Making a Turnout/Switch Fit Your Space


Do you have a spot where a turnout or switch almost fits? I had a spot where there was a slight curve in the exact spot I wanted to add one! A traditional straight with a #6 wouldn’t fit in so I “bent” it. Here’s what I did: In PhotoShop I took the file I scanned in which I traced the curve I had on the layout and in a new layer imported my template I use to build my turnouts. I temporarily made the opacity of the template such that I could see my trace under it. Then, little by little took each tie and added an angle to it. That’s over simplifying it a bit but the basic concept. The photos should help in visualizing what I did. It just so happened that in was a mixed gauge turnout making it a bit more complex but still doable.

If you have a similar situation that you need help with let me know. It can be a standard, narrow, mixed or dual gauge it doesn’t matter. You may be just trying to fit that one turnout between a few buildings. It doesn’t have to be super complicated, but it can be. That is the beauty of hand laying track. It is easier to fit the track where you need it to go instead of just placing your buildings where they have to be because that is the only track you can buy. You have more options than you may think so don’t give up on that perfect arrangement you thought you came up with.

Custom Curve with Tracing

Custom Curved Mixed Gauge Turnout

HO/HOn3 LH NR Dual Straight Narrow Left Curved

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