#5 Turnout--what is it?

[The Old Man]

What's the difference between the EZ Track standard turnout and the #5 turnout?

Thanks,
David

[the Bach-man]

Dear David,
The EZ Track turnout is a curved section overlaid on a straight. The curved leg is 18" radius.
A numbered turnout does not have a curved leg. The number indicates that the divergent route moves one unit to the side for each five units of run. Thus the larger the number of a turnout, the longer it is.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[The Old Man]

Thank you.  Why/when is one used over another?

[sour rails]

     These switches are preferred for use in yards that require close spacing of tracks.

[rogertra]

     These switches are preferred for use in yards that require close spacing of tracks.

Only on model railroads.

"Eee Zed" track follows no prototype on this side of the pond and probably on no side of the pond.

[Woody Elmore]

The numbers, like 5 and 6, refer to the frog angle. Number five is basically a one inch spread in five inches; number 6 is one inch spread in 6 inches. The bigger the number the longer the switch. 

EZ switches and Atlas Snap switches consist of a curved section and a straight section - this is not prototype practice.