Using Lionel O gauge tubular track, how can I get to a 4" center to center track spread coming off a O- 31 switch? Happy to cut track. Duerk
You should move this thread to the Classic Toy Trains forum where you will get some answers from the 3-rail crowd.
Rich
To the OP…
Right Church, wrong pew! Richotrain is right on target!
o You can use 6-23010 and 6-23011 turnouts, which have a 30-degree curve instead of the 45 degrees of the older 022 turnouts. Mate these with 30-degree curved sections. A 30-degree O31 curve measures 7.321 inches from one end to the other of the center rail. This will give you a spacing of 3.789 inches. If you want exactly 4 inches, add .243 inches of straight between the two curves (or just make the center rail of the curved section 1/4-inch longer).
o You can cut down 022 turnouts to 30 degrees and use them as described above.
o If you want exactly 4 inches, you can cut down 022 turnouts and curved sections to 30.843 degrees. A 30.843-degree O31 curve measures 7.521 inches from one end to the other of the center rail.
The disadvantage of using 022 switches in this application is the switch motor takes a ton of space on one side of the switch. I am using a bunch of the 3010-3011 switches for that very reason. I didn’t bother trying to get the extra .211 inches, my tracks are spaced the way they fall with just the two switches. [:D]