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Model Railroading > Building yard ladder with PecoDate: 06/23/22 10:18 Building yard ladder with Peco Author: robert162 Dear TOs, I have dismantled my (HO) yard constructed of "ME" ladder track system. My question is this; For longer cars( auto racks etc.) will Peco #5 be able to accommodate these longer cars. TIA Robert
Date: 06/23/22 10:28 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: SPDRGWfan I haven't ever used #5 turnouts. I am planning a yard to handle 89' flat cars and auto racks and am sticking with Peco #6 turnouts.
Date: 06/23/22 10:51 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: TCnR Was the Micro Engineering ladder track system that bad?
I bought the switches but haven't built the yard yet. tia. + agree with the comment below, the ME curved switches don't look right in the ladder. I had hoped to avoid cutting up turnouts to make the ladder, there's always Fast Tracks. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/22 12:18 by TCnR. Date: 06/23/22 11:03 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: JUTower I would not recommend #5's for 89 foot length cars. #6 are on the short size for these cars.
Date: 06/23/22 11:15 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: railstiesballast John Armstrong's advice was that a No. 5 was a fine turnout except in crossovers.
For HO it was equivilent to a short piece of 36" radius curve. I have used some No. 5s at confined junction locations without problems, but these are all part of continuing curves, no reverse curves, as a right curve to a right hand TO followed by straight ahead or right curve on the diverging side. Mine are PECO, which have a little bit longer switch point than ME. But to my eye the ME No. 5 ladder just looks wrong. I used No. 6s for my ladder and like the appearance. Date: 06/23/22 12:46 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: mcdeo If you have the space, use #6. I have all Peco #5's in my yard. While I am modeling modern day trains, I have tried to avoid even 60' cars as much as possible, yes I have a few. Shorter cars allow for more variety in the same space though. I don't run many 89' cars through the ladders in general, but I have tested complete auto rack trains through them and have no issues.
Mike ONeill Parker, CO Date: 06/23/22 13:48 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: SPDRGWfan railstiesballast Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > John Armstrong's advice was that a No. 5 was a > fine turnout except in crossovers. Here is the thing, a track leading into a yard, first track, is essentially like a cross over because it's an S give. As you go further down the ladder, the space in the middle of the S gets longer and longer making it easier for long cars to negotiate. Date: 06/24/22 09:51 Re: Building yard ladder with Peco Author: trackplanner Stephen Priest built a yard ladders with the ME #5's and ran 89' flats through them. Look for an article in RMC a year or two ago for details if interested.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/22 09:51 by trackplanner. |