As I’m now in the design period of my garden RR, I’m looking at switch size, I have already collected 8 of the large 1600 series LGB switches, but would still like to purchase another 6 or so. Since my railroad will be all narrow gauge and the biggest engines I will most likely run will be the LGB Moguls I,m thinking of using the 1200 series switches for spurs and yards. Due note a few things here, I will not use body mount couples on any of my rolling stock and most of my trains will be in the 5-6 car range. I guess what I’m asking is operation thru the smaller LGB switches satisfactory for use in yards and spurs. I can not at this time tell how much train operation will be done and the movement of cars, etc., so these spurs and yards may just become storage tracks for my rolling stock and show for group meets, plus as we know the running of trains is what most of us do and not too much switching on garden railroads. Your thoughts are always important and each one is given consideration from your past experiences.

trainman

LGB moguls will run on 1200 series switches but will slow a little, and LGB never made any 1500 switches only 1600 which is 8’ diameter

IMO, you shouldn’t have any issues using as described.

if you are into bashing things, there might be a solution, that is friendly to the purse.

if you take a 1200 switch, with the curved leg being a 30° curve, you can see, that the frog is at about 2/3 lenght of this curve.

leaving the working part of the switch alone, you could straighten the third of the mentioned curve behind the frog.

one third of 30° means, your switch gets about 10° less curved.

so, it would be about the same as the 1600’s 22.5°.

you would save some money and space.

no, i have not done this myself - yet.

but i saw pics and read descriptions in a forum (here, maybe?)

Bill Barnwell said:

LGB moguls will run on 1200 series switches but will slow a little, and LGB never made any 1500 switches only 1600 which is 8’ diameter

My error on the 1500, you would think I would know what I purchased 35 years ago.

trainman

Korm Kormsen said:

if you are into bashing things, there might be a solution, that is friendly to the purse.

if you take a 1200 switch, with the curved leg being a 30° curve, you can see, that the frog is at about 2/3 lenght of this curve.

leaving the working part of the switch alone, you could straighten the third of the mentioned curve behind the frog.

one third of 30° means, your switch gets about 10° less curved.

so, it would be about the same as the 1600’s 22.5°.

you would save some money and space.

no, i have not done this myself - yet.

but i saw pics and read descriptions in a forum (here, maybe?)

If you know where the article is on the forum please let me know, I will look for it myself. As we all want to do our RR for less $'s, many times it just not feasible to do things that require a lot of time and effort. I feel I can do it, but some things say, just buy what you want and be done with it.

trainman

sorry, but Alzheimer-light has kicked in.

i don’t remember, where i saw it one or two years ago.

So far, John, you have not been led astray, however…

From my many years of experience, with just the same rolling stock you describe, after starting out with a few of the 4 foot radius LGB Switches, I soon got rid of them , and stayed with the “1600’s” I would never suggest even purchasing the 4 foot radius switches, except for running around a Christmas tree.

As soon as Aristo came out with their so-called Wide Radius (10 foot diameter) switches; they became my minimum “Radius” switch, carrying on to the present.

Yes you could get away with what you have, and use those 4foot diameter switches, BUT…look to the future, and the experiences you have yet to enjoy, and the frustrations too…they happen to us all.

STICK WITH the WIDEST RADIUS SWITCHES, and avoid the disappointments of the narrower switches…

Some day the OPERATIONS bug may hit you, and help you to enjoy, not just a train, but a whole railroad, doing what a real railroad does in real life…deliver goods, and passengers to towns, and industries…, not just running in circles, and having friends and children ask you, “Gee, it looks nice, but, kind sir; WHAT ELSE DOES IT DO ?”

Please…please, don’t take this suggestion be taken in any way as an insult. It is very true, that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is perfectly free to build their railroad, to please themselves…not just me, or anyone else for that matter.

Fred Mills

found it!

i thought, that i knew, that i had made copies from these pics…

but it was in 2015, that i copied them.

these are, where only the outgoing legs are altered (straightened)

and these are how to make it even straighter, by modifying (slimming) the frog as well.

Thanks for finding the pics, interesting what can be done if one wants to tackle it. Fred Mills pretty much summed it up and that’s just go with the larger radius switches to start with and be done with it. Thanks for all the input, it keeps me thinking about what to do next.

trainman