Modifying Ross Switches for tinplate use

It is not so much the flange depth, but the width/thickness of the wheel flanges on the prewar engines.  Years ago I modified the frogs on some Ross switches so my prewar Flyer could fit through them.  I never liked the results and when I rebuilt the layout, I went without switches and eventually ripped up all my gargraves track and went back to tubular track.  I like the tubular track with the prewar trains much better.  

Thanks Nationwide, good information. Right now I'm using the K Line Super snap O72 switches and everything rolls through them, but I'd really like to find a way to make the Ross #4s work. 

I'd consider talking to Ross, they may have some constructive ideas.

Take a look at the "ross plate" section.... will likely solve your issues.  Two issues... closure rails and rail height.

I went a pretty extreme route and hand built my own SG switches following an old Marx design. They do work great with the old wide flange and large gear SG engines, but there was a building learning curve for sure.

So you don't want Merkur O switches? O72 isn't a big enough radius? There isn't a train I own that won't go through Merkur: Marx gear wheel, AF, Lionel, Dorfan, Bing...

For Standard Gauge, it's Ross switches only. 

George

George S posted:

For Standard Gauge, it's Ross switches only

George,

You are absolutely correct!   Ross's Standard Gauge switches are "trouble free" no doubt as a result of SGMA members direct participation in their development, testing and refinement to ensure their operation would work with the wide variety of Standard Gauge trains owned by SGMA members.  However, the same cannot be said for Ross's O gauge switches as SGMA members played no role in the development, testing and refinement of Ross's O gauge switches.  

Bob Nelson

navy.seal posted:

George S posted:

For Standard Gauge, it's Ross switches only

George,

You are absolutely correct!   Ross's Standard Gauge switches are "trouble free" no doubt as a result of SGMA members direct participation in their development, testing and refinement to ensure their operation would work with the wide variety of Standard Gauge trains owned by SGMA members.  However, the same cannot be said for Ross's O gauge switches as SGMA members played no role in the development, testing and refinement of Ross's O gauge switches.  

Bob Nelson

Yep, that's why I got rid of all my other brands of O gauge switches including Ross and bought Merkur switches.

George

George S posted:

navy.seal posted:

George S posted:

For Standard Gauge, it's Ross switches only

George,

You are absolutely correct!   Ross's Standard Gauge switches are "trouble free" no doubt as a result of SGMA members direct participation in their development, testing and refinement to ensure their operation would work with the wide variety of Standard Gauge trains owned by SGMA members.  However, the same cannot be said for Ross's O gauge switches as SGMA members played no role in the development, testing and refinement of Ross's O gauge switches.  

Bob Nelson

Yep, that's why I got rid of all my other brands of O gauge switches including Ross and bought Merkur switches.

George

My Ross SG switches are fantastic--I couldn't be happier with them. 

George, do you know if Merkur makes anything that resembles a #4 switch? Are you running any modern trains, and if so, how do they play with the Merkur switches?

BlueComet400 posted:

George S posted:

navy.seal posted:

George S posted:

For Standard Gauge, it's Ross switches only

George,

You are absolutely correct!   Ross's Standard Gauge switches are "trouble free" no doubt as a result of SGMA members direct participation in their development, testing and refinement to ensure their operation would work with the wide variety of Standard Gauge trains owned by SGMA members.  However, the same cannot be said for Ross's O gauge switches as SGMA members played no role in the development, testing and refinement of Ross's O gauge switches.  

Bob Nelson

Yep, that's why I got rid of all my other brands of O gauge switches including Ross and bought Merkur switches.

George

My Ross SG switches are fantastic--I couldn't be happier with them. 

George, do you know if Merkur makes anything that resembles a #4 switch? Are you running any modern trains, and if so, how do they play with the Merkur switches?

I think we have had this conversation before... 

No, the largest radius Merkur switch is 900mm, which is O72. Only recently have you seen tubular track in larger radius than O72. They are made for tinplate trains. Modern engines run just fine on them. I have several. 

I think you need to decide what is most important. If you want #4 realism, then you won't be able to run some tinplate trains. Also, I find tinplate likes tubular track better than low profile rails. However, if you go with Merkur, you sacrifice realism, but you can run anything.

George

Thanks George, much appreciated. My O72 K Line supersnap switches work very well with modern and prewar trains. That being the case, I don't see much point in going with Merkur. The Rossplate line seems to be the only shot at a #4 that might work, so I'm going to give them a shot. 

Gentlemen, will Ross switches work with tubular track? Also, what does the number in front of the switch represent? For example, a Ross #4. I’ve gone to the website but there isn’t a picture.

Thank you

The number indicates the angle of the switch or turnout;  the larger the number, the more gradual the turnout; for a #4, it takes 4 inches of track for the rails to separate 1 inch. For a #6, it would take 6 inches, and so on.

Ross switches (both their traditional line and the "Rossplate" line) mate with traditional tubular track. The Rossplate switches are the same height as tubular track, so they will mate perfectly. The traditional Ross switches with the wooden ties are a lower profile and therefore require special pins and shims under the switches for them to mate with tubular track.

With that said, the switches are compatible with tubular track. The real issue is compatibility with the trains. If you're running modern trains, you'll be ok; if you're running prewar tinplate, the trains and Ross switches aren't compatible. This is straight from Steve B. himself; I've had many conversations with him about this, as recently as a year ago, and I got the impression that there are no plans to build switches that work with prewar trains with the deeper-flanged wheels.

BlueComet, my apologies but I did not see your response until now; when I was researching the issue again. Thank you very much as you helped immensely.