In the midst of planning my layout with Atlas's nice and free program I realized there are severl switches and turnouts. To me they all look the same. I understand what the numbers represent but what I don't understand is this... Part # AT-2703 (Standard Right Turn-Out) Part # AT-2750 (Custom M-Line Standard Switch Left) and Part # AT-2706 (#6 Turnout Manual Left) to me the look like the same exact thing (with the exception to their direction) What is the diference between the three???
Strthoky Ok lets see if I can help. Sorry I did not copy down the numbers but I will go from top to bottom in the order you have them. A standard Right is a Number 4 right hand. A custom line M is probally a main line switch with a long frog and is a number 4. A number 6 is a main line switch with no switch machine. That is the reason they call it a manual switch. When I built my current layout I used all number 6 switches on the main line and all number 4 switches in the yard. Hope this helps, Shannon WP LIVES
why would one be for the main line? I know the #'s have to do with the angle the curve off right? (double checking) why would you want dif numbers on the main lines? sorry I am being very remedial about this... just wanna make sure I am 100% on it before I start dropping money on em...
Main line turnouts are made for more gentle curving off the mainline to handle long passener cars and large engines at a greater speed than is in yards. All movement in yards is slow for both freight and passenger cars. Freight yards had short tight turnouts, while passenger yards had medium turnouts to allow for "S" curving between two long cars. The longest turnouts were used on high speed main lines where a train at road speed would change tracks on the fly. These were unique in that they had "closed" frogs for smoother safer operation preventing any possibility of a flange "picking" the frog point. Where ever possible, all high speed turnouts are installed in the "trailing" position as to prevailing traffic. So you could use #4 in freight yards, #6 in passenger yards, and on short lines, and #8's on main lines. These would look good, but if you are short of room, go with the largest turnout you have room for even if it is a #4, and enjoy running trains just like we did when we were kids running Lionels. If a visitor criticizes, throw his hairy (behind) out the door!
