I’ve located track with concrete ties for my modern day layout, but I can’t find any switches and turnouts. Do you know where to find those?
In many cases, even though the ‘plain Jane’ track is laid on concrete ties, specialwork is still laid on wooden ties. One reason is that wood is more forgiving of minor tie misalignment. Another is that damage from derailed equipment that would gouge a wooden tie (which could remain in service) can crack a concrete tie, resulting in a need for replacement. When you consider the double whammy:
-
Switch ties are odd sizes and (if concrete) specifically manufactured to meet a specific geometry.
-
Derailments are far more likely at switches than they are anywhere else.
It’s easy to understand why wood might be preferred for that application.
The prototype I’m modeling was changing over from wood tie/jointed rail construction to welded rail on concrete ties during my time period. No attempt was made to change the ties under the specialwork.
If you absolutely, positively MUST have concrete ties under your specialwork, consider taking the standard wood-tie product and painting the ties with a thick grey-white paint before installation.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Turnouts with concrete ties are just now beginning to appear on the mainline railroads, so models of them will probably be a year or so away.
Florida East Coast has been using concrete ties since the 60`s …and there are concrete tie turnouts on the northeast corridor…also CSX has concrete tie turnouts in part of their yard in Taft Florida (below Orlando).
My own prototype (Japan National Railways) started using concrete ties in the '60s - which is why I’m using them on my mainline. Recent photos of Japanese railways, public and private, show some, but not extensive, use of concrete ties under specialwork. Most turnouts are still laid on wood ties, in a country where wood is obscenely expensive.
If the OP is following a specific prototype, then some research into the practices of that prototype is in order. If freelancing, it’s easier to follow the line of least resistance
I presume that the remainder of the turnouts in CSXs Taft Yard are laid on wood (or plastic - no kidding!) Also, the Northeast Corridor is hardly a typical stretch of railroad. What about UP, BNSF, NS…?
Not trying to be difficult, just pointing out that the use of concrete ties under specialwork is not universal.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in 1:80 scale, aka HOj, on Atlas concrete tie flex with specialwork hand-laid on wooden ties)
Peco is releasing it´s new line of code 75 concrete turnouts, and as I understand it, code 83 will follow.