Are you a builder or operator?

[D1042 Western Princess]

However, abroad, overseas, in foreign lands they use 'turnout' in the way we British use the word 'point'  and thus when Peco and other companies began to sell their track abroad (particularly in the USA) they adopted the word 'turnouts' for the points to avoid confusion . . .

Except it gets more confusing because in the USA they also call them 'switches'


Paul

That's true.

[paulprice]

I'm confused, what's my name again. Nurse, Nurse............................

[railsquid]

I'm confused, what's my name again. Nurse, Nurse............................

Your name is "Nurse"? 

Anyway, here in Japan those pieces of track you can buy which allow a train to fork onto different routes are known as pointo, aka points. Presumably because the railway system was initially British-influenced. The technical Japanese name translates as "dividing-forking-machine", which rolls off the tongue less easily than pointo.

[D1042 Western Princess]

The technical Japanese name translates as "dividing-forking-machine", which rolls off the tongue less easily than pointo.

An accurate description one would guess. When it comes to technical terms I have heard a few descriptions of points by track gangs, particularly when it has taken most of a baking hot (or freezing cold) day to repair a problem, about which I will not go into detail here but can be summed up as " points".

P/S I have also heard a few similar technical terms from passengers when trains have been delayed by a points problem.

[steve836]

Getting back to the main point of this thread (pun intended) I , in my OO days was mainly an operater with occasional lapses into building but since I have started building "Cromford" have found that While I still very occasionally like to sit back and watch the trains go by, I much prefer the building.I view it as a creative work,much like a sculptor. I never could, however, understand the mentality of people who just collect trains without running them or building a suitable setting to show them in.

[JasonBz]

Points refers to the moving bits and is used in day to day conversation by most railwaymen (and women!). Turnout is used to describe the whole unit ( by engineers etc).

The correct terms are Switches and Crossings, which is why they are referred to as A5, B6 etc - The Letter denoting the length of the Switch and the Number the angle of t Common Crossing (or Frog)

[D1042 Western Princess]

The correct terms are Switches and Crossings, which is why they are referred to as A5, B6 etc - The Letter denoting the length of the Switch and the Number the angle of t Common Crossing (or Frog)

But not in my official railway publications such as the Rule Book and various Appendix to it, where the term 'point' is used throughout. However, I admit that I never had access to official publications issued to the PW department since, as a passenger guard, I had no opportunity.

However, all this is rather getting away from the original point of the question which is about whether people prefer to build layouts then just run them as they please (Rule One, if you like) or enjoy both building layouts and running them prototypically such as correct formations, all stock of the same general date and region, realistic speeds and a properly thought out timetable, running prototypically but actually dislike the building bit (that describes my position) or some other aspect such as collecting.

As the originator of this thread I am rather hoping that we can get back to its original purpose rather than wandering too far off the point.

Thanks,
Greg.

[paulprice]

It was too hot last night to run my trains, I wondered why the Domestic Overlord said it was okay if I spent an hour playing with them.....I sense a plot

[Bob Tidbury]

I had the same thing, nearly all the isolating sections not working the track had expanded ,serves me right for not using insulating rail joiners and being lazy just cutting the track in the fiddle yard ,most of the trains bumped into each other and of course it was the back train so pushed the one in front and derailed a lot of stock .That will teach me not to be lazy.
Bob

[D1042 Western Princess]

I had the same thing, nearly all the isolating sections not working the track had expanded ,serves me right for not using insulating rail joiners and being lazy just cutting the track in the fiddle yard ,most of the trains bumped into each other and of course it was the back train so pushed the one in front and derailed a lot of stock .That will teach me not to be lazy.
Bob

Hopefully things will sort themselves out today as the weather is more like a British summer - cool and wet!

[steve836]

When it cools a bit, perhaps some araldite in the joints would provide a fix

[Newportnobby]

A thin sliver of plasticard would do the trick, Bob.

[JasonBz]

The correct terms are Switches and Crossings, which is why they are referred to as A5, B6 etc - The Letter denoting the length of the Switch and the Number the angle of t Common Crossing (or Frog)

But not in my official railway publications such as the Rule Book and various Appendix to it, where the term 'point' is used throughout. However, I admit that I never had access to official publications issued to the PW department since, as a passenger guard, I had no opportunity.

However, all this is rather getting away from the original point of the question which is about whether people prefer to build layouts then just run them as they please (Rule One, if you like) or enjoy both building layouts and running them prototypically such as correct formations, all stock of the same general date and region, realistic speeds and a properly thought out timetable, running prototypically but actually dislike the building bit (that describes my position) or some other aspect such as collecting.

As the originator of this thread I am rather hoping that we can get back to its original purpose rather than wandering too far off the point.

Thanks,
Greg.

Sorry
I thought that telling it like it is would be a good thing for the members on here...Knowledge shared is knowledge gained
I didnt mean to go off topic, but sometimes one does stray a little,,,,I used to use the same rule book as you down in Kernow

[D1042 Western Princess]

The correct terms are Switches and Crossings, which is why they are referred to as A5, B6 etc - The Letter denoting the length of the Switch and the Number the angle of t Common Crossing (or Frog)

But not in my official railway publications such as the Rule Book and various Appendix to it, where the term 'point' is used throughout. However, I admit that I never had access to official publications issued to the PW department since, as a passenger guard, I had no opportunity.

However, all this is rather getting away from the original point of the question which is about whether people prefer to build layouts then just run them as they please (Rule One, if you like) or enjoy both building layouts and running them prototypically such as correct formations, all stock of the same general date and region, realistic speeds and a properly thought out timetable, running prototypically but actually dislike the building bit (that describes my position) or some other aspect such as collecting.

As the originator of this thread I am rather hoping that we can get back to its original purpose rather than wandering too far off the point.

Thanks,
Greg.

Sorry
I thought that telling it like it is would be a good thing for the members on here...Knowledge shared is knowledge gained
I didnt mean to go off topic, but sometimes one does stray a little,,,,I used to use the same rule book as you down in Kernow

No problem Jason, and I agree that it is a valid subject for discussion. I was simply suggesting though that it should be in another area.

Best wishes,
Greg.

[Bob Tidbury]

Sorry to keep this discussion going but my son just gave me the latest Railnews in there is an article and they referred to points as TURNOUTS and that's in a proper British Railway Workers Paper
Bob