Outer track crossing over inner track (N gauge)

[E Greene]

Hi

 

Say I have a loop of double parallel track going around in an oval.  What parts do you use to get the outer track to crossover the inner so you have the two parallel tracks breaking off to another section if that makes sense.  I use peco and electrofrog points.

 

Thank you.

[RobinofLoxley]

You could do with track planning software such as Anyrail which has a free demo version.

 

You need two turnouts and a cross-over or slip as shown below

 

Drawing shows Streamline elements but Setrack can be used.

 

I drew in OO but the principle is the same

Edited September 3, 2023 by RobinofLoxley

[KingEdwardII]

I have a double track junction like the top one in @RobinofLoxley 's diagram above, built using large radius Peco turnouts and a long crossing.

 

What will take you some effort is getting the power feeds for the long crossing sorted out. My recommendation is to fully isolate the long crossing (IRJs on all the rails) and then have wiring to set the polarity of the 2 frogs. In my case this is done using the point motor on the outermost turnout (ie top one in the diagram), making the simple assumption that the setting of this turnout determines whether a train can traverse the long crossing to/from the outer track - which it should if things are correctly interlocked. This typically requires the point motor to have two switches linked to the motor position - as available with MP5 and Cobalt pms, for example - one for each frog on the long crossing.

 

If you are not using point motors, you will have to provide the equivalent function with switches.

 

Yours, Mike

[Chimer]

7 hours ago, KingEdwardII said:

What will take you some effort is getting the power feeds for the long crossing sorted out.

 

True, and so I would probably go for an insulfrog crossing 😝 ..... at a double junction I would expect most trains to be carrying enough speed not to stall on the frogs.

[E Greene]

Thanks Gents.  Used SCARM but I did think there would be a way with the bits out of the box.

[DCB]

 

[Guest]

Just to note that in modern era, a second track for the diverging route can be formed from a switch to the left of the crossover in the bottom image shared by @DCB. The other alternative, is that you have a single lead junction as shown and then the single track divides into two after the junction.

 

An example of the former is at Meadowhall station just north of Sheffield where the Barnsley and Rotherham lines meet. That layout has three tracks for a fair distance. An example of the latter is at Darlington, to the south of the station, where the route from Middlesbrough joins the ECML.

 

Network Rail and late BR practice tend to avoid crossovers in favour of switches.  

[DCB]

@Gatesheadgeek 

[E Greene]

Thanks DCB.  I'm only messing as I don't model realistically.  In your top diagram what are the parts you are using to create the two track split please?