TURNOUT WITH CAST FROG, TYPE IIIA 1/9, USSR (RUSSIAN GAUGE 1524 MM by ARMOR35, item ARM35031, is a multi-media 806 mm (31 11/16 inches) model of a Soviet railway switch.

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Thanks!

As a model railroader for the past 50 odd years I must say this appears to be an excellent product!

Wow, this is some kit!

If I might ask; perhaps a stupid question - what makes this specifically a Russian turn out? It looks non-denominal to me! Is it that you have actually scaled it out to 5 foot gauge rather than use the model industry standard #1 Gauge???

Hi Michael,

Armor35 produces their models in 1/35 for the military model community. They predominately produce Soviet 5 ft gauge prototypes. They also make some Reichsbahn standard gauge track, plus some 'occupied territory' track that is re-gauged to 4' 8.5", with indentions in the ties showing the former 5-ft tie plate position.

The models are made with subtle equipment specific to the Russian railway practices. Of course, much of the track and designs were fairly standard world-wide by then. A frog was a frog, switches needed points, etc., whether in Russia, USA, France, of S. America. Soviets used spike to hold the track whereas some European countries bolted it down; as such, Soviet track looks at home in the USA.

I do not know if Armor35 knew about the model industry standard #1 Gauge.

Hope this helped.

Is the gauge useful for the Trumpeter line of 1/35 german railway engines and rolling stock?

Got it, thanks.

Very impressed that they would also make track that appears to have been regauged. I have thought about doing something along those lines from scratch!

Hi Mike,

Sort of. Let me explain.

Germany used "standard gauge" 4 ft. 8 1⁄2 in. (1435 mm) spacing between rails. Russian used "broad gauge" of 5 ft. (1524 mm).

In 1/35 those gauges are 41 mm and 44 mm, respectively.

In real life, the Germans re-gauged Soviet track by sliding the rails closer together by 3.5 in., or 3 mm in 1/35. ( http://kitmaker.net/review/8111 )

( http://kitmaker.net/review/8114 )
You can do so with this model - simply offset the tie plates 3 mm on one side of the ties. The only difficulty would be the resin ties with the plates cast on. Those you could,

1. Cut 3mm out of the middle of the 12 ties, or
2. Set new plates on the ties, or
3. Carve the plates off the ties on one side and attach new ones.

Otherwise, nothing would change.

So, as this kit is issued, your German rolling stock would be derailed because the gauge is too wide. Yet you could re-gauge it with little effort and run your DRB trains on it.

Frederick, Nice review and thanks for the explanation.

We wouldn't want to derail the Germans now ... or would we?...

—mike

Of course that was the general idea behind the Russians picking 5' as their gauge.

Fred, thanks for reviewing this, it looks super. A very expert review by a train nut, haha!

And also for discussing the gauge differences.

I remember years ago play-testing the "Strategy & Tactics" war game "Drive on Stalingrad," and part of the problem for the German player was the glacial pace it took to extend rail heads east for re-supply. The Russians adopted wider rail gauges deliberately to thwart invaders, and it proved a problem for Germany during WW2. Re-gauging isn't easy.

It's important that model companies produce both gauges (I believe Mirror Models has several Russian freight cars in its line). Part of me wishes the manufacturer allowed for an easier switch of gauges, however, than asking us to adapt resin ties. At least part of the kit can be re-gauged easily, so that's good.