11-06-2011, 05:36 AM
Hi Charlie B., sorry about the lack of information. The steel mill complex itself is 4' long by 16 ' wide. The goal I'm trying to reach is to have a double main line run along the far left side of the mill (running north to south). As the track approaches the steel mill complex, it passes over a double track swing bridge. Just to the north of the bridge is a set of crossovers that will take you from the left track to the right track (main 1 to main 2). Just north of THAT crossover is a right hand switch. This switch will be the south leg of a wye. The goal is to have a set of universal crossovers from mains 1 and 2, with a wye in between them, coming off main 2. As you come around the wye (this would be on the very northwest corner of the complex, this is the entry point into the steel mill. Anything that comes in by rail would take this route. As trains pass through the northern part of the complex, they will enter a switching yard. Per operating rules, " 6-axle locomotives are prohibited from operating south of the switching lead in USS Kobe." All of the switching that is done within the complex itself (this includes, the rolling mill, electric furnace, blast furnace, coke oven, Hulett Unloader, and the slag dump) are all done by GE 44 toners, and SW 1000's. All of these areas have Shinohara # 4 switches, and I have no problems with them running on these tight turnouts. However though, since I want to run SD38-2's into my complex to drop off and pick up trains, I need to take into account longer wheel bases (6 axles instead of 4 axle units). I know that wyes are generally pretty sharp, so I need to make sure I don't make it too sharp, and derail my units (plus the train itself). So, I need switches that can handle SD38's both through universal crossovers, and into wye's. As always, any advice would be great!! 