I have a favorite bridge I drive over frequently in Los Angeles that goes over north/south main of UP, Amtrak and Metrolink main lines affording a great view of them on a wide curve with a crossover and several switches (ok T.O.s) along with Metrolink giant shop building and its throat..(it's the Figueroa st. Bridge where Riverside becomes Figueroa, for anybody in the area). They have been doing a ton of heavy work in and near the river as there have been flood lights for months and giant cranes..I finally stopped at night in mid-bridge to see what's going on ( as you can't whilst driving across)..What do I see ?!! A complete, Real, 1:1 scale switch, frog, points, all complete and by itself not within the track..It was like looking at an HO Atlas code 83 No.8 before you fit it in the layout...Beautiful, spanking new on wooden ties and all (of course) but off to the side with (of course) no ballast...They must have lifted it with that crane and moved it as 2nd night a went back and it was futher away from main by say, 50 ft...Some of you have seen these kind of real ,sectional tracks I'd bet..It's just so neato that even the 'realroaders' use sectional, prefabricated track as if they bought it a the train store !! To me that's soooo000oo COOOOOl ! And the sheen on the rails at night under the floodlights has a drama about it all....know what I mean ? !!
panel track has been the construction method since almost the beginning of railroading. I do concur that it is a remarkable sight to see it all brand new before it becomes just another "piece of the puzzle"so to speak. Charlie
Holy smokes, I always thought that for the most part all track was made up in place; that they went/go along laying rails in after ties and roadbed when they were instructed to have a switch put in they spiked it all down in seperate pieces ( stock rails, closure, guide,points, frog) TO BE CONTINUED
Nowadays with CWR, ties and ballast are placed and then rail either spiked or fastened,rails gauged,aligned and leveled and ballast evened.Turnouts are normally panel track. Panel track is used in temporary settings or in the few areas where bolted rail is still used but it has always been the preferred track construction method wherever possible especially since machinery has taken over the lifting and placing of track v.gandy dancers. Charlie
I guess it is true though that , at least in the early years when rail weighed 40 Lbs..they spiked it all in in place, no 'panels' yet..No ?
