Is this correct in having a very short rail between the common crossing and the plain track
Or should the rail joint be moved to the end of the timbers?
If it is the latter, what happens with the stock rail where it exceeds 60'
Hi John,
This is a typical prototype arrangement at a crossover. The vee rails are not modified from their standard length. In a short-angle crossover that's likely to mean that the stock rail joints are behind the check rails:
If the stock rail would exceed 60ft from the switch heel joint (only likely on longer turnouts) there would be another joint in the stock rail somewhere in the middle of the turnout (with timbering closed up for it).
But practice differs between railway companies. The vee rails might be shortened from the standard length, and the timbering might be altered to provide closer spacing at the joint. The vee rails are unlikely to be lengthened, as that would mean a special order from the p.w. crossing shop.
On a model you have the additional complication of providing isolation gaps around V-crossings, and not bridging the gaps with the check rails if using soldered construction.
In Templot currently the joint in the stock rail is omitted from the templates, so that you can mark them up manually as required in each case.
However, I have done a lot of work on this in the next program update, 227a. Here is a bit of scruff video showing that:
https://flashbackconnect.com/Default.aspx?id=HKcLtnVOsx2_-aQm9v1-KA2
and more about all this at:
https://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=3718&forum_id=1
In fact the 227a update now includes a lot more than that -- a complete new function to add dropper marks, isolation gaps and rail joint marks anywhere you like on the templates.
The snag is that you find me in something of a bind -- there is a mass of new stuff in 227a, but try as I might I just can't seem to get it finished and released. Something else keeps cropping up to take up my time. There has been a need to get this new Templot Club forum up and running, and at present I'm tied up in creating a searchable archive of all the old stuff -- that's over 3,600 topics and 30,000 posts, working links between them, and all the gallery images and file attachments.
As you can see from the date on the above link, it's many months since the last update, but at present I'm sorry, I can't say when the next one will finally be ready.
For plain track joints at turnout exits, there is more discussion here:
https://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=157&forum_id=1#p30248
cheers,
Martin.