Hi all! 
I’m about to start my new layout, and it will have all hand laid track and turnouts. I will use Code 70 for the main (okay it’s a small shortline…) and 55 for the sidings… To give me as much fun to do as soon as possible. I bought me some rails, spikes and PC and wooden ties … The track is from a very old stock, I use Railway engineering’s Rail rollers and my NMRA track template for the actual construction … This is my first attempt: 
The move from ‘ordinary’ HO 16.5 mm to 16.2 mm, is probably the way to go … [:D] I’m happy to report that cars equipped with code 88 wheels roll super smooth thru it.
Congratulations on scratchbuilding your first turnout! Further examples will only become easier as you get more practice.
One thing to think about is that handlaying allows you to replicate the closer tie spacing under the frog that is typical at least in North American practice. Of the commerically available products, only Central Valley and Proto 87 Stores make any attampt to model this closer spacing. Once you know it’s there, the absence of it on other turnouts becomes more obvious.
Graffen Hi
Turnout looks great. I also have a question, On a hand laid turnout is there any wheel drop as the car or loco moves through it? Most of the Atlas turnouts, HO, code 100 do have a wheel drop or rocking motion to the cars as they move through.
Have a good day.
Lee
Thank’s! I will surely look at tie spacing, no point in skipping that part of the build when I’m doing the spacing myself anyway… Regarding wheel drop. There is none! Not even with the narrow code 88 wheels. That is because I’m building this with the instructions from Railway engineering. I DON’T use the NMRA track gauge but instead I use the flangeway gauge, as that has a correct gauge (16.2 mm). The result is narrower flangeways with less risk of wheels derailing or dropping in the frog. http://www.railwayeng.com/rrhints.htm#q5
That is way better than my first attempt. I’ve since built about twenty five turnouts but that one is super.
Thanx
Bob
Nice job, first attempt or not! As others have mentioned, each new turnout gets a little bit easier and quicker to do. You’ll also find little tricks that you haven’t thought of yet. I like to make small undercuts in the point and stock rails where they fit against each other over the PC ties so that any solder wicking under the rails does not interfere with the mating of the point rail to the stock rail. This inteference can be filed away but I find its quicker to make the undercuts and not worry about the solder. Since I use Caboose Industries ground throws to operate my turnouts, I also use PC ties for the long ties either side of the throw bar tie. That way I don’t have to rely on glue to hold these ties in place. I originally cut my rail gaps using an Atlas razor saw but found that rail expansion during hot days can close these narrow gaps (it can get hot in SoCal). Thus, I started using a miniature hack saw from Harbor Freight Tools to cut these gaps on all successive turnouts.
Having purchased PC ties and a point filing tool from Fast Tracks, I also received their full catalog which includes printed templates for each number and turnout type. I made my own assembly jig by gluing the printout of the #6 turnouts to a piece of 1/2" plywood and carefully measuring and cutting shallow grooves across the PC tie locations. Now I simply place PC ties into the grooves and lay out the rails per the template printout. When all the soldering is complete, I flip the turnout over and tape it over the opposite direction turnout template to use while applying the wood or styrene ties.
One wierd trick I found was that I get better PC tie cutoffs when I use my Xuron rail cutter opposite to how its supposed to be used. If you cut a tie with the flush side of the cutters facing the portion of the tie you want to keep (the same way you would cut rail), the cutters cause pretty significant burrs in both t
Beautiful!
I remember my first hand-built turnout - it worked, but it sure wasn’t pretty! I’ve built hundreds since, and still don’t have many that look as good as yours.
Well done.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Nice job, Graffen. It is obvious to me that you are a craftsman. [Y]
Crandell
in tony koester’s article, “Building a turnout from Scratch”, he completely fills the gaps between the rails of the frog with solder and uses a hacksaw blade to recut the gaps. the depth of the gap can be made as deep/shallow as desired. as the wheel crosses the gap, it rides on the flange instead of the wheel
greg
That is exactly how I build mine. I took an old hack saw blade and broke off the last inch where it clamps onto the saw frame. They never wear out the teeth there. It’s only and inch long but it really gets into where you need and only take it down enough to clear the NMRA gauge.
see ya
Bob
If the wheels are in gauge and the turnout is, then the flanges should never roll on the flangeways. The wheel tread should pick up the opposite side of the frog before it leaves the initial side. Code 88 wheels are a compromise, not Proto standard width but narrower than RP25 wheels. Proto width wheels won;t work reliably in trackwork gauged to RP25 standards, and the Code 88 wheels are a bit picky but usually work. Of course, RP25 wheels won;t work in Proto trackwork either.
–Randy
I would like to try that. Were did you get the template from and how much did the rail cost?
Bill
For a first attempt, that is pretty darn good! Looks like you’ve already been doing this for awhile. I can’t wait to see what your tracks will look like once you’ve put more laying under your belt. Are there specific guides/instructions you used? Because they seem to have served you well.
Thanks! I used the following items and instructions when I built the turnout: Wooden ties, PC ties, spikes, templates and instructions from Fast tracks. Rails (code 70) from a old stash that a friend is selling. Rail roller gauges from Railway engineering. NMRA gauge (for the flange ways). Tools needed are a big file, soldering iron (50 watt), rosin core solder, side cutter, needle nose pliers, a soft wood board to work on (easy to pin the rails in place on top of the template) and some barge cement to glue the ties to the rails with. I can build turnouts for under $ 2.50 each! The joy of making them is priceless though…
That’s so true Graffen! I especially like to watch the faces of my modeling friends as they closely examine a finished turnout (or any of the various models I have scratch built or kitbashed for my layout) and just shake their heads in disbelief. Kind of makes you stand a little taller.