Hello, Everything is in the title.... I was wondering if having a hidden turnout (#6 Kato) was really bad? Thanks
And it should be punished into the middle of next week!mg: LOL. But seriously... The location and ease of access determine how bad such a hidden turnout is. Some are VERY bad. I know an HO modeler who has a hidden staging yard located directly underneath his main layout with about 6 or 7 inches clearance between staging yard railheads and the underside of the main layout. The staging yard is about one foot wide and the track centerlines of the turnouts are positioned about 3 and 6 inches from the front edge of the layout. His only access to the yard switches is by reaching to them from the side. There is no lighting in the staging yard, and it is very difficult (but not impossible) to remove or insert track nails to hold the turnouts and track. It is impossible to do any soldering. To replace a turnout that developed electrical problems, he had to remove the boards supporting the entire double ended staging yard to his workbench, replace the turnout and complete any necessary soldering, then reinstall the staging yard on the layout, reconnect the tracks at either end, and reconnect the bus wire serving the staging yard feeders. Some are bad but workable if you are motivated. A friend with a helix that drops track from the main level at 48 inches to staging at 30 inches has a turnout that can only be fully accessed when he crawls under the lower level staging to sit cross legged inside his helix. He is a very large man (over 250 pounds) and crawling under the lower level is extremely difficult for him. Fortunately, he doesn't have to do it too often (and as far as I know, he has never had to do so because of the turnout, only for cleaning the helix). Some aren't good, but aren't too bad either. On my layout, I have several motorized turnouts at the back of the upper level of a double deck layout. In one spot, I have only about 11 inches clearance between the lower level scenery and the supports for the upper level. Installing a tortoise machine under a turnout at the back of the upper level was extremely difficult, but the Tortoise has been performing flawlessly for 4 years and the turnout is fully accessible from above for cleaning/maintenance (with a 24 inch reach). Some can be good, but only when: whatever is hiding them is easily and completely removable, AND you have proper lighting, AND you have full and easy access to the turnout for maintenance/cleaning (including using drills, long screw drivers, or soldering wands), AND you don't have to reach too far or hold uncomfortable positions for a long time to do so. The tracks at the left are hidden by easily removable view blocks made of Woodland Scenics ground foam glued to foamboard. When the view blocks are removed, there is easy access to the turnouts for any type of cleaning or maintenance, and the reach is about 18 inches for the closer turnout and about 20 inches for the distant one.
When you have hidden switches, as I do on my layout, you must plan ahead and decide how you can best access them. As Dave H. pointed out it can get involved should a switch go bad or a number of problems occur. "Bad", you asked? Yes and no. I have a hidden staging yard with hidden switches. All easy to access in the event of a catastrophic failure. The staging yard is lit. When the scenery finally arrives on the layout, built in pull outs will be installed allowing access. The beauty of Kato's Unitrack, is I was able to put everything in place, glue the track down with cyanoacrylate and cut in my blocks. The staging yard went in faster then anyother part of the railroad. The key is planning ahead and having plenty of clearance above the hidden switch to work in...should you be required to... replace it. If something can go wrong it will. My two cents.
The track Gods have awakened from their slumber... This is where you should be asking yourself if you have an imagination. You see, an unimaginative person would just visualize everything working fine and the hidden turnout being a benefit to the overall layout. If you have an imagination, you will quickly realize that the model railroad track gods will not allow something such as this to go unpunished. Oh yes, it is very bad to hide turnouts. You will suffer and pay dearly for your mortal arrogance. I was looking for an appropriate image to go with my track gods themne when I stumbled upon this shot from this site: http://www.goldentreewands.com/godgoddesscostumes.htm Am I the only one who finds this link hilarious? do I just have a warped sense of humor?
It really depends on how hidden it is, what it is hidden by, and whether or not "routine" access is possible (occassional cleaning & maintenance, not rerailing every 15 minutes). In addition to the trackwork/turnout being "bombproof", you will also have to ensure that every single piece of rolling stock and all locos are in fine form - wheelsets and trucks are all in gauge and free rolling, couplers are working and do not cause derailments by pulling or pushing trailing cars (in either direction) off the track. I know one such modeller who has taken time to do this, and his hidden turnout and diamond have not caused any problems in a decade of weekly operations. Andrew
Unless they are within a very easy reach to the operator, try to avoid them. I've tried it on a layout. Won't do that again. I operated on a large HO layout that had one. (Published in several magazines.) It caused some problems. Including at least one BIG wreck. Boxcab E50
Hidden is fine as long as you have absolutely easy access top and bottom to clean, repair, replace the turnout, wiring, mechanisms, whatever. If not, sooner or later you will wish that you had planned ahead for the inevitable.
Train Gods? That's...good LOL'd. However, the Gods of Trains... looks like they have something else in mind. Uncoupling and derailing trains isn't one of them...I don't think. How about the Ghosts and Gremlins that haunt our layouts. Who or what protects us against them? They are definately up to no good. Geeky, thanks for the hee haw. Back to the original subject. In my anything but humble opinion...the Unitrack Kato #6 switches are the best ones to have in a hidden position. The only problem I've had with them is... most likely my fault...as the train is in a metal shed...exposed to extreme temperatures and I have experienced some heat kinks...due to an unusually warm summer. Otherwise....Go for it!
Not at all. If you have the chance to work at this turnout - even after a day preparation - you can go there! This is a view of my staging yard. I can reach the rear train only when I moved the other trains. I operate nearly derailment free. Wolfgang
As already mentioned, your track can be nearly bulletproof, and run perfectly, but one errant wheel out of gauge, scenery material speck on the railhead, or other track god-induced malady will make cleanup a nightmare, if access is not easy, plentiful, and not stretched to the limit of your reach. My layout has 2 turnouts in the helix, and a reversing wye in the helix as well; not to mention 22 tunnels. The tunnels will either be shorter than 6", or have removable tops for access. The helix was specifically designed for open access by the talented ppuinn, as a spiral, continuously-increasing radii helix. There are 2 areas where I have vertical obstructions, and that's at the diverging routes of the helix turnouts. But it's an easy reach. I strived to keep everything accessible, due to the threat of nightmares described above. I hope we have not scared you from installing a hidden turnout, but rather thinking over the options (and consequences) of restricted access. If you want some great visuals of what happens when you restrict access to a long, off-balance reach, or other restriction, search for Pete Nolan's "Stupid Mistake" series. I learned a lot from his 'adventures'. It's not only great info and school of hard-knocks experience, it's hilarious reading!
