Well, I’ve got my basic 17’ x12’ rectangle going, the yard, while a work in progress, is connected to itself & functional…so now I’m looking aheads to the next loop - through the wall & into the kitchen.
So I’d like to turn the curve just past the station into a turnout, with the main line continuing on,but my curves, to handle my Rapido cars, are all 28 inch, and the ‘standard’ EZ track turnouts look a lot tighter than that.
I’m looking at the #6 turnout, as a solution, but this will seriously impact my single line currently gracing the station.
You can only use a ‘substitution radius’ when trying to insert N. American style turnouts into a curve. I believe the wider radius turnout from EZ-Track equates to a #6, so with some track lifting beyond where you insert such a turnout, and a resort to some flex track adapters to the turnout, you should be in good shape. The # 6 is probably not a great choice, though, because its substitution radius is in the order of 43" radius.
Still with a resort to using flex as an adaptor, try an Atlas #5, because the curve of the points and closure rails will be closer to the radius currently in place near the station. You will have to find a way to support the Atlas turnout, probably best with cork roadbed and some cardstock shimming, perhaps. But you will still have to remove some of the EZ track beyond the three entrances to the turnout and use lengths of flex as adaptors.
There is a Bachmann EZ track #5 that might be a compromise. The substitution radius is 44" and the point radius is equivalent to 23". Or would a wye turnout help? There is also a #5 wye which would be equivalent to a #10 normal straight turnout.
By happy accident, I found that the masonite bases from Kenner’s Girder & Panel sets are an almost perfect height to support Atlas flex in use with Bachmann EZ track.
I’m unclear, though, Selector, as to your reference to ‘three entrances’ to the turnout. Does this mean 3 car lengths? It’s just a simple turnout from straight track, except that I have to make sure it is compatible with the radius I need, and of course I’ll have to do the same when it rejoins the main line.
The ‘interesting’ part will be going through the wall; no drilling here, as it’s the fuse box wall for the apartment…
By entrances, I perhaps should have used the term ‘routes’, which are only two in a standard turnout…through and diverging. However, there are three ways to enter or to leave a turnout where six joiners have to hold them all in alignment.
Ideally, a turnout set into a main line has the through route as the part serving the main, while the diverging route takes us elsewhere. However, sometimes we have to us the facing point entrance, where we run into the points, but then take the diverging route to continue along the main. That is where your substitution radius should be close to the actual radius so that your kink is minimal.
No matter what, once you disrupt a nice radius and insert a turnout, you will have to adapt the rest of the curve outside the turnout somewhat. It usually means tearing up at least a full foot on either end of the turnout, often quite a bit more, in order to keep from ending up with an adaptor curve with a too-tight radius nearest the turnout. If you insert a turnout with a straight dirverging route after the frog into the tightest curve your rolling stock can stand with their coupler and truck azimuthal swing, the curve you make to meet the routes into that turnout will be much tighter and your trains won’t run. You won’t even get to the turnout! Therefore, if you must have a turnout in the middle of a sweeping curve, you will pretty much have to adjust several feet of track all around the turnout, especially if you don’t want any sharp kinks or curves that are marginal or actually too small.
OK, I think I got all that; but this case doesn’t involve a turnout from a curve, but rather extending the straight mainline past the curve, & turning the former curve, into a turn-out. It’s just a big rectangle, & I’m just adding another loop off the long side.
Check the Rapido site as to minimun radius, recommended is 28" so they look good, minimun is 18" will not look good and you need to change the couplers to the longer shank.
Thanks, Don; I had an idea I’d probably have to go with the #6, & then run the 28" radius curves off of that. I had more than a few emails back & forth with Dan Garcia over at Rapido over the minimum radius (18") vs what actually stops them from ripping each other off the rails (28")…and, yes, long shank body-mounted couplers. I invested in the 28" radii curves two years ago.