I recently installed a 3 way turnout on my layout, I was just wondering do they exist on real railroads? I don’t remember ever seeing one. Thanks
yes, but they are rather rare, like slip switches.
Willist, if you get a chance to look through any books on the East Broad Top narrow gauge railroad, find a pic of their 3 way stub switches. Rather unusual and would make interesting modeling.
3-ways are like slip switches – they save space.
The nit-pickers like to differentiate between true 3-ways and lap switches – in a true 3-way, all the points end at the same place. Not a pleasant sight.
I’ve also seen a picture of a 4-way.
I was looking at a picture today (Kings Cross in London?) and there is a 3-way/lap where both roads come off the SAME side.
One of the most common uses of a 3 way is in a hump yard. They are used to branch the bowl tracks out quickly as the cars roll down. This cuts down on the number of switches required to reach any track. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
In Iain Rice’s book Mid-sized & Manageable Track Plans, there is a pic of a prototype 3-way turnout on page 56. It’s a 3-way stub turnout on the Virginia & Truckee.
Ray out
Have one at the Sacramento Railroad Museum…really cool!