Hi

I always had this doubt in my mind. Suppose a single track that has a turnout leading to 2 parallel tracks, for instance at a station. Then, at the end, there is another turnout and we get a single track again. There is a train going in one of the traks and when it reaches the end turnout, its blades should be in the correct position for the train to continue its way. My question is: does it have to be like this? In the model layout, it is not, the train forces the turnout blades without any problem, you only take care of this if you wish to have things functioning perfectly.

But what happens in reality?
- Could the train continue without problems, forcing the turnout to move accordingly?
- Would the turnout move without problems and return to their original position afterwards, as in the model?
- Would the train derail? (I doubt)
- Would the turnout be damaged?

I know that this no problems for the tramways, at least in Lisbon, they force the turnout to change position and it stays in that new position, no problem. But with trains I don't know. And if they must always be in the correct position this really means a very carefull controlling system...

Cheers,

Nuno

I always wonder if three-way turnout exists in the real world.

Thank you!

You'll have de-railments.
the tongue is in a solid position and if the train would approach a turnout not being in the right position, it would climb the track and de-rail.

Sorry to disagree, but it's highly unlikely that the train would derail. Usually the point rodding or motor is damaged unless the point is designed to be run through.

I once ran through a set of points with a small light shunting loco. The points were designed to be run through but unfortunately someone had wedged a wooden "scotch" between the open blade and the running rail. Even with such a small loco (an ex-BR 204hp Drewry) the result was no derailment and a bent point blade. With real trains the weight usually means the track is first to give way when there is conflict between them.

Cheers,

Peter.

Real trains can quite easily run through turnouts set against them, unless the point blades are locked.
It is done all the time.

It is frequently done on purpose to allow trains from direction A to proceed into the loop at turnout set A, on the left track, and exit the loop against the turnout blades at point set B. The turnout set B is of course set for trains from direction B to go into the other track, and exit aginst the turnout set A.
This saves any person having to reset the turnouts for each train, and allows trains to easily cross one another.
I have seen this hundreds of times.

When the train goes through the switch blades set against it, the lever of the turnout is actually thrown quite violently, but always seems to survive.

I really like the way the Märklin track system allows this real feature to be done in miniature.
In contrast, it is in my opinion, impossible to do this in a 2 rail system, because of the resultant short in the circuit when the wheels happen to touch the open blade on one side.

Somebody who uses Trix 2 rail C track may be able to confirm this or otherwise.

regards
Kimball

Works perfectly with Fleischmann Profi normal points. I doubt it would work with Trix C or any other 2 Rail point that has a switched powered frog.

Cheers,

Peter.

I am unearthing this old thread, because I stumbled over a German standard gauge commuter line using sprung turnouts (German: Rückfallweiche):

The Three Lakes Railway (German: Dreiseenbahn) is a 19.2 km (11.9 mi) long - or short - line in the German state of Baden-Württemberg branching southwards from the Höllentalbahn railway, from Freiburg im Breisgau to Donaueschingen, at Titisee station. Along its route it serves stations and halts at Feldberg-Bärental, Altglashütten-Falkau, Aha and Schluchsee, before terminating at Seebrugg.

Sprung turnouts, which can be used at 40 km/h, allow trains to cross at the stations without having to change the points, i.e. a train sets its own route with the help of the sprung turnouts.

German sources:
https://www.3seenbahn.de...hte-funkleitbetrieb.html
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreiseenbahn

Thre are modern turnouts in the prototype, that allow trains to pass slowly through a turnout from a siding, even when the turnout isn’t set properly:

https://www.bsverkstader.se/vaexeldriv/

(Page in Swedish, use e.g. Google translate)

Very interesting Jean, but do you realize that you react to a more than 13 years old post?

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(1) Noting that the sprung turnout is not an invention of the model railroad industry, I resurrected this thread because I found additonal information relating to standard gauge "Rückfallweichen" in Germany (used for easing train crossings in the Black Forest), as sprung turnouts were subject of an ensuing debate in 2009 - see below:

(2) Meanwhile I detected another example in Ingolstadt. As of 2:10 this four years old video documents how a train (or just a locomotive?) runs through several turnouts set against it before reversing into a parallel track without resetting any turnout.

When I started with the signals and telecomms department of British Railways in the 70s there were lots of spring points including those on the mainlines. Mostly these were catch points designed to divert or derail any waggons that might break loose from an ‘unfitted’ train climbing a gradient. When my region (SR) went fully fitted (continuous brakes) these spring points were abolished. However in depôts and other lines spring points continued to be used. At a junction near Aldershot it wasn’t until about 2015 that some trailing junction points were motorised although leading up to this a speed limited had been introduced over them. Prior to that they took a hell of a bashing and would frequently begin to shake apart. As usual the platelayers who should have been responsible for the fittings would say that they had neither the experience, knowledge or tools to maintain them so it fell to us to rebuild them. There were some passing loops on very minor lines which had spring points each end with an indicator to the drivers approaching in a facing direction that the points were in the correct position.
Trailable points are very useful on Märklin railways, something I miss on my (original Meccano made) Hornby Dublo one.
ChrisG