from the tip of one frog to the tip of the other. At the midway
point on this line, stick a pin into the roadbed (3).
This midway point is where you want to cut the rails on each
switch. Slide the triangle or square up against the pin, align one
side of the 90 degree angle with the rail, and mark across the rail
head with the marker (4). Remove the switch, make the cut with
rail nippers, be sure the rail ends are clean, and then replace it
on top of the other switch to mark the cuts for that one.
If you are not absolutely committed to using Walthers Code
83 track, Atlas Custom-Line turnouts are already set up to to
be used in a crossover with 2” spacing. No cutting is needed.
Custom-Line turnouts come in #4, #6 and #8 frog angles.
– MRH
4: Use your high school geometry to find the mid-point of
a crossover by laying both switches in position and mark-
ing the mid-point of a line from the tip of one frog to the
tip of the other. The distance is 1 13/16” (46 mm), and
using the diagonal line puts the shirt pin right in the cen-
ter of the two rails.
4
Questions, Answers & Tips - 5
MRH-Jun 2013
