Fast Tracks

Can these templates be used to do dual gauge track and turnouts? Do they make dual gauge templates or do you modify HO templates?
Thank you in advance.

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"If a man speaks in the forest, and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?"

Hi fasoule,

We offer dual-gauge fixtures in N/Nn3, HO/HOn3 and S/Sn3 scales, as follows:

N-scale - #6 Code 40, left or right-hand running
HO-scale - #6 Codes 55, 70 and 83, left or right-hand running
S-scale - #6 Codes 55, 70, 83 and 100, left or right-hand running

Please note that you can build a Code 70 and Code 83 turnout in the same fixture using Micro Engineering rail. You can also build just a standard gauge turnout using the same fixture by eliminating the narrow gauge portion.

Terry

In addition, the dual gage fixtures are ordered with narrow gage left and narrow gage right. Makes a difference on which side the common rail runs. Check the web site and the paper templates to be certain which one is correct your your modeling.

In addition to being able to construct a standard gage turnout by ignoring the narrow gage portion - you can construct a narrow gage turnout by ignoring the standard gage - but the resulting narrow gage turnout will have a longer geometry than a number 6 narrow gage alone would have. (That's actually a good thing, but does take up a little more space).

-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR

_________________
-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.

Thanks for the information on dual gauge turnouts. Is the a correct or prototype side that the ng is on? I see transition tracks for sale on ebay I guess to move from one side to the other.
You mention code 55, 70 and 83. What size is used on dual gauge? Is code 83 too big for ng?
Thank you.

_________________
"If a man speaks in the forest, and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?"

Based on your last message I assume that that you're looking at HO scale. Narrow gauge can be either left or right-hand running depending on your preference or needs. A transition track to switch from left to right or vice-versa can be used but you'll need a different assembly fixture to build left-hand or right-hand common rail turnouts. You can build both left and right turnouts using the same fixture for the same common rail side (right of left) but will need another fixture if you decide to change to the opposite common rail.

I hope this helps.

Terry,
Product Information & Sales

Rail codes are both a personal choice and related to your prototype. A lot depends on you view of fidelity vs. the operational reliability. All narrow gage equipment can be made to run well on very small rail. But many come R-T-R desiring a larger rail. Code 83 is certainly too large for appearance, most of the commercial HOn3, especially the dual gage, is available in code 70 and code 55. Some are even smaller with code 40. Since you will be running standard gage as well, code 70 is a better choice - especially with dual gage areas. But that's just my opinion - there are others who would go for the larger rail, and still others who will insist on the smaller rail. Good news, with Micro Engineering rails, either the code 70 or the code 83 works well and interchangeable in the fixture, so you can experiment to find what works well for you. If you do want to go with code 55, that's a separate fixture and good only for the code 55 properly.

_________________
-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.