# A dual-gauge turnout problem



## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

I'm trying to clean up some of the excess rail in my dual-gauge track plan, and I have a particular spot leading up to a turnout where both the mainline and diverging narrow gauge common rails are to the outside of the turnout (common rail on opposite sides). I'm planning on hand-laying a large number of turnouts anyway, but since I'm not finding any examples of switching the common rail through a turnout I am wondering if this is mechanically possible? Anyone ever see such a creature?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I read an article about it in either Model Railroader or Model Railroad Hobbyist about it not too long ago. Just skimmed it, because it wasn't something I was doing on my layout.

You might try looking in the on-line indices of both pubs to see if you can find it.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Looks like MR requires a subscription to view. I skimmed through issues of MRH back to October and didn't see anything about dual-gauge, but I could have easily missed it. I definitely need to start keeping up with their articles -- so much good stuff!!!

In my perusals of google images, I did find something interesting. A guy built a common-rail changeover section without any points. He basically used the guard rails to force an automatic lane-change of the narrow-gauge route, which could be a handy solution to my problem if nothing else works (although I wouldn't have made the transition quite so abrupt).









I've also been playing with options in xtrkcad, and it appears that by using a larger radius on the n3 diverging route, I can end up with the points for the narrow gauge route about 3" behind the points for the standard gauge route, making for a nice smooth curve through the transition area and leaving room for all four points (hopefully). There is one point in particular that I am worried about the spacing. I think this part is also called a frog? It's definitely going to be tight, but maybe changing the radius of the n3 curve would open it up a little more. For the mock-up I dropped down a #8 turnout leading into a 20.5" radius curve, so that n3 radius definitely has room for adjustment without making an unnaturally-tight curve.


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