I have several atlas switches & I would like to incorporate them into my new layout but those big black boxes are a turnoff for me. I also use peco switches with manual switch stands where I can reach them. Problem is I cant reach these atlas switches & I dont want to crawl under the layout to install nice switch motors. Buildings are to big to fit that close to the switch without side swiping engines or cars. does anybody have a good realistic way to solve this problem? I tried using lichen,ballast and ho railroad ties stacked around the switch motors with limited results. Thanks.
Take a look at this page:
http://www.crtraincrew.com/hiding-snap-switches
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Can you move the Atlas black switch machine back from the track and use a rod between the machine and the throw bar. I guess your wires would be at track side now and would need to extend on top of layout under cover to new switch machine. The trickiest part would be keeping the new rod attached to the white post that sticks out of the black Atlas switch machine. There are ways, I just don't know which way's the best for your applacation. A small nail with a head on both sides of the throw rod (linkage) back at the Atlas machine would keep the rod attached to the Atlas's white post. A short 1/8'' long brass tube soldered to the top of a flate head screw close to the machine for the throw rod to slide through would keep it on the white post.
Not knowing what is under your switch machine now, cork, plywood or foam and where you may want to move them, I would not know just how to move and mount the Atlas machine, it would need to be fasten down, screws would be good. Only if what is under the top cover it the new location will hold them.
ALSO IF YOU USE PIANO WIRE, DO NOT USE NORMAL WIRE OR TRACK CUTTERS, YOU WILL DISTROY THEM. USE CUTTERS DESIGNED FOR PIANO WIRE OR HARDEN WIRE. (I'm not yelling at you with capitals, just don't want you to make a mistake).
Hi, I feel your pain............
A very good start is to paint them with a flat black / brown wash, being careful not to get any in the openings. This will give them a flat finish that won't show up nearly as much as the original shiny plastic.
To take it a step further, put a piece of tape over the openings and "paint" the top surface with a white glue / water mix, and then sprinkle on various ground covers. When dry, remove the tape.
A third step is to glue some small bits of foliage around them to camoflauge the hump in the ground cover.
A
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I've made shallow scenic covers for a lot of them, using plaster cloth painted and coated with turf and some ground foam. I also mounted one machine to the underside of a turnout with glue.
Neither of these methods gives access to hand-throw the turnout.
I did put one inside a building and another under a foam hill. They worked fine with a short linkage, but the linkages kept coming apart.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
put them underneath ...
you have to heat up the plastic throw rod and bend it 90 degrees ..
and use a glue gun to mount it under the track so it's part of the turnout ..
i did that to mayb two dozen on my first layout ... used a CD supply to switch them, and momentary switches
When scenery is down, and the big Atlas switch machines are weathered, they really become hard to notice.
.
However, if you plan to take pictures, they will stick out like basketball in a bin of baseballs.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
wvg_ca put them underneath ... you have to heat up the plastic throw rod and bend it 90 degrees .. and use a glue gun to mount it under the track so it's part of the turnout .. i did that to mayb two dozen on my first layout ... used a CD supply to switch them, and momentary switches
Thanks to all for the great ideas,I will probably weather and then put grass and lichen. Once I cut balsa into ties and then painted them flat black. Looks great but is time consuming.
Mel, did you use the Atlas under the table machine and just cut down the throwbar? Based on the image, you could trim the throwbar and then cut the side bar from the switch. I have to try this!!
Neal
it's really very easy to mount them underneath, just regular switch machines with the actuaing arm bent at 90 degrees with a bit of heat from a soldering iron or similar ...
the switch machines are easily held on with a bit of the old hot glue gun, nothing fancy .. and they will take a bit of mis adjustment as the throw is longer than needed, even works with the old metal actuating arm, just bend with a small pair of pliers ...
it does require a small amount of material removal underneath, but nothing major, and ballast can be used directly on the actuating parts, not a problem, but the turnout would need to be removed for changing the switch though .. im my case i has a 3/8 inch thick plywood top, and just used a jigsaw to remove the small portion needed ..
edit: as an aside, atlas used to keep just the throw part of the electric switch available, i don't know if they still do ?
eaglescoutThis may not solve all your issues but where my turnouts are easily accessible I have replaced the machine with manual throws which are more realistic and give operators more to do when running operation sessions.
The OP basically said he was doing that already in the first post: "I also use peco switches with manual switch stands where I can reach them."
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I found this picture of one of my plaster-cloth scenic covers:
I made a quick form with leftover scraps of pink foam, then covered it with plaster cloth and let it harden. Then I simply removed the foam so I was left with a shell. I trimmed the shell to shape, then painted it and added turf and ground foam.
You do have to keep these low because the tight curves may cause interference with stirrups and other low-hanging rolling stock parts on the diverging side of the turnout, but generally they work very well.