I would like to connect my two mains in both directions in as short a space as possible. I was looking at the double crossover and the double slip. They both appear to do the same thing. Maybe someone can splain to me the diff. Does anyone make them in C100? Tks Terry
Double crossovers are for places where the two tracks are paralel. Double slip switch for when they are crossing.
Tks Art. So I need a doulb crossover then. I was looking around and could not find one in C100. Any idea where I can get one in C100 HO? Also any idea if they are reliable? In other words can a loco run thru them full bore (on the straight thru) or do they have to slow down?
Terry
Can anyone tell me where I might find an HO Code 100 Double crossover? Does anyone even make them in C100? Thanks Terry
I wouldn’t trust one at first for high speed. After a while you may find they work. I have seen them at flea markets. I was under the impression that you could order them from Walther’s, maybe not anymore.
As far as which one you need, think of it this way…a double crossover is what you would use if you had a layout with two separate ovals one inside the other, and you wanted to be able to have a train run over the inside one and the outside one at the same time, or have one train run over both in a twice-around. If you used a slip-switch, you can’t do the twice-around or run two trains at once. You could run a train on the outside loop, but not the inside one at the same time unless you sat at the switch and threw the switchs for each train as they came around - if they ever came to the switch at the same time, they’d collide.
In general, you’d only use a slip-switch in a yard area. If you look at the Walthers catalog they have some diagrams of their code 83 turnouts where you can maybe see better the differences.
Are these a real pain to install? Not reliable? They seem to be difficult to find particularly in Code 100? Should I drop the idea and go with two separate crossovers? Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks for help in clearing this up for me. Terry
Terry:
You can fabricate double crossovers using turnouts and crossings. With Atlas track, e.g., you can use four #4 TO’s and a 25 degree crossing, or four #6 TO’s and a 19 degree crossing, but with either the tracklines will be separated by 3 inches. With the Walther’s double-crossover, the separation is only two inches which is why I plan on using it in my track plan. It’s only available in code 83, however.
Jim
Jim - Well I just realized I had a Walthers Catalog. Duuuuuuh! They do in fact have C100 double crossovers. Shinohara has a #4 and a #6 in C100. #4 in stock and #6 not. Would a #4 be sufficent for a mainline? That’s an iteresting idea using the T/O’s and crossing. I actually all ready have all I need for that. But like you I like the compactness of the D C/O. Tks for the info.
Terry
A.
Straight through any switch should basically be the same as plain track… provided that you are running at something like a scale speed for the location and not trying to run your local freight as a Shinkansen bullet train.
B.
For the curved route…
- How reliable do you find your No4 and No6 turnouts anywhere else on your layout?
All the usual rules will apply… a train can take a No6 switch faster than a No4 with less risk.
- After taking the first (facing) switch to cross over any move will then work through the diamond followed by the second (trailing) switch curving the opposite way… so you have close to a reverse curve. While this will have a short straight in it the straight is complicated by the diamond.
Whether this is a problem depends on how carefully you lay the components. The better you lay it the better it will work. If your tracklaying is good you should have no troubles at all and only have to take point 1 into consideration
C.
You mention a limited space…
If this is because of curves in your layout you may like to consider this…
A parallel and straight double crossover uses two RH and two LH switches - one of each on each side. For US RH running you come to the LH (facing) first then - on the straight route - the RH (trailing) second.
If you swap the switches at one end so that both RH switches are in one track and both LH in the other you will get a semi curved double crossover (try it with the bits you have)… it doe
I have 2 c100 #6 Shinohara crossovers and they work great.The most tedious part of installing them is setting up the 4 switch machines/motors.
You might try Caboose Hobbies in Denver, Co, they might have some in stock. Try other shops (in the back of MR), Walthers may be out of stock, but chances are some store somewhere will have existing stock.
Terry:
Didn’t see code 100 double’s in my 2006 catalog–glad you found them.
Only reservation I would have about #4 double-crossover would be S-curve effect, which can be a significant issue if you have long locos or passenger cars.
Jim
jbloch - Yes I found it on page 318 of the 2006 issue just in case you hadn’t looked yet. My outer mainliine will be CCW and inner CW. I plan on elevating the outer and it will only be on the same level as the inner for a fairly short stretch at the engine service area/yard. So I have to be able to move from the outer to the inner to the serv/yard areas and vice versa. I thought a double crossover would do the trick. However after thinking about it I believe that would not be the answer. I am now thinking a single crossover on the approach to the area fm the outer main to the inner and then further down just the reverse to get the train from the yard to the outer main. I see it clearly in my head but explaing it is a different matter. But hey I now know the difference between a Double C/O and a Double Slip. Terry