Would some knowledgeable person please explain what "Sprung points" are? I have searched the "net" and can't seem to find an explanation.

Thanks
Robert
FVHRS

Try "spring switch" instead:

http://modeltrains.about.com/od/smodelr ... Switch.htm

"Sprung points" is/would be British rail jargon, as "points" are what we Yanks call "switches." On model railroads, the term "turnout" is used to distinguish from electrical switches.

In Harry Bedwell's "Eddy Sand" stories in "Railroad" magazine, "sprung points" were the result of trailing through switch points that were set to the other route. A 2008 example happened just North of Chatsworth, Calif.

I would concur with Mr. Boylan. "Sprung points" in our context refer to the condition of a switch that is neither a spring switch nor a semi-automatic switch that has experienced a trailing movement in one direction while set for the other ("run through"). A switch that has experienced this usually has its hardware bent to the extent that it will not close in one position or the other. The remedy is to take it out of service and/or spike it in its "normal" position until the smith has rehabbed it.

Rather than "sprung", I'd call it damaged. Or "twanged". Why mince words?

Howard P.

Beats me ... that's what the old heads called it.

I usually heard the occurrence referred to as "run-through". I would add that there is a way to set up a switch that it can be easily fixed - that is by using breakaway lugs in the mechanism that let go, instead of bending the throw rods or other parts. They aren't used because crews can get access to them and fix the switches themselves so their "oopses" can be covered up, and they could avoid disciplinary action for the run-through. I would suggest that any tourist railroad or museum operation that has not heard of them should look into using them on their track, since they wouldn't be so hung up on "firing" volunteer crews for their mistakes, and would save a lot of time and money on track repairs and maintenance.

Make every turnout that gets regularly "run through" (thats the term that I heard used on the AT&SF) a spring or "S" switch/turnout, that solves the problem.

Best solution to damaged switches due to being run through is to force the guilty parties to do the repairs themselves. They'll be much more careful next time... no more "sprung" switches.

But spring switches can be awfully convenient on sidings which are consistently used for meets and running around trains for the return trip.

Steve Hunter

That is very true for mainline operations. Most run-throughs happen in yards or industrial sidings. When I was in Germany a couple of years ago, I noticed that most of the mainline platform station switches (outside of endpoints like Wernigerode and the mountaintop at Brocken) on the Harz Mountain Railroad appeared to be spring switches. Makes for a much quicker operation.

Am I correct in remembering that spring switches are used at the Strasburg Rail Road, which at times in the summer has almost streetcar-like frequency?

Our mainline switches at National Capital Trolley Museum are spring switches, including one street switch.

Wesley

Sandy, yes.

Paul, that's correct.

And they come in threes, like most bad things that happen on the railroad. Or, 2 other bad things happen about the same time. Waiting for that last of them to happen is real frustrating.

dave