Wye for a shunting hole

[WKDOR]

Looking to make life a bit easier for building up/down trains/consists with a hole for a shunter accessible from both of two running tracks:

Easy to do with Aristo #6s but I don't have the room/budget so am looking for a compact solution for a small shunter only e.g. LGB U-Class.

I do have spare Aristo WRs = 10ft diameter LH and RH but what about the Wye? So far I have found:

TrainLi/Thiel 27-1870 Y-Weiche, Messing, 20°, R 200 cm at 165,00 €
Bertran Heyn's Y-Weiche R3, 2 x 15° Länge ca. 320 mm at 79,00 €.

We have installed track/points from both these suppliers successfully already.

Two Qs please:
1. Are there any alternatives?

2. Assuming I end up having to tweak the track alignment (e.g. the diverging curve of the Aristo WRs) which of these two would you rather work from?

 

[maxi-model]

Garden Railway Specialists ? Do both 4ft and 6 ft radius - £115/£130. I have one installed on my line. Max

 

[WKDOR]

Garden Railway Specialists ? Do both 4ft and 6 ft radius - £115/£130. I have one installed on my line. Max

View attachment 241121

Greg

My understanding and experience is that Aristo WR diverging curve is identical to Aristo 10ft diameter curve, not 9ft.

Thank you Max

I was sure that I had missed someone and you're right its GRS. Just a pity its not 5ft radius! Is yours a 4ft or 6ft radius?

It may still be closest.


Mike

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Well Max, even though it is advertised as a 10 foot diameter, it comes very close to 9... just pointing out there's a little "flexibility" in the design of your track.

I have seen the WR integrated into an 8 foot diameter curve, and it looks "smooth" to the eye. Basically the diverging section is so short, it's hard to tell.

Greg

 

[maxi-model]

6 ft, as are my other, more conventional GRS points. GRS stuff is wood sleepered, rail is LGB code 332. Integrates fine with LGB R5 points. Max

 

[Gizzy]

I have something similar in my yard but using LGB 3 way points (R1)....

 

[TLR]

As GRS make their track using wooden sleepers / flatbottomed rail chaired or spiked, why don't you make it yourself? then it can be the correct radius. All components are easily available.

Shaun

 

[WKDOR]

As GRS make their track using wooden sleepers / flatbottomed rail chaired or spiked, why don't you make it yourself? then it can be the correct radius. All components are easily available.

Shaun

Thanks everybody that's helped a lot to clarify what I can do. With a bit of wiggling I can probably squeeze it into 300mm centres on the running tracks.

Interesting idea Shaun and its growing on me particularly as I can recycle some of the parts from spare Aristo 10ft WRs.

But my understanding of point/switch geometry does not allow me to look for an appropriate size frog - any suggestions please? The Aristo 10ft WRs are r=1500 and I'd need a frog that allows two diverging curves of that radius.

 

[WKDOR]

Now see that Bertran Heyn has an R3 Wye frog:

Die Modellbau-Werkstatt Bertram Heyn: Alles Schöne für die Gartenbahn. Messing-Herzstück Y-Weiche R3

Is this likely the closest I can get?

 

[Gizzy]

I reckon that is the frog for this....

Die Modellbau-Werkstatt Bertram Heyn: Alles Schöne für die Gartenbahn. Bausatz Y-Weiche R3, 2 x 15°

 

[TLR]

Thanks everybody that's helped a lot to clarify what I can do. With a bit of wiggling I can probably squeeze it into 300mm centres on the running tracks.

Interesting idea Shaun and its growing on me particularly as I can recycle some of the parts from spare Aristo 10ft WRs.

But my understanding of point/switch geometry does not allow me to look for an appropriate size frog - any suggestions please? The Aristo 10ft WRs are r=1500 and I'd need a frog that allows two diverging curves of that radius.

Using the two running rails you can file then solder to create the frog geometry it works. I have made at least 6 turnouts and a double slip using wooden sleepers flat bottomed rail and flat headed pins ie rail spiked to the sleeper, a crossing was also made with two lengths of peco flexi track using the plastic sleeper and chair, with a little practice it's possible to create almost anything.
Have fun

Shaun