Building a Wye

Use set track curves and set track turnouts all handed the same way.

It's been many years since I did something like this, but ISTR it took three curves and three turnouts. I can't even remember which manufacturer , radius etc but it works because the curves and the turnouts have the same geometry.

On 09/10/2010 07:42, Mike Hughes wrote: [...]

Yes, make several curve templates to cork roadbed width of the radius you think you need out of boxboard (use a nail and string), when you do this, also draw the centre-lines of the curves. Make templates of the turnouts you'll use, too, using actual turnouts to draw the edges of the ties and the centre-line along each leg. Mark the edges of the Turnout roadbed by measuring from the tie ends, and adding about 1/4" (6mm). Mark the the position of the throwbar and the frog. These will help locate the turnout. Also make a few straights.

Fiddle around with these templates until it looks right, sighting along them. When satisfied, pin in place, and draw along the edges. Also mark the centre-line by punching holes with a nail and using a pen pencil to mark spots. Draw the centrelines, and lay your cork, etc. When yoyu lay the track, place the turnouts _first_, then offer up the flex track, and cut slightly long. Pin temporarily, and adjsut length of flex track, etc.

If you like, you can incorporate easements (spiral) leading from straight to curve as well. You'll find these templates useful in future.

BTW, if you make a scissors wye, you will need less pace. Sketch it to see what I mean. Complication: a crossing, which may have to be curved on both legs to save space, thus entailing scratchbuilding.

An alternative is to make a boxboard template of the whole space, if you can find a large enough box to provide the template material. Advantage: you can do this wherever you have enough (temporary) space, such as the living room floor.... ;-)

HTH & have fun, wolf k.

Would wye turnouts help? I know Peco make them. They reduce the space even more than #4s.

In message , Lobby Dosser writes

The Peco No 4's are in fact Wye turnouts.

I'm up to my neck with work matters at the moment (annual taxi overhaul) then will be going to the NMRA BR conventions so it may be a couple of weeks before I get to try out the ideas I've been given.

Thanks for all suggestions I've received.

I'll post my results in due course.

The quickest way is to get some actual turnnouts and 18" radius set-track and shuffle the parts on the kitchen table. A symetrical configuration with three wye turnouts linked at 120 degree angles by only curved tracks will give you the smallest possible arrangement, but given a corner location and presumably a larger radius 90 degree curve across the corner, then the other two curves, including turnouts, will be 45 degrees each. The tail might look better at a different angle than precisely disecting the 90 degrees of the baseboard corner. This is one of those situations where your personal opinion of the appearance probably won't precisely match the geometrically perfect track layout :-) The tail track can be a good spot for a small refueling oil tank on a stand, or a sanding facility or drivers tea room or ... For that reason you might want the tail track off-set by 50-60mm to provide space for the scenic details.

Greg.P. NZ