Tim Brown (and others) --
I see that no one has risen to discuss trackage alternatives with you, so I
will. Track is my thing. When I was a kid I built my own Flyer-compatible
turnouts and laid my own rail on milled Tru-scale roadbed. (If you know what
this is, you are over the hill ... with me!) Over the years I have used pretty
much everyone's flextrack as well as hand-laying my track and turnouts (which I
do now). However, also in the present time frame, I am installing all the
track on another list member's layout. One of his requirements is that all
track products on his layout be commercially available. This individual also
had built closed-frog turnouts of the sort you describe in an attempt to
accommodate both scale and AF wheelsets. Some of these have found their way to
his present layout -- but will soon be replaced. (I'll tell you why presently.)
My recommendation to you is to make a clean break with AF and hirail wheelsets
and switch completely to scale. That means all your wheelsets must conform to
the NASG/NMRA wheelset standard, AND all your track must so conform. My reason
is simple: Despite all the attempts over the decades to manufacture or
scratchbuilt "universal" turnouts, no one has really succeeded except S Helper
Service. The reason is simple: In scale, all manufacturers follow the
NASG/NMRA standards for trackage. In hirail, while there is an NMRA hirail
track and wheelset standard for S, no one follows it. This drove S Helper
nuts, trying to find a guard rail spacing that would accept the large variation
in AF wheelset dimensions over the years as well as the wheelsets on the more
modern SHS and American Models equipment. S Helper finally did away with guard
rails entirely. Instead, they implemented a movable point within the frog,
quite separate from (but actuated simultaneously with) the switchpoints.
OK, so why am I not recommending that you switch entirely to SHS trackage
products? The answer is because the trackage is all sectional, of fixed
radius, and all mainline roadbed profile. Some may also criticize the small
turnouts (#3 frog), but SHS has a more prototypical #5 in the wings, tro be
available someday.
Why do I not recommend closed-frog (movable point-frog) turnouts? Because you
have a really long movable chunk comprised of two rails, three brass plates
holding these together, and a pivot point whose location must be precisely
positioned for both the points and the frog to align properly. And assuming
that the turnout gets built and installed perfectly, you still have the problem
of scale wheel flanges "picking" the gapped rail end at the frog -- in both
directions. And there will be no guard rails opposite the frog to prevent this
from happening.
For scale, you have many options. Trackage (flextrack) is made in code 100
(the de facto S scale standard) by Shinohara (via Scenery Unlimited) and
Tomalco. Both forms also manufacture turnouts to match their track. Shinohara
makes #6 and #8 turnouts. Tomalco makes a lot of different sizes as well as
three-way turnouts. Another firm, Trout Creek Engineering, makes "BK
Turnouts." These come without ties; they are to be laid on hand-laid ties or
on paser-cut tie strtip available from Tomalco. BK (Trout Creek) will, as far
as I know, make up specialty trackage items to custom-fit your situation (like
crossings).
At the risk of incurring the ire of some manufacturers, I will close by giving
you my opinion of the various track manufacturers' products:
S Helper Service -- Excellent products. The relatively large rail (about 8
scale inches high) represents modern heavy-duty Northeast Corridor practice.
All sectional, no flextrack. Overall height (table-top to railhead)
incompatible with any other manufacturer except AF/K-Line.
Shinohara -- Well made, easy to use. All code 100 (about 6-1/2 scale inches
high). The #6 turnout is really closer to a #4-1/2. The frog is a bona fide
#6, but the turnout is too short, and thus its radius is quite tight. The
Shinohara #8 is right on.
Tomalco -- Excellent flextrack, more finely detailed and more accurate mainline
tie spacing that Shinohara. Available in code 100, 83, and 70. Turnouts come
glued to laser-cut wood tie strip, mostly in gauge. Heating the rail with a
soldering gun while you move your track gauge close behind will correct gauging
problems.
BK -- Nicely done, properly gauged. Must spike these down, then remove the
"straps" (brass wires soldered across the rails to maintain gauge until the
turnout is spiked down).
White Oak Turnouts -- I am told these are no longer made, but you might find
some available -- maybe from Tom Hawley (who is on this e-list). These, in my
opinion, were the best turnouts ever made for S scale despite some cosmetic
compromises (no spike heads, black ties). Each tie is a strip of PC board.
Each rail segment is soldered to every PC tie it touches. The gauging is
perfect. The PC cladding is properly gapped for regular DC operation (but some
alterations in gapping are required for DCC). The only downside is the
installation, and that's minor. A cardstock shim must be placed beneath each
turnout so as to match the table-top-to-railhead height with Tomalco,
Shinohara, and BK turnouts.
In closing let me say that there are lot of hirail people out there who will
tell you that hirail is easier to work with; that scale wheels and track are
subject to derailment problems. But if you ask the relatively few of us out
here who actually have scale trackage, we will tell you that that's a myth. If
you follow the standards you will have no problems. Buy a track/wheel gauge
from the NASG, and make sure all your track and all your wheelsets conform to
it.
Dick Karnes
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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