Templates for turnouts

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Am planning a new HO scale layout, after about forty years away from this hobby. Can anyone direct me to a source of templates for turnouts?

This layout will be in about a four foot by eight foot open grid frame in a spare bedroom. I envisage a point-to point plan, with a reverse loop at each end, with perhaps a few sidings here and there.

Also: Has anyone used what I can only describe as a “spring-loaded” turnout? (i.e., the locomotive can only take the right-hand turnout, but the wheel flanges can force [after traversing the loop] the locomotive to re-enter the main line from the left-hand side of the turnout?)

There’s gotta be a better name for this turnout!

Anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks –

– Dave

2

If you already know what brand and type of turnouts you’ll be using, and you’ll just be using the templates to fit things together in 1:1 scale, you could just make photocopies of the turnouts. I wish I had done that when I laid out my yard. I’ve got some funny bends in the track, but I just don’t have the heart to rip out a 16 sq. ft. yard and start over.

3

NMRA sells a pack of templates for making your own turnouts. They are very nice and very inexpensive.
Peco turnouts will easily allow the wheelflane to pu***hrough the “wrong way” as your train comes around the loop, and other brands might as well. Try some brands at your local hobby shop.
Don

4

Hmm. I’ll check the NMRA idea! Thanks for the suggestion!

– Dave

5

Dave –

You might want to try the Fast Tracks website at http://handlaidtrack.com. They have very graciously provided a complete library of templates for every scale and every possible switch angle. Look under the heading of Tie Templates and see if those might work for you. Good luck.

Mike

6

Dave,
If you have trouble with the shortened URL Mike gave, try:
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/
or:
http://www.fast-tracks.net
Some browsers apparently don’t like the shortened domain name.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

7

When the locomotive comes around the loop to re enter the main, won’t the wheel flanges short the track?
BB

8

Daveaskine, as far as I know “spring loaded switch” is the correct name for what you have described. I have no hands on experience with this type switch. I always thought the “spring” snapped back to the opposite position after the last car cleared the frog. You would need to reverse the polarity (D.P.D.T.) as soon as the points moved to the other side for re-entry. I’ll keep an eye on more replies. Maybe we both will learn from this topic. Good luck.