.

http://www.switchcrafters.com/ez-catalog/X381875/51/AL3326-NG


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Is the curve of the turnout a part of your main run?
You don't want the smallest radius on the turnout if it is your main line. You may create a problem spot. Live steam engines can zip along at times.
Prototypical turnouts have a straight diverging track past the frog and 'set track' turnouts tend to have a curved diverging track so they can replace a curve track section. I'm not sure if you are aware of that Skeeterweazel so I though I should mention it.

Andrew


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## Michael W (Oct 10, 2012)

If you after reasonable good quality switches, piko got a good variety for under $100


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

In the seventies Kalmbach decided that with the electronics articles they were doing using the word switch would be confusing. That is their readers were too dumb to figure out what was being talked about from the context!!!

Kalmbach therefore decided that if you were talking about track they would use the term turnout, but if it was electronics they would retain the word switch!!! So the use of the word turnout has slowly creeped into discussions about track.

Real railroads continued to use the word switch, so are you a railroader or a modeller?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Skeeterweazel said:


> Which switch do you think goes better w/ a 5' radius, #4 or #6? Better to have too big of a switch than too small? I have no plans to run big locos, only little 0-4-0s.


The #6 is nearer 10' radius, and won't fit the geometry of your 5' radius curves.
That being said, a #6 will give your trains an easier time and will look better. The prototype had 'transition curves', where the radius decreased gradually to the minimum and then increased back (we seldom to that on our models) so a #6 leading to 5' radius won't look un-prototypical.



> Real railroads continued to use the word switch


 We had a long argument some years ago about this, and (I think) the final conclusion was that a turnout was a long siding where you parked a train so another one could get past.


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## Skeeterweazel (Feb 11, 2014)

I'm guesstimating the length of a SwitchCrafters #6 switch to be around 32". Can someone confirm the length of a #6, preferably a SwitchCrafters?
Thx.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Simple..email them...you'll get.an answer!
a #8 is 38" I think.
a # 10 is 44"..
a # 14 is 72".....;-)
Bruce is always helpful!!

Dirk


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Number 6 turnouts are closer to 14'

10' is closer to 4.5 or 5, but difficult because the Aristo 10' diameter turnouts are curved throughout the diverging leg, unlike prototype turnouts.

Greg


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

OK so when you are taking cars from one consist and forming another in the Yard. Are Switching cars or Turning out Car? 

On the other hand is a Rail Road Yard a Switching Yard or a Turnout Yard?

Inquiring minds want to know.....So do Nosy People 

JJ


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Number 6 turnouts are closer to 14'
> 
> 10' is closer to 4.5 or 5, but difficult because the Aristo 10' diameter turnouts are curved throughout the diverging leg, unlike prototype turnouts.
> 
> Greg


I was just about to challenge Greg, then I remembered you were/are a std gauge modeller, and you guys talk in diameter, not radius.

Either way, when I was making switches, a #6 worked out to 9' 7" effective radius. Where did you get the 14' (diameter?)

A #4 seems to be about 2/3 of a #6, so I' expect 6' radius, 12' diameter.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I exclusively use turnouts made by Sunset Valley. His #6 turnouts are built like the prototype and do not curve through the frog. They are straight. The radius is 90 inches and they are 26 inches long. They have a 9.5 degree frog angle.........1 to 6. #6


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

A bt more research turned up this table, from http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/tkwk10.Html











339' prototype ft (#6) is 10.59' in 1/32nd scale - which, for our track, is the correct scale.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

> The radius is 90 inches


 Well, that's interesting - 7' 6". Straight from their website. Not 14' or 9' 7" !!

More research is needed! Don't make me get out my calculus textbook. . .


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm with Gary, I'm all SVRR switches also and like their ground throws, can't trip over them like I do the other kind and break off the tops.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

If you would consider the AristoCraft 10-foot diameter turn-outs, then you should certainly consider the LGB 1600 series (~7'-8.5" diameter) that outperform the AristoCraft units.

If you shop, you can still get 1600 series turnouts with motors on the 'bay for about the same prices that were paid 15 years ago (~$75 each).


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## Skeeterweazel (Feb 11, 2014)

Guys, a switch going into a yard could be #4? Any reason to be #6? Mainline will be going straight through switch. Main reason i want to go w/ #4 is it is cheaper.
Thx.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Sharper angle means shorter wheel base locos. As long as mostly back mid size cars through it you should be ok.
John


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

John J said:


> OK so when you are taking cars from one consist and forming another in the Yard. Are Switching cars or Turning out Car?
> 
> On the other hand is a Rail Road Yard a Switching Yard or a Turnout Yard?
> 
> ...


also, is the locomotive that moves around the cars in the yard a "switcher" or a "turnout-er"? 

I definitely prefer the term "switch", turnout has always sounded odd to me.
switch seems to be the much more commonly used term, I think its the better term to use,
and there is no danger of confusing it with an electrical switch, if you are smarter than a 2nd grader! 

Google search: railroad switch - About 13,700,000 results.
Google search: railroad turnout: - About 447,000 results.

Adding those together, that's 97% for switch, 3% for turnout.

Scot


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