What size turnouts for a yard?


bn-1000

bn-1000

Member
Okay I know this can be an open-ended question to some but I am ready to lay down my first track work in my switching yard. I have always assumed #6 is what I'd be using but I'm thinking #7 might look a little more realistic. Is there much difference visually between these sizes for a small switching yard?

Regards,
Stephen
 
I would go with #6's. They can handle most anything, but the only way to get truly realistic yard trackage is to handlay your switches. #6's are a good substitute though.
 
#6's are better than say 5's or 4.5's, if you're going to run 86' Hi-Cubes and alike, or long wheelbase engines. In my mind it sort of depends on the space you have. Try a few #6's with a few of your long cars, and see how they work.

In the real world, highspeed mainline crossovers are like #20, or so I've been told. #8's for yards?
 
To me the yard turnouts should be smaller than the mainline turnouts. I would use #5 as a minimum in a freight yard and #6 in a passenger yard. My longest freight cars are 65' and my passenger cars are 80'.

I started this layout with #7 turnouts on the mainline and have built new trackage with #10's since they were introduced. I wish all of the mainline turnouts were #10's. I plan to replace any failures with #10's were possible.

Glenn
 
Thanks for your quick replies, guys. I should have disclosed my rolling stock types. For locos I have 3 MP15-DC switchers, a couple of GP40's (mainly to bring in the occasional short line cut). In regards to freight most are 50' boxcars and some of the 17,500G corn syrup tankers.

I will be getting someone to build my turnouts using the Fast Tracks system, and I agree they do look supurb!!
 
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While I'm not a civil engineer, I think turnout number is a function of car length, train length, as well as velocity thru the diverging route, but I could be wrong.

Having said that, I'm currently planning an HO layout in a space of 26' x28-34'. Even with that amount of space, in the freight yards, I'm still using Atlas #4's. Mainline crossovers will be #6's, with a few 8's in spots where they'll be passenger trains taking diverging routes at decent speed(medium speed), if they'll fit.
 
Always a trade off between space and looks.

#5s have a minimum radius of around 26", #6s around 43".

However it's not a very long section of curve.

Since my space was limited I went with #5 for yards, #6 for main line.

For reference the minimum main line radius is 30".
 
Thanks all. Some great responses there. I'm going #6 for the yard and a #7 off the mainline.

fcwilt, you're correct in saying it's a real trade-off between space and appearance. My layout measures 11 foot long x 18 inches deep. I'll post the schematic in a new thread shortly.
 
Im running more modern equipment so i went with #6 and #8s. In a yard you are traveling at slow speeds so #4-#5 would work fine... alot has to do with what amount of room you have to work with.

I always try and use the bigger switches especially on mainlines. Spurs and what not a person can get by using #4...
 
The 1/1 yard I worked in had #5's and handled 100 ton coal cars and six axle diesels with ease.
I use #6's on my HO scale yard with #4's in industries.
everytime you go up a number your yard lead gets a little longer.
 
Rico said:
The 1/1 yard I worked in had #5's and handled 100 ton coal cars and six axle diesels with ease.
I use #6's on my HO scale yard with #4's in industries.
everytime you go up a number your yard lead gets a little longer.
Click to expand...

What was the speed limit through those things though? :D

#6's are okay for a yard if you make a compound ladder. Four tracks in the length of two turnouts
 
My N scale six axle locomotives can barrel through multiple #4 atlas switches at maximum speed pulling a 35 car train without derailments most of the time. That's not very realistic though. Real trains weigh much more per scale and the dynamics are obviously different.

(assuming what atlas calls a standard switch is #4)



Mike
 
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Being a rabid Steam guy, I use #6's in the yard and for sidings, and #8's for mainline crossover pairs.
 
Y3a said:
Being a rabid Steam guy, I use #6's in the yard and for sidings, and #8's for mainline crossover pairs.
Click to expand...

I was going to use #5's in the yards and #8's on the mains. It seems thou that #6's wound up in the yard when they were installed, and I still had the same # of tracks. The footprint of the yard wound up a little wider, but I could spare the room. All my other spurs are still #5's however. And I still have #8's and a couple of #9's on the mains.
 
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