Single track with passing loop

[korm kormsen]

The thought of running over an unsprung/uncontrolled point may be scary and daunting. I was very wary when I first tried it under power. After the first few passes and seeing that the blades were holding against the stock rail, I relaxed and enjoyed the variation of route.

...

there is another option.
while a manual LGB turnout lever snaps back after been cut open. the electric LGB turnout motors snap to the other side, when cut open and stay that way.
so with an electric motor (without cable connection) one gets the same result like without any lever. - but the electric lever presses the movable rail against the stockrail. the possibility of half-closed turnouts is thus eliminated.

 

[GAP]

I can confirm that the LGB 1236 is indeed 2 R1 curves.
I overlaid 2 R1 points over the ones that I have and both curve tracks aligned, underneath there is a "statement" R=30 degrees 600mm.
So the 3 way is just 2 R1's placed in series but shrunk.
The LGB 1235 I have no idea and will not comment.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yes, unfortunately the "newer" 3 way is sort of "worse" than the 1235 in terms of "sharpness/tightness".

It is sort of a moot point since the 1235 / 12350 is hard to find and no longer produced, too bad.

Like I said, my first experience with one of these was not good, don't know if you are familiar with the Bachmann 2 truck shay, but on very sharp curves, in one direction, a driveshaft will pull apart, the other direction often binds and damages things, but that is usually not discovered right away.

Short wheelbase locos only, as has been shown on a number of posts on this thread.

Greg

 

[Gizzy]

It gets even muddier, I see people advertising a LGB 3 way that BOTH diverging routes are R2, and another guy saying they are BOTH R3

Then this thread: LGB three way point: Only R1?

says:

12350 LGB switch Length: 440 mm Radius: 950 mm Winkel: 22.5 Dreiwegweiche 22.5 - old Version with R2/R3
the posting metioned that this switch was originally manufactured by company AZB in Strengelbach (CH) for LGB

12360 LGB switch Length: 375 mm Radius: 600 mm Winkel: 30 ElektroDreiwegweiche - newer Version with R1 only

And then Jon D has a picture of the catalog for the 1235 / 12350:
View attachment 286022

I cannot find any real authority that has any version that BOTH diverging are BOTH R2 or are BOTH R3.... but who knows...

In any case the original suggestion was from a request to have a WYE switch, and if you ignore the center track, that's kind of what you have.

Greg

I think you need to consider the arc angle of the point here too.

The current version LGB 12360 is 30 deg, so is R1. I can confirm this as I have 4 of these in my sidings, often in tandem with an R1 point.

The earlier LGB 1235/12350 is 22.5 deg and can be paired with R3 points as I have done at Pip's Junction in post #39. These are no longer available new. Mine was an accidental Ebay purchase, as I originally wanted the R1 version.
I had to buy a R3 point to use with it....

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yep, but the degrees do not tell the story alone on the 1235, while the arc is 22.5 degrees for both sides, the sharpness of the curve 660 on one side and 950 on the other, per LGB. So R1 one side, and something more than R2 but less than R3 on the other.

While the arc is 22.5 degrees, it is misleading, because the curvature is NOT consistent through that arc.

The interesting thing would be to measure the frog angles... I completely understand the LGB track design, switches designed to replace a section of curved track, but in my case is the understanding of why these switches have trouble with bigger locos.

The fact that the "R3" side is not really R3, but closer to R2 makes this clear to me.

Greg

 

[Phil_Vincent]

Reinvigorating this thread.

I have just left a job and as a parting gift my ex colleagues bought me an LGB track expansion kit, which had in it, one of their sets of points, which I believe is the one discussed earlier (it snaps back to its original position once a train has passed through from the wrong way).

This has enabled me to create the single track feeder section, woohoo!

Now I just have to wait for the arrival of enough curved sections to make the other end.

It is interesting to note the difference between the Piko track I have used so far and LGB track I have just received. The sleepers are much narrow on the LGB, but otherwise seem to work well with the Piko.

Am I right in thinking that LGB r1 and Piko r1 will fit together and make a 60mm radius corner?

 

[Zerogee]

Reinvigorating this thread.

..........

It is interesting to note the difference between the Piko track I have used so far and LGB track I have just received. The sleepers are much narrow on the LGB, but otherwise seem to work well with the Piko.

Am I right in thinking that LGB r1 and Piko r1 will fit together and make a 60mm radius corner?

Yes, Piko and LGB R1 are pretty much identical (or at least, "close enough for Government work"...) and can be considered completely interchangeable. It's when you get up to R3 that the terminology starts to confuse things, as Piko R3 is much smaller radius than LGB R3 - which is actually closer to Piko R5....

Jon.