What is the difference between the HO scale EZ track #'s 4, 5, and 6 turnouts? The only difference I can see is the length of the turnout?
The difference is the angle of departure of the divergent track.
For a number four, it is 1 in 4 or 14.36o
For a number five, it is 1 in 5 or 11.48o
For a number six, it is 1 in 6 or 9.56o
For a number eight it is 1 in 8 or 7.17o
The indicated angles are the theoretical values measured at the frog.
Jim
That is essentially the difference . It takes approximately four times the width of the distance between the rails to cross over on a #4 turnout , five times the distance for a #5 , and six times the distance for a #6. this therefore effects the angle that the track diverges from the straight line of the track. Since car length affects the ability of cars to cross over smoothly, the longer the distance puts less of a sideways pull on the car , so it might derail less often.
Thanks for the info guys. A #4 turn out should help my larger engines negotiate the turns onto the sidings
Quote from: LRL on December 12, 2010, 07:40:31 PM
Thanks for the info guys. A #4 turn out should help my larger engines negotiate the turns onto the sidings
If you are using larger locomotives, I would suggest at least a #5 or preferably a #6 for best results.
Thanks, I changed the couplers on the engines to the Mark II Long shank and now they make the turn on the regular turn outs some of the time, so I thought I will try a set of #4 turnouts on one of the sidings to see if that will fix the derail problem.