Posted By Schlosser on 11/09/2008 3:51 PM
Jerry, I just cannot believe you can have all trains approaching all switches frog-end first. Somewhere along the line, they have to encounter a switch, points-first, and be subject to a 'split-switch' possibility. But you are not alone in mentioning this 'impossible' situation. Others have stated it's always best to have switches approached this way.
On a single tracked railroad, a passing siding must logically have two switches at the end of a passing track and one of them will always be approached points first; no way around it.
Art
Hi Art,
OK you caught me.
The truth is that all my OFFICE (wall mounted) layout switches are approached frog-end first but in reality that is not correct because every siding switch must be approached from the opposite direction when backing INTO the siding.
In the case of the office layout since the track is high above a carpet over concrete floor I wanted to minimize the risk of derailments causing trains to fall so I set it up so trains enter into the frog when running but back into the sidings in such a way that if they derail they will be being pushed TOWARD the wall.
Additionally I installed Bachmann telephone poles as a sort of guard rail to prevent trains from falling from the layout (possibly on my head as I sleep).
Jerry