Grade crossings over turnouts – do they exist?

My guess would be that though it could happen, the railroad would try to avoid it because of the increased risk of fouling the points.  Plus, there would have to be a bigger gap in the roadway material so the points could move and that might make for problems with the vehicles crossing (or even getting stuck).  "Never say Never" and all but I highly doubt the RR would take the chance.

You could have the road go down and under the tracks.  That might work and I bet the RR would like that too.

Hi Alex I would agree with Eric the might interfere with the points, can you make the road go under like Eric said or can you make an overpass. This might be hard to do but can you move the switch forward a little it looks like you don't need much and then the turn out won't be in the road. Can you take a picture of that area so we can get a better look to see whats around it. Thanks, Alex

Used to happen all the time.  I've worked a lot of street trackage and we had to contend with auto traffic and moving freight.  Today they try to avoid having those types of situations. 

Greg

Like Greg said....Happened all the time. your diagram is prototypical.

Well, good!

But it does make sense to stay away from the points if possible. Fortunately, in my case and with the RCS #8 curved turnout involved here, the points are about two inches away from the road, so it would probably be OK.

I think it is funny that I and others sometimes pay so much attention to such details when the track itself, with three rails, is anything but real as some many other features of Hi-Rail. Oh well, it is a make-believe world after all, a hobby, and it does keep us entertained . . .

Thank you so much!

Alex

Street trackage in industrial areas often had turnouts in the pavement.  The switch mechanism was a ground-throw type with a hinged metal cover that could be lifted in order to operate the switch.  These were sometimes colloquially called "submarine switches".  All of this type of trackage I ever encountered had trolley style rail with flangeway protection.  There was a steel plate in the pavement above the operating rod so the switch could be adjusted and repaired.

Your drawing shows a turnout in a track that is merely passing over a road crossing - something that would be avoided in prototype practice because of the probability of frequent fouling of the points by debris, and the necessity to tear up the crossing to maintain and repair the switch.

But it has probably been done, even if not often, and my question to any critics would be to show me their model railroad.  Most of the critics won't even have one, I'll bet.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn and I stand corrected.  I'm not surprised it was done, just that it sounds so common.  Pictures or pointers to them would be much appreciated.  I am especially interested in the details as to how fouling the points was prevented and how those plates fit so there wasn't too big a gap for traffic.  Thanks!

There is the case of the points off of the pavement on one side of the road, and the frog on the other side.  Sounds like custom made turnout for the layout!

In East Liverpool Ohio on the NS, there is a grade crossing that has the frog just to the west of the crossing making that crossing over "3" sets of rails.

Here's a picture of street trackage in Houston I found courtesy of Google:

While technically not a grade crossing, it shows how it could be done.  The ground throw is under the steel plate between the points.

Rusty