Stub switch idea

[FJ and G]

While Bob Nelson's yard switches are tops for space savers, I just thought I'd borrow another idea from a different gauge track that could apply to toy train operators.

This particular stub switch could save you:

1. Money: b/c you don't need to buy a switch

2. Space: you can squeeze more track in using this method vice a switch (unless you modify your switches like Bob did.

Of course the downfall is that they aren't the prettiest things, but could be used in a fiddle or hidden yard, or used in plain view and disquised as dead end tracks.

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38319

[thor]

I must be thick but I cant for the life of me figure out what those photos are showing - where's the switch?

I cannot see any mechanism all I assume is that the track in the foreground is a piece of flex track allowing it to be swivelled to one side or the other. So I suppose its mounted to a slide of some kind but the photos dont explain it very well.

[johnandjulie13]

David:

That is a neat idea. I am wondering, with three rail, how you would accompli***he same thing. I don't know how you would be able to swivel the track from one line to the other. Needing to maintain that middle rail contact might be tough.

Regards,

John

[cnw1995]

It's like the sector plate idea I've seen in British layouts. Neat! David, I'm guessing it requires flextrack and a sort of smooth base to physically move the track.

[FJ and G]

John writes: “That is a neat idea. I am wondering, with three rail, how you would accompli***he same thing.”

The Swiss did it with 3-rail like so (took these photos in Zurich this year). One could build a similar swivel or sector plate. A swivel would be a mechanical device. The sector plate could be the plywood underlay actually sliding.

[cnw1995]

I've done something similar with my turntable - nothing is physically connected - I mean there's a track piece on the lazy susan I'm using with a separate powered lock-on and I just spin it to line up with the incoming track. hmmm, this gives me another idea.

[johnandjulie13]

David:

Ahhh! Now I understand. You just need to make sure that the contact for the third rail extends below the rail, not to the side. That is pretty slick!

Regards,

John

[lionelsoni]

John, you don't need any rail-to-rail contact at all. In fact, it would be a nuisance. You just connect the rails electrically with wire under the table.

[alank]

Actually this idea isn't new. I have seen something along this line for the 3 rail trains published in a book back in the 1950s. Since I know we still have the book, I will check it out when I get a chance. Otherwise keep up the good efforts. This is what I like about the hobby, being able to experiment and do different things with my trains.

[lionelsoni]

Here's my take on how to lay out the switch:

Make all three tracks a little long, so that the rails can be cut shorter to the proper length, it being difficult to cut a rail longer than its original length.

Bring the inside rails close together at the "frog", as the Swiss have obviously done. Then swing the movable track back and forth to align each of its rails with the "frog" and cut those rails to match the "frog". Finally, cut the remaining outside rails to match the rails of the movable track.

A switch like this would need a switch machine with a very long throw.

[FJ and G]

Yes, "frog" is the correct way to put it at it is a phantom frog.

Just to illustrate what I mean by disguising the stub as a dead-end track, here are 2 photos from Austin, taken recently, that illustrate and may get the creative juices flowing:



and



obviously you'd want to tweek these so the rails come in closer to where they can get shunted back and forth, perhaps with a lever under the table.

And, as Bob notes, the wires would be under the table (stranded wires subject to movement). The other option would be no wires, and use the stub as the point of isolation separating 2 blocks or districts.

[lionelsoni]

Here are some weird variations on the stub-switch theme:

http://www.carendt.us/scrapbook/page40/index.html
http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/railway/wharton.htm
http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/tkmacph.Html

The wire wouldn't have to be stranded nor movable, Dave. Just connect it far enough from the switch to be on the stationary part of the track.

[johnandjulie13]

You guys are amazing! I love the pictures and I really love the links. This forum is like having an interactive encyclopedia at my fingertips.

Thanks!

John

[FJ and G]

Here's a stub switch I built some time ago that actually works, despite the frog not being filled in. The points don't swivel. Instead, they slide back and forth to line up with the desired closure/stock rails.

[dougdagrump]

My first thought was wow, way cool. My second thought was I'd end up in deep kimche with de-railments for not reseting the turnout for traffic coming from the opposte direction.

[FJ and G]

Doug,

Real RRs had those problems too, which led to their demise.

Notice throughout this thread the wide variety of stub types; and there are others, often used on logging roads. And they're all prototypical, as the expression goes.

[alank]

Popular Mechanics Do It Yourself Enclyopedia. Building your Own Switch. This is a one page article that demostrates a way of building your own switch using three rail track. While I would consider it a stub switch, it is slighly different than the ones shown. Date of Enclylopedia 1955.

[FJ and G]

Very nostalgic, Alank & welcome to forum. Doubt PM would do an article on TT today.

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Spent all day on the toy train outside layout so no posts; tired but much progress