More Curved Turnouts

Most model layouts are challenged when it comes to having straight runs and my layout is certainly no exception. Unlike the prototype both my Adena and Pine Valley Yards needed to bend around a basement wall and also required a few curved switches to further conserve space.

To finish the west end yard ladder of Pine Valley I needed two curved switches, a #8 off the main and a #6 in the ladder itself. After about 20+  template built turnouts and 6 or so made "freehand" on Fast Track's printable templates, I now feel pretty good about being able to make any turnout I may need.

Here's the mainline #8 curved turnout for Pine Valley under construction.

Even though I feel this turnout may be my best freehand attempt yet, I still need to build 6 more smaller #8's for Adena Yard's curved east end ladder. For the sake of speed, accuracy and the likely hood of using more curved switches on the branchlines I may just end up purchasing the Fast Track template for the #8 30/24 curved turnout.