When I buy a track switch, what is meant by "No. 4 turnout" or "No. 8 turnout"?
by 
Santaanacanyon
ANSWERS: 2
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"Turnout" is simply a British English term for "switch". (http://www.hollywoodcoc.org/walkoffame/) There is a relationship between the "number" of a switch and it's radius, although correlating the two gets pretty complicated. Basically, the smaller the number, ie, a #5 or a # 6, the smaller the radius that comes off the switch. Good for yards or industrial spurs, but not high speed. If you were to run your Broadway Ltd. at timetable speeds you'd want a # 21 or therebouts when cutting over from one mainline to another. (http://www.trainweb.org/s-trains/FAQ/switch_num.html)
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The number of a turnout refers to the angle at which the diverging track departs from the straight track at the frog (where the tow rails cross). For instance a #4 Left turnout will diverge at 1 inch for every 4 inches along the main line (straight track). It is very rare to find sharp turnouts on the real railroads. It would be very destructuve to both the track and the train to turn corners at such a rapid rate. When such a sharp turnout is nessescary, a permanent speed restriction is always in place. On a model railroad where space is a concern (and it always is) a #4 turnout is just fine in a yard. To make your pike look more realistic, a #8 will look great. Even though a #8 is not a perfect representation of the prototype, we always have to make sacrafices.
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