> So which one has the more gradual
> bend over longer distance??
> Scott Huston, Las Vegas
Hi Scott.....
Golly, I figured someone living in Las Vegas would know all about curves. But
there are exceptions, I suppose. (Bad joke, perhaps, but I couldn't resist.)
Y'might check out Message #69226 for the answer to Butch's question. Some more
elaboration would include the following: Some turnouts, following American RR
practices, have straight points and a straight section through the frog. These
two straight areas are connected with a curved closure rail. When inspecting
turnouts, you might find some with very l-o-n-g straight sections and, as a
result, a shorter sharper curve. Other turnouts will have short straight
sections and somewhat more gradual curves. TOMALCO TRACK and SHINOHARA and
some other brands do follow the USA practices.
Other turnouts, following European practices, have curved points and the curve
contines right up to the frog itself. Thus, a much longer and more gradual
curve is possible. One example of this type is the Whiteoak Models turnouts
which were made in England. Unfortunately, these turnouts are no longer
manufactured although a large HUGE order might be possible according to Kelvin
White, the original financier of the project.
The Shinohara #6 is a really strange beast in a class all by itself. You can
research the archives of this List for more details, but the general overview
is that it was an accidental oversight on the part of the dimension checker
person and was made too short. The distance between the throw rod and the frog
is much shorter than the prototype although the frog angle is still a #6.
Thus, the effective radius of the curved closure rail is much smaller than with
other brands of #6 turnouts.
Interestingly, some folks like the Shinohara #6 for use in yards and on
portable modules since it is a spacing saving design even though not
prototypically correct. Smaller steam locos and most diesels seem to work just
fine with the Shinohara #6. But Butch was asking about large HUGE steam
engines of the UP variety and so I felt obligated to point all this out to him.
He sold me a nice brass caboose years ago and I owe him a favor.
Note also that the Shinohara #8 turnout does not have the shortcomings of their
#6. All the various brands of #8 seem to work pretty well although each of us
will have our favorites.
Hope this helps...Ed L.
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