Switch frog help please

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UPsteamfan
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:32 pm

Switch frog help please

Post by UPsteamfan »

Hello fellow railroaders
I am in need of some help. For the railroad my family is building we have decided to machine our own switch frogs. Our first sample piece has the correct angle for a number 8 frog, but the whole thing is 21 inches long. This seems way to long. Looking for any guidance on this topic.

I apologize ahead of time. I have to figure out how to get photos properly linked into my post. Until then I have a shared folder on my one drive account you can access through the link.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AkSyRX0Hjm0-fKdoLO3xuMioiWM
Gra2472
Posts: 273
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2020 8:02 pm
Location: Monte Rio California

Re: Switch frog help please

Post by Gra2472 »

It is difficult to see your measurements, but it appears to be about right. If anything, your frog could be shorter than it should be for a #8. According to the drawings I found from CalTrain, a #8 frog is 18'-0" from the toe to the heel. If my math is correct, then your frog should be 27" in length assuming that you are working in 1.6" scale. I hope this helps.

http://www.caltrain.com/assets/_enginee ... URNOUT.pdf
Attachments
NO8TURNOUT_Page6.jpg
7.5" Allen Mogul
3 x 7.5" West Valley Baldwin Westinghouse Electrics
The railroad is almost done.
G. Augustus
Monte Rio, Ca.
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Greg_Lewis
Posts: 3014
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:44 pm
Location: Fresno, CA

Re: Switch frog help please

Post by Greg_Lewis »

I have some drawings from SP and UP for switches and frogs. Decent scans are too large a file size to post here but if you sent me your email via a private message, I'll be glad to email them to you. (Or anyone else, for that matter.) None of them are #8 but there is a 7, a 7 1/2, and a couple of #9s.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Switch frog help please

Post by rkcarguy »

I'm building a backyard RR in 12" gage, 2" scale. The frogs are huge and mine have a pretty tight 40' radius. I ended up having the "slivers" laser cut and then welded my rails to them (using flat bar for rails).
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