Guitarmike posted:If possible you want the spring to close the switch points in the curved position. That sets the default route through the curve.
I don't think any of that matters, if you have the proper tension on the points. I have spring switches of both varieties, curved and straight.
In this photo, the one on the lower left, always routes trains straight on facing point travel. whereas the one on the upper right always routes facing point movements on the diverging route, through the crossover. This function is dictated by the logic of the situation, nothing more.
The upper right is connected to my helix. the lower left is connected to my hidden yard. The yard is built on a giant reverse loop. The track closest to the wall is the lead track, and all traffic has to be routed to that track. It is one way travel. Every train is traveling from right to left on that track. So no matter which helix track a train comes from. it is always directed to the lead.
Until now, I haven't mentioned the switch in the middle. That one is really unusual. It can be thrown using a Tortoise switch machine, however the linkage is "soft enough" to act like a spring switch. so it doesn't matter which position it is in for a trailing point movement. It really behaves like a classic non-derailing switch, except that it doesn't change direction when the train passes through it in a trailing point movement.
