I am building my own turnouts and I am filing down the switch points to meet the stock rail. There is quite a lot of material to be removed and I wonder how the builders of full size turnouts accomplished this removal to fit the stock rails.
Bruce.
Switch points are in standard sizes and come pre- milled from the supplier. They are also drilled and have the supporting band already riveted to the point web.
Pete
Prototype switch points aren’t formed from plain-Jane rail. They start life as steel castings, then are forged for added strength. When they are machined to final size there isn’t that much material to remove.
While looking at prototype switches, look at the frogs as well. They, too, are solid castings and frequently include features not found on models - like the raised self-guarding flanges used on low speed trackwork. (Look, Ma, no separate guardrails along the stock rails.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on hand-laid specialwork)
Also note a prototype “stock rail” is just that - an unmodified, plain piece of rail. There is no notch for the point rail.