Fast Tracks

I am currently building my turnouts to accomadate HO 0.088 wheelsets. NMRA recommends a .040 flangeway clearance. What is the clearane on the Fastracks fixture #10 Turnouts?

We can produce a fixture to any size desired...

The flangeway on a "standard" fixture is set to the recommended .050" width from the NMRA.

When placing an order you have the option to "customize" a fixture, if this option is selected an additional list of options will be displayed, one of which is the flangeway size, here you can enter in the size you would like the flangeway width to be and we will make the fixture to that size. In your case the size would be .040"

There is a small fee for this option.

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Cheers!

Tim Warris
Fast Tracks
http://www.fast-tracks.net
service@fast-tracks.net

Note that the recommendation for code88 wheels having 0.040" flangeways also means re-setting the wheels on the axles to a finer wheel check gage specification than for 'normal' traditional HO wheelsets. The TRACK and the WHEEL specifications are matched sets of specifications. Also the NMRA traditonal flangeway 0.050" is a MAX value - reliability will suffer if it exceeds that.

The older NMRA RP3 and RP 4 are now standards under the S3.1 and S4.1 FINE tables options.

IF you want compatibility with 'standard' HO (code 110) and reliability with code 88 wheels without readjusting the wheelsets of everything (including the locomotives), then I'd suggest you compromise just some and set the flangeways at something close to 0.044" to 0.046". The code 88's will actually work quite nice then - with MAYBE and occasional bump - but not at all likely to have a derailment - AND you'll be pleasantly compatible with better reliability using standard HO wheels. YOU will need to check the track check gage closely - as setting the flangeways does affect that and can create some problems with the span gage as well. The handlaidtrack list has beaten these issues back and forth a great deal.

NOTE: BE SURE ALL WHEELS are gaged correctly on the axles! the NMRA gage works correctly for code 110 - you'll have to fix up your own setting jig for code88 wheels to correctly match the old RP4 (new S4.1) wheel check gage specification. You can get by easily with the NMRA gage for both sizes of wheels by widening the wheel sets to the maximum allowable with the gage. Make sure you are still in the groves of the gage - just at the widest possible fit. You'll get some nicer rolling and turnout mangement with this trick.

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-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.