Western Railroad Discussion > track question

Can anyone tell me what the fuction of this is? The track just ends at a 45 degree angle. It is obviously like this for a reason. Hoping someone knows what that is.

This in in Vegas off of a short siding into an industrial area. That's the main to the far right.

Brett Wirick
Railroad Crossings
http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/index.html

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Thanks Tom,

What is the derail for here? To keep cars from fouling the main? IE Rolling accidentally onto it?

Thanks Again

Brett

Exactamundo

Thanks for the answers.

Brett

It's already been established that it's a derail. However, it used to be a real turnout leading to other tracks. Look at the frog, it's self-guarded. That thing is old! Once the tracks were removed, it was just coverted for use as a derail.

Hey Brett, also take note of the derail at Arden at the end of the yard just south of the Blue Diamond road. It's on the west side of the tracks and also includes what looks like "retarders" along with acouple of mounds of dirt to stop any wayward cars on thier way to Vegas. I've got pics but I still need more knowledge before I can put anything on TO. Happy 4th.

You the TRACK man Mark!!!

For a picture of another powered derail of this type see the 6th (last) photo on this page.

http://krugtales.50megs.com/rrpictale/p020415/p020415.htm

Or direct to the pic.
http://krugtales.50megs.com/rrpictale/p020415/laurel18.jpg

markgillings wrote:

> It's already been established that it's a derail. However,
> it used to be a real turnout leading to other tracks. Look at
> the frog, it's self-guarded. That thing is old! Once the
> tracks were removed, it was just coverted for use as a derail.
>
Maybe I am old! It seems like only yesterday I was installing new self-guarding frogs on the BN. I think they are still made and used. I never understood the big attraction to them. Perhaps it is related to greater flexibility in track gauge in yard and industrial tracks. Guarded frogs have narrow tolerances between the frog and the guarding face of the guard rail.

I prefered installing rail-bound frogs for several reasons, one being the long, one-of-a-kind bolts needed for the self-guarded frogs. Also I have seen debris in the crotch of the frog cause a derailment that would not have occured with a guard-rail. And they are hard to pick up with rail tongs--you need to use a chain or flip them over and grab onto something in the hollow innards. Of course getting #20 frogs out of gons with a single Speed-Swing isn't a day at the park either.