Turnout options?

Tim, i know exactly what your dealing with. I run all modern scale diesels and i had to actually had to go with different track because of the limited options of S-helper turnouts. I wish there were a better way.

Assuming you purchased SHS sectional track with roadbed (not Flex track) the only sectional track wider radius option is the 27"R FasTrac from Lionel. Others have posted instructions with pictures here on the forum showing how to mate them. It looks straightforward.

http://www.foxvalleymodels.com/SProductHome.html

Coming Soon.

I always get confused on turnouts please walk me through this:

Are the MTH STrax turnouts equal to an MTH 20" radius and a Lionel AF Fas Track 20" radius? Are these STrax turnouts numbered #3?

Are the Lionel AF Fas Track turnouts that are labeled R20  equal to an MTH 20" radius and a Lionel AF Fas Track 20" Are these Lionel turnouts numbered #3?

Are the Lionel AF Fas Track turnouts that are labeled R27 equal to an MTH 30" radius and a Lionel AF Fas Track 27" Are these Lionel turnouts numbered #5?

Are the American Models 27" turnouts numbered #5?

Is the new SST Scale track numbered #5 turnout equal to an MTH 30" radius and a Lionel AF Fas Track 27" radius?

MTH also makes a 25" curve track. If there were any MTH 25" radius turnouts, would they be #4?

Thanks.

SHS/MTH and Lionel make a sectional track system with curves that are referred to as either 19"or 20" radius. They are all the identical curve. The 20" radius turnouts are also identical and are a direct replacement for the 10" straight and the 20" radius curve tracks. SHS/MTH also makes 24" and 29" curves. Lionel makes  a 27" radius curve that matches their 27' radius turnouts. Since all the curve tracks regardless of radius are 1/12th of a circle is is generally easy to work in short pieces of straight track so the track will mate. 

American Models makes 27" radius curves. Their turnouts have a divergent leg that is straight after the frog so they are a numbered turnout. As I recall they are a #5. They are not a direct drop in for a 27" radius curve track. The AM track also uses a different size rail than the SHS/MTH and Lionel FasTrack. The SHS/MTH&Lionel rail is .138, the AM is .148. The turnout number is the ratio of the distance away to the divergent leg to the distance along the straight leg. So a #5 turnout divergent leg is 2" away from the straight leg when measured 10" down the straight leg.  Numbering does not apply to turnouts with curved divergent legs although some have approximately equated a 20" radius to a #3. 

I have attached a picture of some of my numbered turnouts built with SHS rail. From top to bottom, a #4, #5 and #8. The straight divergent legs are clearly visible. These are not sectional track and require insulated rail gaps, and relays to feed power to the frog as well as actuators. 

Thanks, Tom.

Another nice feature obtained by using the Lionel FasTrack 27" turnouts is they will directly operate from the Legacy Cab 2 without adding all the LCS components. 

Just curious, does anyone know know if a des plain stacker car will navigate the fast rack turnouts?

I have converted my layout to tomalco flex. I run ALL scale, so i felt like it was a good choice for me. A friend has ordered some 27"fast track turnouts for his layout and now hes worried the well cars wont go through them without problems. 

On my SHS turnouts, my well cars rubbed the track signal base so i couldnt use them. Another reason i switched over.

snowmanw900 posted:

Just curious, does anyone know know if a des plain stacker car will navigate the fast rack turnouts?

I have converted my layout to tomalco flex. I run ALL scale, so i felt like it was a good choice for me. A friend has ordered some 27"fast track turnouts for his layout and now hes worried the well cars wont go through them without problems. 

 

You can move the switch stand to the outside

https://ogrforum.com/t...cks-you-asked-for-it

Brendan