Track for double flanged wheels - Narrow gauge Dinorwic

[Rob Manchester]

Hello,
I haven't come across double flanged wheels on narrow gauge stock before and I am guessing that it make the wheelset more able to work on track that varies in gauge. The issue comes when constructing turnouts as one wheel of each axle would bump going over the switch rails and the common criossing. So presumably you start thinking of stub turnouts. Some appear to have just stub switches and a normal type of common crossing( which is a no-go ) but others have either gaps in the rails( for the extra flanges ) or a moveable rail to select the route to be used at the corssing point.

I can't get my head round a solution for a layout that has rolling stock with both normal single flanged wheelsets and double flanged ones.

Any ideas ?
Rob

 

[Paul Boyd]

Hello,
I haven't come across double flanged wheels on narrow gauge stock before and I am guessing that it make the wheelset more able to work on track that varies in gauge. The issue comes when constructing turnouts as one wheel of each axle would bump going over the switch rails and the common criossing. So presumably you start thinking of stub turnouts. Some appear to have just stub switches and a normal type of common crossing( which is a no-go ) but others have either gaps in the rails( for the extra flanges ) or a moveable rail to select the route to be used at the corssing point.

I can't get my head round a solution for a layout that has rolling stock with both normal single flanged wheelsets and double flanged ones.

Any ideas ?
Rob

Hi Rob

Have a look at the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. I'm not sure if they used double-flanged wheels, but their turnouts would seem to suit either single or double flanges. Stub blades, and the crossing rail pivots from the same lever that moves the blades. (I'm not sure where this photo has come from - it's not one of mine.)

Cheers,
Paul

 

[John Lewis]

If your track will be suitable for double flanged wheels, will not singe flanged wheels work, because you have already provided for [inside] flanged wheels?

 

[Rob Manchester]

Hi Paul,
I have just purchased some Slaters NG wagon kits - 2 of the normal Dinorwic slate wagons ( which come with single flanged wheels ) and 1 each of the slab and rubbish wagons ( which come only with the option of double flanged wheels ). I am guessing the latter two wagons were only actually used close to the work face where the track may have been battered about a lot more and would be more likely to stay on the track! Once the slate was split and transported down to the port the track would have been in better nick - hence just single flanged wheels. This is 16mm narrow gauge as I have one of the Slaters kits for the quarry Hunslet locos. The easy option would be to swap the double flanged wheels for single flanged ones which Slaters are probably happy to do for the postage cost - but it does compromise the accuracy of course.

That is a nice picture - thanks for posting it.

Rob

 

[Rob Manchester]

If your track will be suitable for double flanged wheels, will not singe flanged wheels work, because you have already provided for [inside] flanged wheels?

Hello John,
Yes I think that is the case. Paul's picture would appear to make that point(!)

Rob

 

[AndyB]

The other option would be to have double flanges on one side and no flanges with extra wide treads to accommodate major variations in gauge on the other side