Curved frog
Prototype for Atlas turnouts?
Click on the picture for a larger version…
Image Copyright (c) 2006 Tim Warris
This is an unusual find. Typically turnouts built in North America all have straight frogs, that is, a short section of straight track where the two routes diverge. Even though most turnouts look like the diverging route curves at a constant radius, there is actually a straight piece parallel to the frog.
This is the first example I have seen of one with a complete curve through the frog, no straight section. Not sure why this was done at this location on the front lawn of Dofacso.
Some ready-to-run (model) trackwork have these curved frogs in them, this allows the turnouts to be dropped into a section of curved track so common in the older “train sets”. Higher quality turnouts based on a more “prototypical” design usually have straight frogs.
That trip to Dofasco a few weeks ago sure was a gold mine of interesting trackwork!
-Tim
Posted by: | 02-22-2006 | 11:02 AM
Posted in: Uncategorized
G’day Tim,
I know I’m gettin’ old & blind, but I can’t see any check rails to guide the wheels through the frog?
Regards.
Mark
Well this is an industrial spur … and on industrial spurs anything goes … switches in concrete, etc … the key is space (or the lack thereof) I do like the crossing to nowhere though … very post-industrial