The majority of my frogs were curved (now all pulled up and waiting to move to
new digs). When I did the planning in AutoCAD wherever two tracks diverged
there went a turnout following the center lines (frequently both tracks would
start their respect arcs somewhere in the turnout length - the inside at the
points and the outside somewhat further down towards the frog). Then there
were two diamonds with curves both ways, a three-way. I'm not sure I'm up to
making a double slip.
When making frogs I fill the flangeways with solder to almost railhead height
and then carve, saw and file out the solder to desired flangeway depth. No
holes for wheels to drop into. I've found the best way to cut the flangeway is
by running a fine-toothed hacksaw blade through the solder. I ruined many
knife blades and files until someone shared with me his method.
The next layout will be made with SHS flex track, my salvaged .125 and .100
trackwork and new where needed. I plan to build my own turnouts and may
experiment with Fast Track jigs machined for SHS rail. I think I'll also try
planning using more straight frogs for the challenge.
Is it more difficult to make turnouts from SHS rail than other brands? The
only issued I've had with SHS rail is removing the weathering to get clean
metal for solder joints.
Ben Trousdale
--- In S-Scale@yahoogroups.com, "David Heine" <davesn3@...> wrote:
>
> Bill,
>
> From what little I know, curved frogs are more common in some other
> countries than in the USA. You can see lots of them in picture of > British
> trackwork. In my case, I have built several turnouts with > curved frogs on
> my layout and there will be more.
>
> You should consider trying to build your own turnouts, it's not
> that hard, and a lot cheaper than commercial or custom made
> turnouts. It also allows you to do things you couldn't fit in
> using just commercial turnouts. If you ever get to see Dick
> Karnes' layout; you will know what I mean. In my own case I have a
> dual gauge curved turnout, immediately followed by a curved
> crossing on the diverging end. Last month, I built an asymmetrical
> wye turnout, where the two routes are a different angle; if I had
> used a standard turnout, I would have had to put a jog in the
> track. That one was easy, it was only standard gauge.
>
> And if you don't think the prototype builds funky trackwork, I can
> show you pictures of a dual gauge stub switch with a dual gauge
> crossing through it. Two of the rails cross through a frog.
>
> Dave Heine
>
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