Using wye turnouts, and right or left turnouts

[oplholik]

What is the difference in use for the wye turnout, and the other? Why would one use one over the other?

 

[Iron Horseman]

What is the difference in use for the wye turnout, and the other? Why would one use one over the other?

A normal turnout has one leg that goes straight through while the other leg diverges is "curved" away from that straight track. A wye turnout does not have a straight leg. Both diverge at a "curve" away from one another. This is why a #6 normal turnout matches a #3 wye. With both legs diverging the distance to get the rails away from one another is shorter.

Usually a wye is used where two oppositely "curved" tracks are meeting to save space.

One normally uses a regular turnout where one track is considered the main track and goes straight through. The diverging leg is left for the less used siding type track. A train has a higher chance of derailing or having other issues on the curved part of a turnout than it does on the straight through section.

 

[oplholik]

Thanks for the info, appreciate it.

 

[jdetray]

Here is a visual comparison of wye versus conventional turnouts.

- Jeff

 

[oplholik]

Thanks Jeff.

 

[goscrewyourselves]

Another regular use for a wye is when you have a centre station platform and want track to run down either side of it.