Turnouts on a grade?

NZRMac · January 24, 2005, 4:03pm

Can I mount turnouts on a grade about 2.4% or should they be horizontal

Ken.[:D]

dinwitty · January 24, 2005, 4:43pm

is grass green?

sure you can.

cacole · January 24, 2005, 7:01pm

We have turnouts on 2% grades on a club layout and have no problems with them at all, and nothing derails on them.

NZRMac · January 24, 2005, 7:09pm

Thanks chaps!!

I didn’t think it would be a problem, just checking.

Ken.

Leon_Silverman · January 24, 2005, 7:38pm

Ken:
Mounting turnouts on a grade should be no problem provided all paths to that turnout remain at the same incline. Transitioning the divergent track onto a flat incline immediately beyond the frog might present a problem for long wheelbase locomotives and rolling stock. It would be best to rotate these items one plane at a time.

markpierce · January 24, 2005, 8:09pm

Yeah, I’d suggest you don’t change the grade a six inches before the points or after the frog for (in HO scale). Then you should be OK.

dragenrider · January 25, 2005, 9:52pm

I agree with the above statements! I made the mistake of changing the grade just before a turnout. Now my engines pilots hang and my cars uncouple. It was a poor choice on my part…learn from our mistakes. [V]