Rich - What era do you model? If you are in steam or 1st Generation diesel era, the more complex trackage was fairly common. As many of the posters have indicated, the double crossover with a integrated crossing would not be in vogue at this time, and probably not since the '50’s or '60’s.
I am failing to see how this is an era dependant question. It would seem that the same engineering and financial considerations would transcend eras.
Ed
If you’re modeling in Code 83, the PICO US style Code 83 turnouts are much shorter than Atlas; they match the dimensions of the NMRA templates.
While I don’t strictly adhere to a specific era or area, I loosely model Dearborn Station in downtown Chicago in the early 1950s. Dearborn station made extensive use of crossovers and double slips in the station and on the lead tracks. I have seen photos that appear to show a double crossover between Track 3 and Track 4, but all of the photos show a locomotive crossing the trackwork, so I cannot say for sure. Let me dig up a photo and post it if I can find one.
Rich
Dearborn Station
http://www.monon.monon.org/chicago/DearbornStation01.jpg
http://www.monon.monon.org/chicago/Dearborn-Tracks.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e2/c1/cd/e2c1cdc32263672d4634faf709051d5b.jpg
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tubbs/ErieLackawanna/192-07.jpg
pictures - some are short slideshows (hold curser over picture)
Yep, the first and third photos show the “double crossover” which, technically does not seem to be a double crossover, but close with a slip arrangement on one end.
Rich
Edit Note: By the way, that first photo is from 1950.
Great photos of Dearborn. Most older terminals have that really cool, complex trackwork thing going for them. I never saw Dearborn personally, but if you stand on Roosevelt Road in Chicago, or at the business end of NorthWestern Terminal in Chicago, you’d see double slips, double crossovers and other complex trackwork. If you can build it and make it operationally reliable, it would be appropriate. They are certainly space savers. Built in an era with lots of employees being around to maintain them. Currently, railroads try to eliminate turnouts and rail crossings to reduce maintenance and improve safety.
Check out the trackwork at the Olgilvie transportation center. It is just a few block north of Dearborn station. It uses many double crossovers and slip switches. They funnel 4 tracks from the west and 4 from the north down to 6 tracks arthru a curve then back out to 14 platforms in about 3 city blocks.
Steve
Thanks for all the input everyone. While double crossovers continue to fascinate me, I have decided to use two pairs of single crossovers for this purpose.
Rich
Double crossover on a pier Port of Pensacola