Step by Step
Model railroaders are tinkerers,
and there’s satisfaction in making a
recalcitrant component operational
again. Other times, it’s best to yank a
problem out by the roots. This was one
of those times.
The Milwaukee, Racine & Troy has
been around for 30 years, and some of
the then-state-of-the-art Shinohara turn-
outs have reached end-of-life. This partic-
ular one is right on the main line, right in
the middle of the layout. Every time
someone tries to run a train through it,the locomotive comes to a screeching
halt, unless it has a stay-alive circuit. If
it’s a sound-equipped locomotive, you
have to wait for the engine start-up
sequence before you can get going again.
There are two other turnouts within
3 feet of the dead one, also the same
Shinohara no. 5, also 30 years old. With
most of the crew away at the National
Train Show, it was the perfect time to
take the main line out of service and do
some track work. In three days, the job
was done.Replacing dead turnouts
Milwaukee, Racine & Troy no. 1175, the Andrew P. Sperandeo, passes a recently
replaced turnout. Sometimes, it’s just easier to replace a section of non-operational
track than to try to repair it. Bill Zuback photos