Just to add a note of semi-serious input here. Working in the industry for quite a few years, 1987 - 2002, and dealing with "rails" ever since, I haven't ever heard a "rail" refer to anything other than a switch. "Is the switch lined up?", "Which switch did you want me to throw?", "Dispatch? I need the switch lined out for me." etc, etc... Sorry George. It's just what the real rails say....though it does act as a turn out in effect cause a diverging track to roll trains on another route. That would be the engineering semantics of the 'disagreement.'
See...I am easy. I AGREE!! You do throw the 'switch'. HOWEVER...the 'switch' is a very small part of a 'turnout'. .
Just to help clarify: There are 'springs' on a truck. Do you call the whole thing a 'spring' or do you call the whole assembly a 'truck' ???
George, it's not funny anymore. You are missing the point of all of this. You don't look European to me so I wonder what an All American guy is hanging onto. Just like you there are plenty of other Toy Train Enthusiast who think they found the bible to trains. Just like you illustrated. Most Toy Train enthusiast have missed the obvious for years. One more time. The Engineering departments of most railroads when drafting the blueprints call the whole of the Switch Panel a Turnout. That is acceptable. That is the proper use from the engineering perspective. Now when the Railroad Employees get busy to install the "Switch Panel" which is another term for the whole of the unit. That's what they call it. Now when they get into making "Switch Moves", the Switchman moves out to throw the Switches and the brakeman rides the loads braking them to a stop, thru the Switch. To join up with other cars being spotted to wait for a local or to be picked up by another train and delivered elsewhere. That's quoting my family of old rail-heads. The point here it's not what we call them it's what the Railroad Employees call them. I'll stick with the railroad employees the professionals who handle the moves and freight cars on a daily basis. You can choose who you want to stand with or stick with. The whole toy or model trains enchilada, or what the professionals call them. It's a choice thing. I know I won't win you over or the majority of toy train enthusiast. So I will be moving onto other subject matter here as there is more to talk about with regards to what I'm doing. Lot's of almost live action around here. Let's not get this thread locked up because someone thinks it's time to quit. If you know what I mean. Go figure.
My next move on the layout will be to get some wiring done and (Oh boy, I shouldn't say this) install some new switch panels. You're right I'm just inviting trouble. I was going to work on some wiring projects today but got distracted by a train video on my large screen smarter then me TV. I was going over my stock of passenger cars and found some interesting and almost forgotten Santa Fe streamline shorties. Great for railroads with tight radius curves but don't look all that great when running with the full length passenger cars. With summer in full swing my cat's will do what they always do and shed. Piles of hair all over the place. Got's to get busy and run the vacuum. Later all !!
