Hand laid curved Turnouts.

[dcarrell8]

I almost ready to begin building some turnout for my layout. What I really need is some 60/33 Radius curved turnouts as come in and out of a proposed yard.

Is anyone aware of templates of this turnout in HOn3?  Or how it might be done without a template?  I tried building one on top of an HO template with moderate success. The big issue seems getting the exact radius of all components. Especially the point rails, this is where my attempt is the ugliest and all my issues are. I couldn’t use the HO template for bending the points because the template is just wrong for the narrow gauge.

Thanks for any input.

[davefoxx]

No templates for those dimensions that I’m aware of, but Tony Koester wrote in an article in MR many years ago that he would curve flextrack into each radius and take a tracing of each on copy paper.  That shows you where the frog and points would be, and you could build the turnout on your own custom paper template.

DFF

[dcarrell8]

Ah, yes. Great idea!  I can kind of envision how to go about doing it.  Any chance you can recall the name of the article or month it came out??

Thanks Dave

[Chris333]

You can make a template in CAD, but Dave's idea sounds easier.

[davefoxx]

Ah, yes. Great idea!  I can kind of envision how to go about doing it.  Any chance you can recall the name of the article or month it came out??

Thanks Dave

It’s not the exact article that I recall, but Tony Koester has a very detailed article on handlaying a turnout in the December 1989 issue of Model Railroader.

DFF

[dcarrell8]

It’s not the exact article that I recall, but Tony Koester has a very detailed article on handlaying a turnout in the December 1989 issue of Model Railroader.

DFF

Thank you sir,  I have a copy coming from e-bay for less than $5.00 with shipping!

[fire5506]

I don't know how many you need, but if your looking for a fixture to build them in, I'd contact this company and see if they would make one for you and how much. I've never dealt with them but the prices are good.
https://www.blueridgetrax.com


Richard

[JeffB]

I don't know how many you need, but if your looking for a fixture to build them in, I'd contact this company and see if they would make one for you and how much. I've never dealt with them but the prices are good.
https://www.blueridgetrax.com

Richard

That's interesting...  Wonder what Fast Tracks is going to think about this guy.  Not the first person I've seen doing custom turnout fixtures that are similar to Fast Tracks products.  There was a guy at the Amherst Railway Society show in Springfield Mass a few years ago that had a table and was showing off aluminum fixtures he'd machined.  Again, very similar to Fast Tracks fixtures.  I didn't get the chance to talk to him to see what his intentions were, but I assume he'd planned on selling them.  Wonder if Blue Ridge is the same guy, but now he's using different material. 

Jeff

[dcarrell8]

I don't know how many you need, but if your looking for a fixture to build them in, I'd contact this company and see if they would make one for you and how much. I've never dealt with them but the prices are good.
https://www.blueridgetrax.com


Richard

I sent them an email,  I'll get back in touch when they provide an answer!

Thanks Richard.

[fire5506]

That's interesting...  Wonder what Fast Tracks is going to think about this guy.  Not the first person I've seen doing custom turnout fixtures that are similar to Fast Tracks products.  There was a guy at the Amherst Railway Society show in Springfield Mass a few years ago that had a table and was showing off aluminum fixtures he'd machined.  Again, very similar to Fast Tracks fixtures.  I didn't get the chance to talk to him to see what his intentions were, but I assume he'd planned on selling them.  Wonder if Blue Ridge is the same guy, but now he's using different material. 

Jeff

I wonder if you are talking about Oak Hill Model Railroad track supply.

https://ohrtracksupply.com/

He was at Proto rails in Cocoa beach a few years ago.



Richard Webster

[JeffB]

I wonder if you are talking about Oak Hill Model Railroad track supply.

https://ohrtracksupply.com/

He was at Proto rails in Cocoa beach a few years ago.

Richard Webster

Hmmm...  Could be.  Interesting product line, very similar to Fast Tracks.  What you can do when you spend a bunch of $$$ on a CNC mill!

Jeff

[dcarrell8]

I did order a custom Blueridge-Trax jig for a 30"X60" radius turnout.  The fidelity of the jig was nowhere near as good as fast-tracks.  The biggest issue I had was the exact placement of the frog.  It was a bit ambiguous and had no markings as to where to bend the wing rails.  I had a few failed attempts before I got one that worked. 

Once I figured out where to bend the wing rails I marked it on the jig and so far so good.  The only other quark is that the tie pockets are quite short, there is barely any tie protruding beyond the rail.  So if you use standard wood ties to finish out the turnout your PC board ties are not a matched length.

I wouldn't substitute any FT fixture already available for a BR, but if you really need something oddball it might be worth it to have one made. 

~Dennis

[fire5506]

Dennis,
  Thank you for the review of the Blueridge-Trax jig. It is helpful in making a decision.

 Richard Webster

I did order a custom Blueridge-Trax jig for a 30"X60" radius turnout.  The fidelity of the jig was nowhere near as good as fast-tracks.  The biggest issue I had was the exact placement of the frog.  It was a bit ambiguous and had no markings as to where to bend the wing rails.  I had a few failed attempts before I got one that worked. 

Once I figured out where to bend the wing rails I marked it on the jig and so far so good.  The only other quark is that the tie pockets are quite short, there is barely any tie protruding beyond the rail.  So if you use standard wood ties to finish out the turnout your PC board ties are not a matched length.

I wouldn't substitute any FT fixture already available for a BR, but if you really need something oddball it might be worth it to have one made. 

~Dennis