[Guide]: How to get rid of derailments on turnouts (Updated).

[Andrey]

Update: 3 new videos were added in the end of main post: modified double slip and 3-way turnout in action; how to modify double slip (Part 1 and Part 2).

Hello! Here I will explain, how to modify turnouts to get rid of derailments on them. To achieve this, the following should be done:
1) Install high guard rails on your turnout. My turnouts are equipped with guard rails, which are 0.6 mm (0.0236'') higher than the top of the rails. This prevents derailments on the frog while allows diesel gearboxes to move above them.
2) If blades of turnout are not sharp enough, they should be sharpened. This will prevent flanges of wheels to climb up the blade.
3) Blades of turnout should be at the same height as the top of the rails, or slightly higher. If blade is lower than the top of the rails, you should glue a shim on the sleeper to rise it up. Try at least rise up the beginning of the blade.
4) All sharp angles should be smoothened with file. I will show this in following video.

This is video of modified turnouts in action:

This is detailed video how to modify turnouts:

Modified double slip and 3-way turnout in action:

How to modify double slip, Part 1:

How to modify double slip, Part 2:

 

[logandsawman]

Interesting information, I found myself making shims out of toothpicks for a couple of my turnouts because of the very reason you alluded to!

Thanks, Dave

 

[Patrick]

Good information.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Andrey]

Thank you for your answers guys! I am glad to hear, that this guide was helpful.

 

[Andrey]

Update: 3 new videos were added in the end of main post: modified double slip and 3-way turnout in action; how to modify double slip (Part 1 and Part 2).

 

[Andrey]

Comparison of turnouts (HO, Kadee truck):
Turnout with high guard rails:

https://imgur.com/U3MIeTz

Turnout with standard guard rails:

https://imgur.com/60N8jZK

 

[MHinLA]

When I had my last layout I had Atlas straight and Shinohara curved switches, and never once had a derailment caused by either. Come to think of it, i truly don't remember any derails at all...Honest..How does raising the guard rails do more than the normal guard rails; the back of wheel/wheels are behind them, serving to keep frog side wheels from picking the frog's point, wrongly. If you're suggesting the wheels tend to lift up when entering the guard rail channel, then the channel is too narrow for some wheel thicknesses. Or, out of gauge wheel/axle sets are causing the wheels to climb up, out of the channel...
You are very nice person to post all this. But, I must say: I don't know about others, but I would not want my guard rails to look like your modified ones unless I were into tinplate / high rail. But, HO/N ? No..
In closing I want to say: My post in no way is a flame out or put down as it might sound.. It's just my constructive criticism.. And to be honest this particular problem has hardly come up over the years and years in this and other train forums, private, and club MRRs...This leads me to conclude that only few others experience this much TO derailment, in turn looking like it's something particular to your's and a small group of others' situations...
Cheers, M

 

[Andrey]

And how does raising the guard rails do more than the normal guard rails

Hello. First, look at standard guard rail. Wheel have very small contact with guard rail. If locomotive run at high speed, the wheel can easily slide from guard rail towards the frog.

https://imgur.com/60N8jZK

Now, if you use high guard rail, than the contact between wheel and guard rail is much more reliable. It is impossible for wheel to jump over this guard rail. If opposite wheel derail on the frog, high guard rail will force wheelset to return back to the rails.

https://imgur.com/U3MIeTz

Also you didn't mention, what was the radius of your curved turnouts? What locomotives did you run on them? Was the speed high?
I run 4-8-4 locomotives in HO on 19'' curved turnouts at high speed. This is the main advantage of high guard rails: they allow you to run large locomotives on small turnouts. This allows to build more interesting layout at the same space.

 

[beiland]

First problem is you should have identified the brand of turnout you were going to talk about.

Second problem: I experimented and played with the same idea of utilizing a slightly higher guard rail shim. Yes it works, BUT what happens when you clean your track with some sort of track cleaning car? So then one ask themselves why make it higher?

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/...ith-a-double-curve-turnout.31140/#post-455070

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/...s-for-peco-100-guard-rails.31169/#post-452488 (I see you discovered this discussion and added your posting to it)

At first I liked the idea of possibly making the shim piece a bit higher, but when I thought about the simple act of running a track cleaning/dusting pad type care around a somewhat large layout, I nixed the idea rather quickly. Now its come down to metal or plastic shim,...AND how to glue those shims on thoroughly to the existing guide without gluing the pressuring tool on as well??

 

[Andrey]

First problem is you should have identified the brand of turnout you were going to talk about.
Second problem: I experimented and played with the same idea of utilizing a slightly higher guard rail shim. Yes it works, BUT what happens when you clean your track with some sort of track cleaning car?

Hello.
1) The brand of my turnouts is Piko (German manufacturer).
2) You can use Centerline cleaning car (use it without rubber band). The cleaning element of this car can jump over high guard rails.

AND how to glue those shims on thoroughly to the existing guide without gluing the pressuring tool on as well?

I didn't use pressuring tool, I pressed shims with my fingers. I used super glue-gel. Of course my fingers were also contaminated with glue. Later I began gluing large shims to the guard rails, and after it I trimmed their edges with hobby knife to make them duplicate the shape of guard rail.

 

[Andrey]

Real turnouts with high guard rails