# Switchers?



## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

Is there an easy explanation for what switchers are and what they do please? I just read an explanation three times in one of my beginner rr books and am still lost...


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Are you talking about switcher locomotives or something else? Please give a little more context.

Mark


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

Mark VerMurlen said:


> Are you talking about switcher locomotives or something else? Please give a little more context.
> 
> Mark


Switchs re track, switchbacks, line switches, circuit boards called switchlts and switch8s for switch machines, something called a Plymouth switcher HO,???


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Thlorian said:


> Switchs re track, switchbacks, line switches, circuit boards called switchlts and switch8s for switch machines, something called a Plymouth switcher HO,???


Your original post made it sound like you're confused about one particular item. In your follow-up post, you list a half dozen different things which are pretty different from one another. I'm hoping you don't need an explanation of what all half dozen items are, but maybe you do???

Mark


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

Mark VerMurlen said:


> Your original post made it sound like you're confused about one particular item. In your follow-up post, you list a half dozen different things which are pretty different from one another. I'm hoping you don't need an explanation of what all half dozen items are, but maybe you do???
> 
> Mark


Lol...true! How about just one please re switches re track...the others come up in magazine reading/ads...

UPDATE...Lightbulb finally went off on my understanding of track switches, thanks...


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Even though you figured out what was confusing you, let me say a few things. 

Track switches are often called Turnouts to help differentiate them from electrical switches on our model railroads. Turnouts typically have a straight through section of track and then a divergent section that goes off to either the left or right, hence the naming of Left Hand or Right Hand turnouts. There is such a thing as a turnout where both the through track and the divergent track are curved. I've got a few on my layout since they help save space. You'll often see turnouts listed as #4, #5, or #6. This tells you how "sharp" the divergent track turns away from the through track. There's an actual formula that gives you the numbers above, but its easiest to remember that smaller numbers give you sharper angles away from the main through route. You typically want higher numbered turnouts on your mainline higher speed track sections since taking the divergent route is less jolting to the train and can be done at higher speeds. The lower number turnouts help you save space on your layout and are typically used in yards or spurs where speeds are lower and you want to fit several turnouts into a small area.

Hope that gives you some basics.

Mark


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

Mark VerMurlen said:


> Even though you figured out what was confusing you, let me say a few things.
> 
> Track switches are often called Turnouts to help differentiate them from electrical switches on our model railroads. Turnouts typically have a straight through section of track and then a divergent section that goes off to either the left or right, hence the naming of Left Hand or Right Hand turnouts. There is such a thing as a turnout where both the through track and the divergent track are curved. I've got a few on my layout since they help save space. You'll often see turnouts listed as #4, #5, or #6. This tells you how "sharp" the divergent track turns away from the through track. There's an actual formula that gives you the numbers above, but its easiest to remember that smaller numbers give you sharper angles away from the main through route. You typically want higher numbered turnouts on your mainline higher speed track sections since taking the divergent route is less jolting to the train and can be done at higher speeds. The lower number turnouts help you save space on your layout and are typically used in yards or spurs where speeds are lower and you want to fit several turnouts into a small area.
> 
> ...


Yes, this helps very much so, thanks. :smilie_daumenpos:. I was wondering about the numbers re turnouts...thank you! Lots of reading for me today re intro books to n scale model rr and intro to DCC...


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

A question in one of your posts mentioned
the Plymouth switcher.

It is one of several smaller locomotives generally
used to move cars around a yard, or in the case
of the Plymouth, around tracks in an industry. The
railroad would drop the incoming freight cars
on a spur on the industry property, then the
industry's own employees used a Plymouth or
similar loco to move them where needed.

They were smaller since it was expected that
they would move only a few cars at a time.

It is available in N Scale:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-MDT-Plymouth-Switcher-s/3274.htm

Don


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## Thlorian (Jan 10, 2017)

DonR said:


> A question in one of your posts mentioned
> the Plymouth switcher.
> 
> It is one of several smaller locomotives generally
> ...


Interesting and cool - even being smaller locos, they must still be quite strong - thanks for the info!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

It should be pretty obvious from context whether you're talking about a locomotive, trackwork, or wiring. That should give you a clue where to look.

As for advertising, I'd ignore it. If you don't know what they're selling, then you don't need it.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

I found this "Beginners Glossary" I think may helpful for you.

http://www.nmra.org/beginners-glossary


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