A friend gave me some photos from the 3 foot narrow gauge railroad White Pass and Yukon Route. Maybe original tracks from 1898.

You can see a 76 cm narrow gauge line crossing two standard gauge tracks in Weiz, Austria. The Switch is in Bikfeld. The trackwork looks very american for my opinion.

Some industrial 60 cm and 75 cm gauge trackwork in Switzerland.

Waldenburger Bahn, the only 75 cm gauge commuter train in Switzerland (probably in the world).

Ties

overhang (5'-2)/2 = 1 1/2' -> tie length for HOn30: 5.5' (19.3 mm)

Print out a template

e.g. from Fast Tracks " target="_blank">http://www.handlaidtrack.com/]] the HO 30° Crossing Template. Reduce one leg to 9 mm (HOn30) gauge and glue the template on PCB (I use white glue).

Glue the crossties to the template

For the first crossing I built, I used for every second tie a PCB tie. Now I use for all ties PCB ties.

Solder the first rail from the mainline (usually the standard gauge leg) to the ties

Solder the second rail to the ties, use a HO track gauge to ensure the right distance between the rails.

Bend the two guard rails for the mainline and solder the rails next to the mainline rails

Check the flangeways with a NMRA HO gauge.

Bevel the end of a rail and solder the first crossing rail to the ties and to mainline rail

The rail heads should touch each other, to achive this I remove about 1 mm from the base of the crossing rail. Solder second crossing rail to the ties and to mainline rail, use N track gauge to ensure the right distance between the rails.

Cut and bevel a rail to the length between the two mainline guardrails

Use a straight edge to guide the rail and solder the rail to the ties. Finish the crossing rails

Bend the outer guard rails for the narrow gauge line with a needle nose pliers

Bevel the ends and solder the rails to the PCB ties. Insert the inner guard rails for the narrow gauge line.

Cut the mainline rails and the guard rails for the HOn30 flangeways with a cutting disc moto tool.

Put the crossing in warm soapy water and remove the crossing from the PCB

Cut the isolating gaps with the fretsaw trough the rails and the ties.

Print out a template

e.g. from Fast Tracks " target="_blank">http://www.handlaidtrack.com/]] the HOn30 #5 Turnout Template and glue the template on PCB (I use white glue). Lay the N gauge turnout on the template and mark with a pencil the frog and the toe of point on the template.

Remove the rails from the plastic ties

Remove the pins from the frog and the guard rails.

Glue the crossties to the template

Solder the straight stock rail to the ties

Use a straight edge as a guide.

Solder the frog to the ties

Use a NMRA N gauge to check the distance between the stock rail an the frog. The lead (distance between toe of point and frog point) is 75 mm.

Solder the second stock rail to the ties

Check the gauge between the stock rails and between the stock rail and the frog.

Solder the two rails to the frog heel (frog point rail) and to the frog toe (closure rails)

Use a N track gauges to ensure the right distance between the rails. Solder the two guard rails to the rails.

Solder the switch tabs to the heel of the point

Make sure that the rails are in line.

Cut gaps into the copper foil ties

Put the turnout in warm soapy water and remove the turnout from the PCB.

HOn30 #5 Turnout in Comparison With Shinohara HO #6 Code 100

Bibliography

1. Paul Mallery, Trackwork Handbook, Carstens Publishing, ISBN 911868-86-0
   THE reference for trackwork. If you want to buy only one book about trackwork, you should buy this one. Subtitle Everything You Need to Learn to Know About Track
2. E. E. Rusel Tratman, Railway Track and Maintenance, Original printed in 1926, Kalmbach Memorial Library NMRA, ISBN 0-9647050-6-0
   It's still the best way to learn from the real thing.
3. Kent Johnson et al, Trackwork and Lineside Detail, Kalmbach Publishing, ISBN 0-89024-71-1
   The best of from Model Railroader to this topic.
4. Maj. W. D. Connor, Military Railways, Government Printing Office, 1917, see Georg Schreyers scannings on " target="_blank">http://www.girr.org/girr/military_railways/military_railways.html]]
5. J. B. Calvert, Turnouts
6. Wikipedia, Railroad Switch
7. Fast Tracks, Source of Quality Tools, Supplies and Information For Hand Crafted Track.
   • HOn30 #5 Turnout Template
   • HO 30° Crossing Template
   • HO 45° Crossing Template