Dual Gauge Turnout

Part of the Fast Tracks NMRA Train Show Display

click on images for larger version…..

No, I’m not starting another layout. For the upcoming NMRA Train Show in Anaheim California next month I have built several displays of finished trackwork showing some of the numerous scales and gauges for which Fast Tracks produces fixtures.

One of these displays is for Dual Gauge turnouts, like the example shown above. This piece, HO/HOn3 is code 70 and is built using our Dual Gauge Left fixture. With dual gauge track, the narrow gauge portion can be either to the left or to the right of the standard gauge track is shares. This gets very confusing! Especially because there are left hand and right hand versions of dual left and dual right turnouts. To make it even more fun, there isn’t always a turnout for both gauges, sometimes the narrow gauge will diverge, but the standard gauge will be straight. There are quite a few combinations, all of which can be built with the dual gauge fixtures.

With all those rails its hard to believe the trains can find their way through the turnout! But they seem to manage….

There are several more pieces like this being displayed at our booth in Anaheim (booth 64-65). If you make your way down to California, drop by and say hey!

About the Author:

I'm your host, Tim Warris, a product developer in Port Dover, Ontario. Since March of 2007 I have been documenting the construction of the former CNJ Bronx Terminal in HO scale. For my day job, I design track building tools for Fast Tracks, a small company I own and operate. Fast Tracks makes it fast and easy to hand lay your own trackwork. Stop by our website to learn more!

Posted by: Tim | 06-27-2008 | 10:06 PM
Posted in: 2008 NMRA Train Show - Anaheim | Latest Posts | Comments (5)

The New Yard

Even more from Reading-Jersey Central Magazine 1938

The only image of “The New Yard” I have ever seen. The New Yard was an additional 95 car capacity yard added to the Bronx Terminal in 1929, on the opposite side of 3rd Ave. Who says 12″ radii aren’t prototypical! The curve at the back of the yard was 90′ radius, or about 12″ in HO scale.

Looking at this area on Google maps, this radius can still be seen.

Large version of image here.

-T.

About the Author:

I'm your host, Tim Warris, a product developer in Port Dover, Ontario. Since March of 2007 I have been documenting the construction of the former CNJ Bronx Terminal in HO scale. For my day job, I design track building tools for Fast Tracks, a small company I own and operate. Fast Tracks makes it fast and easy to hand lay your own trackwork. Stop by our website to learn more!

Posted by: Tim | 05-23-2008 | 02:05 PM
Posted in: Latest Posts | Prototype Information (the real stuff) | Comments (2)

Carfloats at the Bronx Terminal

More from Reading-Jersey Central Magazine 1938

Another interesting shot from the same magazine article as yesterday. Two loaded floats sitting at the float bridge of the terminal. Judging from all the rolling stock in this image it must have been quite a busy shift at the terminal.

The 3rd Avenue swing bridge is visible in the upper left of the image and just to the right of it is the engine house for the terminal, the white building with two windows. This building hung out over the water on piles and required the engine to drive over a turnout to access it. By over I mean literally over it on two portable pieces of steel laid across the turnout.

On the far right of the image is the traveling crane that spanned the first three tracks of the terminal, although not much of it is visible.

Large version of this image here…..

-T.

About the Author:

I'm your host, Tim Warris, a product developer in Port Dover, Ontario. Since March of 2007 I have been documenting the construction of the former CNJ Bronx Terminal in HO scale. For my day job, I design track building tools for Fast Tracks, a small company I own and operate. Fast Tracks makes it fast and easy to hand lay your own trackwork. Stop by our website to learn more!

Posted by: Tim | 05-22-2008 | 04:05 PM
Posted in: Latest Posts | Prototype Information (the real stuff) | Comments (1)