What is the MINIMUM yard turn-out size for modern 89’ equipment (Auto racks/Superliner, etc)? Which is the “best” size?
Hello Aaron,
I’d use nothing less than a no. 6 turnout. No. 4s are really too tight for equipment that long. Oh, they might negotiate it, but uncomfortably. So goes with no. 6s and you’ll be much more content.
Hope this helps,
Paul Schmidt
Associate Editor
Model Railroader
Hi Aaron,
To add to what Paul wrote, the National Model Railroad Association has a “Recommended Practice,” RP11, for minimum turnout and curvature standards for various classes of rolling stock in all scales. You can see it online at www.nmra.org/standards/rp-11.html.
Good luck with your layout,
Andy
Andy Sperandeo
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine
Hi Aaron,
Also, see Andy’s sidebar in the October 2002 Model Railroader on modeling the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal. Andy discusses Peco’s space-saving no. 6 turnouts, which may be just the ticket for you.
Regards,
Paul Schmidt
Contributing Editor
Trains.com
Wow. All of MR’s big guns are weighing in! Personally, even though those long cars will negotiate #6s, to look good and to operate reliably, I’d prefer #8s. Fortunately, my layout is around-the-wall with 36" min curve radius which makes my 8-car Broad Way Limited look pretty good. Smaller layouts may not be able to afford that luxury.
Aaron, you’re getting some pretty good answers here. One thing also to keep in mind…depending on how many tracks you’re dealing with, the DESIGN of the ladder has a lot to do with “what minimum frog #” cars will negotiate. It’s those nasty ‘reverse S bends’ they don’t like…if you can avoid ‘conventional’ crossovers with #6 turnouts[2 lefts or 2 rights[, then do so
…try a modern track planning book like John Armstrong’s Kalmbach book, and do refer to Andy’s New Orleans layout mentioned above.
regards / Mike
Much obliged!
-Aaron
Are the space saving # 6 turnouts the ones that Peco calls “Medium Radius Turnouts?”