Model Railroading > Building yard ladder with Peco

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

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.

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.

I would not recommend #5's for 89 foot length cars.  #6 are on the short size for these cars.  

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.

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

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.

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.