Explain this turnout to me

[Skipjacks]

This new Kato crossover turnout...

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Kato-N-Double-Track-Crossover-Unitrack-R-Hand-p/kat-20231.htm

I just don't get it. Why does 1 side have concrete cross ties while the other side has wood cross ties in a color that none of their other track features?

I just can't figure out why they did this with the cross ties.

I don't really care that they did it, mind you. It doesn't impact my life. But it bothers me that I can't figure out WHY they made this design choice. And it keeps popping up everytime I do an eBay search or go to Kleins website or something. A minute ago it showed up in a google ad, like it's just mocking me that I don't understand it.

 

[IronBeltKen]

This is only a guess... but I suspect that with many RR's of today using pre-fab switches, those are made with wood ties and they get connected to rails on concrete ties.

 

[Boris]

Until 2008. or so. most switch kits came with wooden switch timbers, so while Prototype tracks built with concrete cross ties were common, the crossovers appeared like the Kato Crossover pictured. In 2008,(or so), Amtrak began rebuilding all interlockings and sidings using switch kits with concrete switch ties. I imagine there are still numerous locations where switches still use wooden switch timbers.

 

[CN2117]

The concrete ties are prefabbed to standard dimensions. For turnouts, the longer ties required are wood. For a crossover like shown, you'd need about 50 custom designed concrete ties (remember, the places where the rail is mounted is preset for concrete, whereas for wood, you spike it where you need to), they would all have to be customer made, ordered, labelled, and laid out correctly.




Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose