Another "Trainhead" Loco-Shop Page
Building A Switch
During the last track addition to my layout, I stumbled upon the need for a switch or turnout. I was laying the track towards the deep cut which includes one of the return loops for my track. I will attempt to describe the method I used to break into the straight track to build this switch. Remember, this is the method I used and there is more than one way to do this but this is the method I like.
The first item on the agenda is to locate the position of the switch. I knew where my track was going to go after the switch so it was just a matter of figuring out where the tangent of the curved track leading to the switch would intersect the straight track. I did this by using my long tape measure. I located a point that fell on the centers of both the straight section and curved section of track. using the tape measure with one end clipped to a center pin in the ground at the center of my radius. I carefully noticed where the 45 foot mark came to the center of the rails on the straight section. This would be where the end of the points are located and it marks the beginning of the curvature of the curved stock or running rail. The curved stock rail is the rail that runs continuously into the diverging track without interruption.
While I had the tape measure on the radius pin, I measured for the ties that would go under the rails of the switch. I used the location of the existing ties to produce the length of the switch ties. I knew that the length of the tie for a straight section of track. I divided this in half. Then with the radius mark (45 feet in my case) minus 1/2 of a standard tie length (7 inches), I used the 44 feet 5 inchmark and measured with another tape measure to the opposit end of the existing ties. I wrote the numbers down on paper and cut the ties. I marked a number on the end of each tie so it would be easy to put them down in the same order that I measured them. I cam up with 22 ties that had to be cut. the longest one being 30 inches long. This one would span all of the rails and the next tie would be a standard length one and the ends would not hit each other. 
Next, I brought all of the pieces of the switch to the worksite. The long switch ties, some straight and curved rail, the points, the frog, all the necessary screws, bolts and nuts and the tools needed for the job.
Now we start to get down to building the actual switch. Starting with the two long ties that the switch machine will be mounted to, I removed the existing ties and slid in these long ties. I made these two ties 36 inces long so the the switch machine will be far away from rails. This will prevent riders and rolling stock from banging into it.
Then I removed the second tie from the long ties and slid in and screwed down the tie makred with the number 2. After the tie was in, I loosely tamped the ballast around it to hold it in position. I repeated this step for every other tie until I used up all of the even numbered ties. I use this method in order to maintain the proper gauge and alignment of the straight track since the switchties are not slotted to accept the foot of the rails. I made a little drill guide that fits over the head of the rail to keep the drill in the proper angle and distance from the foot of the rail. It is just a block of aluminum with clearance holes drilled in it at the same angle as the foot of the rail. The job could have been done without this guide but everything you can do to make the job go easier should be done.
   After the even ties were installed, I repeated the process for the odd numbered ties. When this step was completed, I added the necessary ballast to fill between the ties. I didn't tamp it down yet so I could level the switch when it was completed.
The next step is to cut in the curved stock rail or running rail. I removed the screws from the straight section of rail where the curved rail will go. Since the joint of the rails was far enough away from the points, I marked where the curve began with a magic marker. I removed this section of straight rail and pushed it into the rail bender until I came to the mark. This gave me a short section of curved rail that would make up the curved stock rail.  I added another length of curved rail to the end of this. Using the tape measure to check the radius, I drilled the ties and screwed down this rail in place on the switch ties. Again, using the drill guide to make this step go smoothly. 
When this was done, it was time to locate the frog. The frog of the switch is the point at which the two converging rail paths cross. Mine are machined from solid aluminum bar but there are others available that are made from cast aluminum or cast steel. The frog has the proper angle on it to match my 45 foot radius and give a smooth ride through the switch. To locate the frog, I layed a section of curved rail in line with the curved rail that I had just screwed down to the ties. Using track gauges, I placed another section of curved rail the proper distance from the already attached rail. Where these two pieces of rail crossed was the location of the point of the frog. I layed the frog over this point and marked where the straight rail had to be cut to accept the frog.
Once the frog was in place, I used the track gauges to align and attach the curved closure and straight closure rails. The closure rails are the short sections of rail that are between the points and the frog. I left these a little long so I would have some room to locate the points properly. At this point, the switch is really taking shape.
The next item is the points. I temporarily laid the points in place. The sharp ends of the points were at the end of the curved section of rail. I carefully marked the rail where the end of the point layed and marked the rail head with a scribe. I used layout bluing in the rail head to make the marks more visable. When the thin section of the point was on the rail, I marked the end of the point and a scribed a mark about 3/32" in from the edge of the rail head. This area will be milled out so the the points are recessed into the rail head slightly. Another thing the was marked was the foot of the rail. This also has to be milled away to give the points clearance against the side of the rail. I repeated this step for the straight section of rail and the curved point. Next I cut the short closure rail to the peoper length and drilled the holes to macth the hole in the tabs of the points. Then I took the two marked sections of rail up and brought them to my shop for milling.  I brought them back to the work site and put them back in place using the drilled holes to properly locate the rails.
Next, I attached the points to the closure rails and checked the clearance at the sharp end of the points. Using a track gauge, I also checked the gauge between the inside of the stock rail and the inside of the point. It turns out that I had to mill off a little area of the point to get the proper gauge. Once this was done, I drilled the outside foot of the stock rails and screwed them directly to the ties. Remember, we cut the foot off on the inside of these rails so the only way to fasten them is to screw directly through the foot.
The only thing left now is to attach the guard rails and the gauge bars and switch machine. The guard rails are short sections of rail that guid the wheels through the frog. The hold onto the wheel flange at one end of the axle and allow the opposite flange to roll throught the center of the frog without touching the rail or as they say in railroad terms, "splitting the switch". These are screwed through the foot and bolted to the web of the stock rails with spacers to maintain the proper "flangway" spacing.
The gauge bars are nothing more that tie bars that hold the points at the proper gauge. I made these from 1/4" rod, threaded on each end and a lock nut applied. These are then inserted through holes in the points. One at midway along the points and the other at 2 inches from the sharp end of the points. The switch machine control rod or throw bar is then attached to the latter tie bar. I do not have a switch machine yet so this step is not complete.
I hope this description wasn't too confusing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will try to answer them. Also, if there is somthing I overlooked, tell me. This way I can improve on the instructions given here as well.
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