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Not that I'm close to doing it yet, but I was wondering about this. After I've got the track centers drawn on the benchwork and I'm ready to start permanently laying track, it seems like the right thing to do would be to install all the turnouts first and then connect the flex track to those. Is this the prefered way or does it matter? Is it just as easy to lay the track first and install turnouts when I get to them?
Jarrell
Jarrell, I think you will find out that you will use both ways as you go along. It doesn't really matter since you have to cut track to length anyway. Just make sure that the turnout will have the proper angle for the diverging route connection, i.e. keep the adjoining straight track loose until you are sure of the alignment.
FYI: Use your center mark as a guide and not as an absolute. It is ok to come off the mark some to achieve alignments. The most important thing you can do is to make sure that your track joiners are perfectly aligned and mated so there is no kink or sharp edge at the joint.
I vote for turnouts first. In reality though, Rex is right. You'll use a combination of both as required. I do think turnout placement is obviously paramount.
I prefer to start with the inbound/outbound yard switch and work from there..On my industrial switching layouts I prefer to lay my switches in place and work to the switches since the switches are the key part to a workable track design..
