Atlas turnouts #6

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi all,

Recently i purchased some #6 turnouts and have just relized how long they are (stupid newbie!).

So as i basic question, are you able to trim the trailing edge rails to make the overall length of the switch shorter?

thanks

Jay

2

yes ,Ive herd of it being done with success ,but you must know that it can change the track to track clearance in certain ladder formats etc. I myself have not done it but would if needed . but I think your only going to pickup an inch or so . cutter beware …Jerry

3

hi

the trick is to obtain the spacing you want. In situation A, i used two #6 switches right out of the box to get a 2 inch spacing. This is a standard value, that is probably why those switches are made that way.

Try to get 2 inches of spacing in other then cross-over situations.

Sometimes you have to trim, sometimes to add an extra piece of track.

Paul

4

Why would you want to?

Are you talking about the straight track ends of the turnout or the shorter divergent track?

What brand of turnouts did you purchase?

Rich

5

I tried in the past and had mixed results. This time I got PECO’s which are shorter.

6

Well, you can shorten them a little. But shortening a #6 will not make it the same as a #4, if that’s what you really need. A #4 has a sharper angle of divergence for one thing. So if a #4 is what you need, then you really should buy that instead and save your #6’s for where you can use them.

Enjoy

Paul

7

I would save it, you will need it sooner or later.

8

I’ve done this successfully many times. On all three tracks. You can’t get too close to the crossbar/points so that they won’t function properly. It is key to remember that you can’t change the basic approach(tangent/radius) too much however. For example you can’t have an 18" radius feeding into a reduced straight section going into the points and expect large locos to behave.

#6s have different frogs than #4s, as do the new #8s

Peco are shorter and easier to install sometimes. Remember though they are power routing.

Richard

9

I always trim them back to get away from that train-set look.