Which way for turnouts

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’m newbie, setting up my 8’ x 11’ track layout.

I understand how turnouts generally are installed where one incoming track leads to two outgoing tracks.

Can this be reversed? Can trains from two tracks come into a turnout leading to one main track?

I’ll be using DCC and insulfrog turnouts for the most part.

2

Yes, so long as the same polarity of the rails is maintained.

Happy Railroading

Bob

3

Of course it can work that way. Just be sure of your wiring. Or are you using DCC?

Around here NS just took out one track of a two track main line and installed a switch outside the local yard where the two mainline tracks now converge to one single lane mainline.

Why they did is a mystery as they just last year and 2 years ago Upgraded both tracks of the mainline, only to rip out the one track for a single mainline!

So there is a prototype for it, at least around here anyway.

4

Turnouts have to face either way. Think of a passing siding? Two tracks going back into one. As mentioned before. Have your polarity correct +to+ and -to - and you’ll be happy forever.

5

Just look at it from the opposite direction and you have exactly that…

6

I know that…but I’m concerned about wheels hitting the points incorrectly or causing some kind of short going the “wrong way”.

Or is that all turnouts are designed for either direction, it just doesn’t matter which way the trains enter?

That is, there is no “wrong way”?

How about signaling? Will it still work either way? I’m planning on using occupancy detection.

7

Shorts can happen in either direction. If they do you usually have to tune the turnout.

Also electrofrog turnouts will cause a short and should be avoided IMO.

There is no wrong way for a turnout. It’s simply a turn no matter which direction you’re going.

8

I have a large number of insulfrog switches, and also a large number of electro frogs. The electro frogs are no problem as long as you gap in the correct places which is fully explained in the instructions that come with them. I also have several handlaid handmade switches that I did for the NMRA achievement program and they are much like the electro frogs. Don’t be afraid of cutting gaps.

Bob