ORR STREET RAILWAY TRACK - PART ONE
THE PRODUCT LINE
by George Huckaby

November 20, 2003

1. BACKGROUND

Most long-time HO scale traction enthusiasts are familiar with ORR Custom Track Components. This 15-year-old product line consists of streetcar girder rail single-point turnouts, crossings and girder rail that were developed and produced by Richard Orr of Omaha, Nebraska. After many years of personally casting these items, Richard transferred the business to Custom Traxx in June 2003, and Custom Traxx renamed the items ORR STREET RAILWAY TRACK and added catalog numbers. This track enables the traction modeler to recreate the city scenes with track so prevalent in the United States and Canada until after World War II.

STREET RAILWAY TRACK, or ORR TRACK, as we shall refer to it, will be presented in three parts:

In this part we will discuss layout planning in general and the ORR TRACK, as it will be made available by Custom Traxx beginning in 2004.

In Part Two, we will show how to lay the track for simple installations, including some turnouts.

In Part Three, we will show how to fabricate intersections using turnouts and crossings and some techniques to be used for more complicated specialwork.

Before starting to install any of the ORR TRACK, it is suggested that the modeler review the lesson on Prototype Street Railway track, Lesson 2-2, contained in the Trolleyville Schoolhouse.

2. SOME FACTS ABOUT ORR STREET RAILWAY TRACK

a. ALL ORR TRACK consists of simulated "girder" type rail streetcar track, which are compatible with code 100 "T" rail. Except for the 3-foot long straight girder rail sections, all other trackwork is cast from White Tombasil bead blasted and chemically treated.

b. ORR Right-Hand (RH) and Left-Hand (LH) Switches and the Right Curved (RC) and Left Curved (LC) crossings contain curves of 6 1/8" radius.

c. ORR RC (right curved) crossings are intended for use with the RH turnouts crossing double trackage with 1 3/8" centers. Approximately 3/4" of the inner rail of the turnout must be removed to fit the crossing into the correct location. ORR LC (left curved) crossings are intended for use with the LH turnouts crossing double tracks with 1 3/8" centers. Approximately 3/4" of the inner rail of the turnout must be removed to fit the crossing into the correct location.

3. PLANNING THE LAYOUT

Before starting this project, a precise track plan is required. This plan should be drawn out carefully in full size and examined carefully to ensure that the results will be what is desired. Provided in this lesson are templates of each of the turnouts, crossings and point-mate assemblies that currently comprise the ORR TRACK line:

COMPLETE TURNOUTS (3):

SINGLE POINT-MATE ASSEMBLIES (2):

The 2401 and 2404 Point-Mate Assemblies had not been available for some time and are extremely useful for non-standard curves and crossovers. They are now again available.

STRAIGHT GIRDER RAIL - Prototype U.S. girder rail has cross section shown below. It still can be found in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto and many grade crossings on minor streets in Southern California even though street railways vanished there over 40 years ago. For curves and special work such as turnouts and crossings, a modified version of girder rail is used. Normally called girder rail with extended flangeway, we will just refer to it as Girder "High-Guard" rail. Note that the flangeway extends higher than the top of the railhead. When this rail is used on curves, the back of the flange of the wheel on the inside actually contacts this guardrail. Use of this Girder "High-Guard" rail prevents the flanges on the outer wheels on a curve from "picking" rail joints or frog points and causing derailments. The backside of a single point turnout acts as a section of Girder "High-Guard" rail by forcing the opposite wheel into the curved route of the pointless mate opposite the movable tongue of the turnout.

Note the web or depth of girder rail. This rail is actually a modified I-beam but, while extremely difficult to work with in the prototype, it had the ability to carry streetcars without flexing under weight, thus ruining city pavement.

Simulated girder rail is available in 36" or meter length sections. This rail is code 100 in size with the cross section shown in the next illustration. Girder "High-Guard" rail is not currently available for many reasons but the major reason is the different size and oversize flanges used in various traction models produced over the years.

The difference in cross section is due to the oversize flanges currently used in HO scale and to have sufficient strength in the web for model track.

Now that you are aware of the items that are available, and still wish to model street railway track, please proceed to ORR TRACK PART TWO.