Best Of Scratchbuilt Turnout to Proto:48 Standards

[ednadolski]

Though folks might enjoy a look at this.   This is a #6 turnout in 1/48 scale, built to Proto:48 wheel/track standards (instead of the conventional O gauge standard, which uses a 5' gauge instead of 56.5" gauge).   This is stained wood ties on a balsa wood roadbed (pre-ballasted before laying rail), Code 125 rail, cast points/frog/guardrails, and a variety of detail parts.   This is bench-built, so it could be incorporated into a layout in the future. Overall length is approx. 21". (Yes, every spike was added individually)   

[DKS]

That is a thing of beauty.

How long did it take to build?

[up1950s]

Turnout built as a fine scale model . Amazing detail , and precision workmanship .

[Caleb Austin]

Nicest looking turnout I've ever seen dude!

[davefoxx]

Your turnout is a work of art.  The first thing that I noticed, which many modelers do not replicate, is that the rails are polished only where the wheels ride through the frog and the guardrails are also weathered.  Nice.

Dave

[ednadolski]

How long did it take to build?

Thanks everyone, glad you've enjoyed it.

It really didn't take much longer than a conventional handbuilt turnout.  Of course being my first P:48 one, it still had its own learning curve.   The cast frog/guardrails/points actually saved a lot of effort on filing & shaping rail, but doing the many spikes added back a good amount of time too.  I tend to work on things on an on-again, off-again basis, so it is hard to put an actual number on the time.

In some ways the larger scale is easier, just because the larger parts are easier to see & handle.  I wouldn't want a layout with 100 hand-built turnouts in any scale, but a small layout of about say 6-12 turnouts like this would certainly be feasible.

Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Geez Ed - are you trying to make me regret N scale??  It's almost working....  resist.... look away....

[ednadolski]

Not at all Gary .  But just to be sure, I won't show you the RC GP-9 (esp. with sound, if I ever finish it ).

If it helps, O scale is ~ 16x the area of N.  The throwbars in this turnout are actually made from N-scale PCB tie material.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yeah... wow...

[Denver Road Doug]

Nice job!  How do you go about something like this? (reference materials, websites, etc.)  I would like to learn how to make Proto:48 turnouts.  I have no desire to handlay track in N-scale but I have eventual plans to move to Proto:48 someday.

[ednadolski]

Thanks Doug.  It's not that much different than handlaying in other scales.  Most of the parts I used were from  Right O' Way; I'd had them for a long time, but was finally inspired by the Tom Piccirillo article in the Dec. 2007 MR, "Handlaying turnouts without hassle" (even tho that was a conventional O scale turnout).

There is a lot of info at the below links:

http://www.proto48.org/ -- Kind of a homepage for P:48 modelers.
http://www.proto48.org/pdf/amts_cat.pdf -- American Switch & Signal Catalog of P:48 track components
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/p48_modeler/ -- Yahoo Email Group
http://www.proto48.org/p48_art_03.htm  -- Impressive P:48 layout by Dan Ellis
http://www.oscalemag.com/

I'd encourage you to check these out.

Ed

[eddykurms]

I came across this thread while I was researching getting started in Proto:48.  This looks truly amazing and the detail is phenomenal.  I just wanted to post to thread to say your switch has convinced me to take the plunge and go for it.

I have been modeling in N scale for the last 10 years.  I like the scale for the panoramic type views and long trains that the scale affords in smaller spaces.  Although I’ll continue with N scale because I have two N-Trak modules and participate in club events on a regular basis, I’m at a point where I appreciate the finer points of modeling which you just can’t do properly in that scale.
So I’m planning a shelf layout like an Inglenook or Timesaver switching layout in Proto:48.

Thanks again, seeing detail like this wanted me to try for it too.
Eddy.

[John]

Glad you found this thread inspirational .. there is a lot of great work thats showcased here ..

[GaryHinshaw]

Not at all Gary .  But just to be sure, I won't show you the RC GP-9 (esp. with sound, if I ever finish it ).

How is the GP-9 coming Ed?   

[ednadolski]

Hi Eddy, glad you liked it.   An Inglenook/timesaver would be a great way to start - I'm still trying to find the time to start some kind of layout myself (and I just started a new job which is keeping me really busy).

How is the GP-9 coming Ed?   

I need to replace a few parts in the drive train.  I'd really prefer to get the reduction tower for better slow-speed performance, but it's basically impossible to find.  Nowadays I've also got to think about installing sound -- I can't imagine doing P:48 without sound....