I am building a layout. I have the benchwork completed. I have the subroadbed for a large portion of the mainline which if completed would allow me to at least run trains in a loop until I get more track laid. My question is: When laying the track on this mainline is it vital that I go ahead and install any turnouts that I KNOW will eventually be there at a later time? Or is it reasonably easy to cut into a previously laid track and insert a turnout at a later time? Obviously I am new at this. I would like to get this large loop up and running and just cut in my turnouts later but would that be asking for BIG headaches later or just inconvenience?
I know everyone has an opinion, so let me have it!
You may have a good idea of what your desires are,so why not install turnouts right away (those that you know you’ll need).However,I have cut tracks and installed turnouts on the club’s layout a few times without much of a fuss other than sometimes move track sections slightly for better alignment.And since operation will have you revise your trackplan (most likely),you will eventually do it.Even more,better operational features often require dismantling and rebuilding sections of the layout.
I would put in the turnouts now, as the track is laid, rather than trying to cut them in later. It’s not so bad if you are just adding the straight section of a turnout to a straight section of main line, but if you’re trying to do anything on a curve you’re probably going to end up re-laying a bunch of track.
I have a couple of “turnouts to nowhere” on my layout right now. One of them even has a working Tortoise installed and wired, but only the main line branch is connected.
It’s easy enough to cut the track to add turnouts later, but is your roadbed in place to accommodate them? On a flat tabletop of plywood or foam there should be no problem, but if your sub-roadbed is done cookie-cutter style or with spline, you should have it in place now to accept the turnout later. Such sub-roadbed can be altered later to accept turnouts, but it’s easier doing it beforehand.
It’s even easier to remove turnouts after they’re in-service - simply cut the rails, lift the turnout, and replace it with a suitable piece of flex track.
If you know for certain as you are laying the main line track where the turnouts will be, then by all means insert the turnouts as you move along with your track work. It will be cleaner and straighter as a result. But, if you have any doubts about the specific location (or, perhaps, I should say the exact location) where the turnout will be placed, do it later when you are more certain. Otherwise, you may wind up with small pieces of spacer track when you relocate the turnouts.
The other issue to consider is ballasting. Normally, you will not do the ballasting until everything is in place regarding your track work. However, if you wait to install your turnouts, that is going to hold up your ballasting efforts.
Having said that, I am always relocating existing turnouts and installing new turnouts as my layout evolves over time and as changes to the original track plan occur. Even though my double main line has been in place and ballasted for several years now, that has not stopped me from digging up ballasted track to install or relocate turnouts. Truthfully, it is not that big a deal.
In my case I added the turnouts as I laid the track. It’s almost a necessity if you are going to attach your track to the road bed in a permanent way.
One suggestion I learned on the forum was a big help later when I started installing switch motors. Remove some of the ties on the track approaching the turnout so that you can slide the rail joiners back and lift out the turnout. I did this and the trains ran perfectly. BUT when you weather your rail don’t paint those joiners. Don’t ask how I know. Soaking them with wet paper towels finally loosened them.
Bob, I had ballasted track, weathered/painted rail and soldered rail joiners, but it was still easy to remove the two turnouts which made-up a no-longer-needed crossover. It would be no more difficult to install new turnouts in similarly-installed track. [swg]
If the planned main track route is straight through the turnout, the MOST you would have to do is to pre-cut your flex and install rail joiners where you know you will need to remove it to install a turnout in the future. You don’t even have to do that, since a dremel disk, or even a razor saw, will make short work of cutting the installed rails. However, if you use latex caulk to anchor your track, leave it out of the area where the turnout will go.
OTOH, planning for a turnout to be cut into a curve will be easier if you actually have a sample turnout - or (even better) a paper template of the turnout which shows EXACTLY where the frog and guard rails end at the heel (to allow trimming off the extended straight track on the diverging route.) You can make a satisfactory template from the turnout itself in a copying machine, and run off as many as you need to work out the details of that 30-track compound yard throat full (model) size - IMHO, the only way to do it.
Or, you could use my method - but ONLY if you are comfortable with the idea of hand-laying turnouts. Just lay your track. When and where you find need for a turnout, cut away the ties, bend the stock rail on the diverging route to the desired curvature (with the needed short straights at points and frog) and install switch ties. Then shape raw rail as needed to assemble the ‘innards’ and spike it into place.
If you need more detailed instructions, my method isn’t for you until you’ve successfully built a few turnouts in less critical places. More detailed instructions can be found by entering “definitely not patented” (including quotation marks) in the Search block. You may have to go to the Model Railroader General Discussion forum (or to my name at the avatar that isn’t there) to get results.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on hand-laid specialwork)
It works with handlaid as well, I always keep a half dozen or so spares mounted to 1/4 lunan plywood, it becomes a matter of prying up the old base with turnout which is mounted to the sub roadbed with caulk. I have to pay attention to what distance my rails are spiked to, as I build my turnouts using the entire 36 inches to avoid joints near the head rails. Ouch, feels good when i punch one of those long rails under a fingernail.