I purchased a #7 curved turnout and it is advertised with a 28" outside radius and a 24" inside radius. Is this a measurement of the frog or is it supposed to be the curvature of the track? The reason I ask is because the actual curve of the track seems to be less than 28" and 24" (the inside radius actually appears to be 22"). Thanks for any input on this.
So, how do you like it down this garden path? Cuz, like you, that is where you find me…hoodwinked.
This was the topic of another thread just in the past three weeks. Seems the radii are considerably less than advertized, and that they seem to have only bent a normal turnout to get the curved ones without recalculating the frog angles. So, you are right about being cheated on your purchase.
I ended up cutting my ties and webbing up a lot to bend the curves outward as much as was safe. I am happy to say that I got my radii…sort of.
To directly answer you, the radius is meant to be the radius, at track centre, of the diverging route tracks and of the through route tracks. The number of the turnout is what pertains to the frog divergent angle. It means that, if the turnout were a straight one, the frog would permit a lateral displacement of the centre of the diverging route tracks from the centre of the through route tracks in a ratio of 1/7. For every inch travelled toward the frog from the points along the diverging route, you will get divergence of 1/7th of an inch. Accordingly, for 7" of travel from the points, you get 1" of diversion. At least, that is what should happen. Like the radius, it is somewhat different from turnout-to-turnout between manufacturers.
My friend and compadre in this model RR stuff, Don Z, had this same dilema several months ago. He purchased several the WS turnouts and measured the actual radius - drawing them out using a beam compass on a piece of foam.
On a Walthers Shinohara #7.5 the inside rad is 24". The outside is 32".
On a Walthers Shinohara #8 the inside rad is 30" and the outside is 37".
I don’t have the measurements for a #7. Maybe Don will chime in here.
Regards,
I don’t have any of the curved #7 turnouts, but I do have several of the curved #7-1/2 turnouts. I checked them against my old Arbour Models Gandydancer die-cut cardboard curve templates. They indicate that the Walthers/Shonohara 28"/32" advertised radii are very close, if not exactly on, the advertised radii. Are you measuring at track centerline?
Not that I have a calibrated eye, but the radii just seemed a lot tighter than advertised. I then used a very questionable means of verifying my suspicions by using an old piece of Atlas curved sectional track (22") to overlay on the top of the inside radius on the turnout, and it was dead on. I don’t have any other means of getting an accurate measurement of the radius at this time, so that is why I asked here (I also remember another thread in regards to this, but couldn’t remember which one it was). I actually want the 28"/24" that the #7 is advertised as, but I could use a 7 1/2 with no problems. Most of what I will be operating is freight equipment, but I do have a bit of passenger equipment I would like to run and not have it look too terribly ridiculous.
Did you measure the radius of the centerline of the track? That’s the true measure.
I would like to know the true answer to this as I have a R24/R28 (#7) I need to order and the tolerances are TIGHT.
Try getting to ribbonrail radius curve pieces. They are available at walthers. These precut metal templates slide between the rails and are great for getting an exact XX radius curve.
#7 is the angle of the frog. 1/7 or 8.13 degrees
Smitty,
If you have room and will be running passenger equipment through it, then I’d difinitely go with the with the 28"/32" turnout. Even if the #7 curved was 24", that is still rather tight for most passenger cars, while 28" is far more comfortable for them.
I agree. With 28" you can start using real working diaphragms on walthers and bachmann cars.
I definately don’t have any problem with going with a greater radius. In regards to passenger cars, I use American Limited diaphragms (I replace the Walthers diaphragms with the American Limiteds), and when I tried to operate a couple of passenger cars through what I thought was a 24" radius, that also raised a flag to me. They started to bind up, but I have been able to operate them through 24" curves before. I didn’t plan on operating my passenger trains through the diverging route, but with a larger radius curved switch, it won’t be a problem if I chose to do so anyhow.
Thanks for the input. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind. It is irritating because I just purchased this thing. Thank goodness I haven’t got down to laying track yet. If anybody needs a left handed #7 curved turnout, I will have one available now.[;)][:o)]
I went and purchased a 7.5 curved turnout today, and it definately is what I needed in the first place. I didn’t realize the footprint they take up, but I have plenty of room for it. I will just have to find a place for the #7 now. It shouldn’t be too hard.
I also picked up a code 70 Micro Engineering turnout. They are excellent turnouts. I did not realize that they are DCC friendly as well. They also come with a nice little super detail kit that includes a white metal, dummy ground throw. I dont see much use for that, but it will make a nice detail for a scrap pile in the yard.