turnout number

[billyb41]

hi my name is bill can someone tell me what number turnout to use for 22" radius curved track in ho scale thanks bill

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Billy,

By dumb luck it just so happens that putting seven 22"R curve sections between the divergent routes of L and R #5 turnouts makes a good "early cutoff" configuration. 

Terry Toenges has experimented and probably knows what track sections (and fitter track sections) go between the straight routes of the turnouts for the above "early cutoff".   

According to John Armstrong, the "radius of the closure rail" (RCR) of the #5 turnout is about 26".  The RCR is the smallest radius curve your rolling stock will see traversing a numbered turnout. 

The idea is to match the RCR to your layout's minimum radius.  22"R is close enough to the 26" RCR to not worry about it. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik