Crossover using Finetrax A5 kits

[Timothy TumberParticipant]

Has anyone attempted to create a crossover using two A5 point kits crossing to crossing. The tricky bit is that I want to maintain 45mm track centres so some shortening of the turnout leg is required.

Any thoughts/comments/ideas welcome before I put scalpel to track bases.

Tim Tumber, Llanelli

[Nigel BurbidgeParticipant]

Hi Timothy,

The main problem I can foresee with a crossing using A5 points is that, if you are using three link or similar couplings, there is the potential for buffer locking with curves of such a tight radius.  This wouldn’t be a problem if different types of automatic coupling are being used as they can hold the vehicles apart.

kind regards

Nigel

[John CutlerParticipant]

If you use A5 turnouts, you will not be able to reliably run large tender locos or bogie vehicles through them.
A5s were rare on the prototype for this reason.
I suspect A5 crossovers were rarer still.
By minimising the track centres, the reverse curve is accentuated in effect and will give more problems for larger vehicles.
In cramped yards, especially industrial sites, loose-heeled straight switches were more common.
These give a larger radius curve for the same 1:5 crossing angle and in a shorter footprint.
You could try modifying the A5 kit; the A switch blades can be used for the loose-heeled switches.
But you will probably have to incorporate some new sleepers and chairs and recurve and cut rails.
You do need to print a template from Templot.

I have a B6 to a 1:5 crossover in my yard.
By using loose-heeled straight switches for the 1:5 turnout instead of an A5, I can now reverse a short tender loco (Drummond 700) through it reliably.
My N mogul still complains though.

As regards couplings, my experience suggests AJs will give trouble on an A5 crossover even if all your buffers are lightly sprung.

Good Luck!

[Timothy TumberParticipant]

The intended usage will see nothing larger than a Churchward Mogul  or Large Prairie using the crossover road without anything attached.

I’m not querying the proposed geometry, merely asking if anyone has any advice on modifying the Finetrax bases to achieve the required outcome

[John CutlerParticipant]

I recommend you produce a template of an A5 crossover in Templot and print it off.

By comparing it with the 2 kits (or with the Finetrax templates) you should see what needs to be modified; hopefully not too much. If you use the Templot template at least you know the geometry will be OK as per the prototype.

[Nick RidgwayParticipant]

I’d only do that in some tight yard where little other than 0-4-0s and 4w wagons go.

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