One of the gentlemen at the LHS emailed some photos of new turnouts being installed in the Houston area. The first is one of those "ride up and over" type frogs. Sure seems like this would beat the crap out of everything, riding up and then falling back to the rail. And this one looks like it has a smooth transition in only one direction?



This one looks to have a "spreading frog" which slides over when the flange is coming through.



Anyone seen these or know how they work exactly?

Switched Crossing

A switched crossing (sometimes referred to as a swing nose crossing or moveable frog) will normally be provided for turnouts with a very acute angle. The crossing will have a powered element which will be set for the required route at the same time as the switch blade is set.

Got to admit I've never seen anything like the one in your first photo! Would be a rough ride for sure, not to mention the potential for damage to wheel flanges and the rail. So..........

Looking closely at the photo, you'll notice that there are long tie plates close to the frog which would indicate to me that this switch is designed to actually create a smooth flow through the frog, by moving the rail and closing the frog. Since the turnout has not been completely installed at this point - adjustments would still need to be made before it is placed in service.

It's sort of like the old Tru-Scale HO switches from back in the 60's. When you threw the switch, the frog rails moved along with the switch points to close the frog and make a "gap-less" frog. This is the only image I can find of a Tru-Scale switch kit http://www.memorytrains.com/img/products/TS1553-1.jpg, but I think you can see how the point rails and frog rails are one piece.

Have seen the closed type frog as in your second photo in a lot of locations. In that case, the guard rail is forcing the wheels over to follow the diverging route. That also forces the frog to open up, which is held in place with spring assemblies that can be seen in the photo.

Jump Frog

Nortrak's Jump Frog is ideal for applications with low tonnage and low speed on the diverging route. Design incorporates a continuous running rail on the through route and flange bearing ramps on the diverging route.

* Eliminates impact loading on through route.
* Reduces noise and vibration.
* Reduces maintenance:
- Robust desing uses high solidity manganese/EDH.
- No moving parts.
- Not affected by Thermal CWR stress.
* Made in North America for heavy haul traffic.
* Designs can be adapted to any North American freight and transit requirements:
- Available in 115, 132, 133, 136 & 141 lb. sections and provides the best economy in No.’s 6 through 14.
Jump_Frog_Brochure.pdf

TinGoat Wrote:Jump Frog

Nortrak's Jump Frog is ideal for applications with low tonnage and low speed on the diverging route. Design incorporates a continuous running rail on the through route and flange bearing ramps on the diverging route.

Thanks for posting the info.

Of course not suitable for high speed heavy tonnage lines where you have trains moving from single to double track or to diverging routes at speed like what I see around here.

FCIN Wrote:Looking closely at the (first) photo, you'll notice that there are long tie plates close to the frog which would indicate to me that this switch is designed to actually create a smooth flow through the frog, by moving the rail and closing the frog. Since the turnout has not been completely installed at this point - adjustments would still need to be made before it is placed in service.

With the "main" rail being solid through the frog, I don't see any other way except for the wheel flange to ride up and over. Gotta be a "jump frog" as Tinny indicated.

Gary S Wrote:With the "main" rail being solid through the frog, I don't see any other way except for the wheel flange to ride up and over. Gotta be a "jump frog" as Tinny indicated.

Yep, that's what it appears to be. Funny thing about this turnout design is that it's sort a throwback. Reminds me of some of the old wood rail logging railroad operations and the way switches were designed on them. Will be curious to see if NS/CSX ever installs any of these on industrial spurs around here.

The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County - would S.L. Clements be amused?

Some years ago I built a moveable-frog turnout from plans in Model Railroader - a curved #10-or-so, if I recall correctly. It was on an earlier layout and located in a fairly deep and inaccessible "cut". I powered it with a Fulgurex slow-motion turnout motor and it worked like a charm. Wish I still had that turnout and motor, but I see that the motors are still available, and not that much more expensive than they were 25 years ago.

Wayne

Those are kinda strange at first, but then start to make more sense - especially the movable frog. It seems to make a seamless, smooth transition, no matter which route you are taking.

Andrew

They are also making crossing at grades Diamonds to all you no railroady types that are the hop over design. Really weird to watch cars ride up on their flanng and fall off the other side. It sure makes a lot more sense when the one line is a 10mph and the other is a 60mph.

It seems to be a railroad thing to eliminate the flange gap on main (or "mainer") lines. The sprung frog in the second photo keeps the gap closed but doesn't close up on the diverging route.
Ottawa station (the new one) used to have a patent model of a switch that allowed wheels to rise up and over the other rails.
Mt Washington Cog Railway had switches with loads of hinged bits that were flipped over the main rails to allow the wheels and the cogs to get over the rails into a siding.

I like the spreading frog and the moveable frog. Brilliant!