ok guys, i really need some help... please.

trainsteve2435

trainsteve2435

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Jun 18, 2004
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barboursville, wv
hello everyone, i have a small problem.....im trying to get my double cross-over to accomodate the track leads in the pictures. the part of my layout your looking at is my lift out section. i need to connect all tracks in the pictures. the reason i need to do this is because i got tired of not being able to close my door. so i finally cut the rails for the lift-out. now im stumpped as how to connect all rails. as you can see there is a total of three rails that need to be connected. does anyone have any ideas? i dont have much property to use on the lift-out, but i still need to connect somehow. all you track wizards out there...... i need your help. thanks for all your help!:rolleyes:
 

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Well, it seems obvious you need a curved turnout, whether or not you'll find one which meets your radius requirements is questionable. If you are willing to try handlaying I'm sure you could build a turnout to fit. If this is even a possibility, I suggest you buy a BK turnout kit and build that first, it will give you the confidence to proceed.

The other problem is having all those routes line up correctly each time you replace the lift out section. This is a carpentry question which I'll leave to others!
 
I'll second the handlaid curved turnout.

Regarding the rail alignment issue, do you have some kind of stops built in to the benchwork to keep the liftout from sliding sideways? If not, put some in. Then cut back the flextrack to about 6 inches (doesn't have to be exact) from the seam. Drive in 2 brass screws for each rail, one on each side of the seam, and lay continuous rail across the seam. Spike into place, and when everything is jake, solder the rail base to the screws. and cut the rails above the seam and between the screws.

If the liftout can't slide, then you should have bulletproof alignment of the rails.
 
After looking at your pix, I cannot solve your problem,however it is not such a good idea to have switch leading from a curve. Yo should always have at least a 9" straight piece leading into any switch.
Railman.
 
Railman said:
After looking at your pix, I cannot solve your problem,however it is not such a good idea to have switch leading from a curve. Yo should always have at least a 9" straight piece leading into any switch.
Railman.
Click to expand...
After looking at what Railman wrote, I have to agree with him. Any traffic coming through that proposed curved switch, then taking the x-over is going to have to deal with a nasty S curve.

Are you stuck with that Shinohara double crossover? If you aren't, consider replacing it with 4 Atlas #6s and a crossing, BUT make the Atlas switch that connects with the curved one a RH instead of a left. You might even be able to use a commercial conventional switch in place of the handlaid curved one if you do that.
 
I agree with the s curve concerns, but they can be handled. hard to tell what kind of radius is required from the photos. The first photo doesn't make the radius seem too bad, but the third one does. Steve, if you have a piece of 18" radius snap track, please put in down next to the double xover and post a photo so we can get a better idea what we're talking about.
 
are s curves really that bad? what could cause a derailment? i think you'd have to move a train at obviously unsafe speeds for the train to derail...

anway i agree with using 4 seperate switches. that sounds better.
 
The sudden jerk movements mess with the way the locos track, long slow winding S-curves on the other hand, are sexy as hell and improve scenic abilitys.
 
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