Brake methods

[jacon12]

I have an area on my layout where the eastbound local has to stop on a hill (downgrade), uncouple from it's train of about 9 cars in order to work two industrial spurs at the bottom of the hill (a scale 20 yards or so away).  The problem is a method of keeping the train from rolling down the hill and crashing into the engine and killing or maiming the crew, not to mention wrecking some expensive equipment.  I've tried  a longish pin sticking into the roadbed to hold the train in position but find this is causing loose gravel and even a bare spot or two that I'll have to redo.

Anyone have a better solution?

JaRRell

[joe-daddy]

How about drilling a small pin sized hole in a tie to stick the pin into? 

Joe 

[wjstix]

I seem to remember someone a while back writing in MR or RMC or wherever that in a similar situation they used a cheap under-the-table switch machine, but set to move the throw rod up and down rather than side to side. A small hole between the ties allowed the rod to stick up far enough to catch the axle of a freight car when you throw the switch machine one way; when you throw the switch machine the other way it goes back down in the hole far enough that trains can pass over it.

[ndbprr]

I just operated on a guys layout that had this problem.  His solution was a tortise to activate the wire.  Push the switch up for engagemnet and down once connected.

[tomikawaTT]

If you don't want to use a powered switch machine, you can get the same result with a choke cable.  Pushing in on the normally-out knob set in the fascia will raise the tip of the cable through a hole in a tie and catch an axle.  Or, if you'd prefer to operate in tension, a bellcrank under the pin could be used to convert a pull on the knob into an upward vertical motion.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[jacon12]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  They give me ideas to think about and come up with a solution.  JoeDaddy, your tip is probably the simplest to do and, as a matter of fact the hole might could be made large enough to place something like a trimmed down wooden skewer.  Paint it red so that it could be easily kept up with and keep it in the throttle holder that's right beside the spot.  No matter which method is used, operators would have to always know they HAD to stop their train over that spot to be uncoupled.

There are two passing sidings a short distance away from this hill and by making them use one or the other would throw a little more running into it for them and they always like that.. 

JaRRell

[Gandy Dancer]

No one has mentioned using flextible brush bristles.  Get a cheap plastic brush and take out a few bristles.  Drill into the center of a few of the ties and glue them straight up.  Cut them off at the exact height of the top of the axle.  For a train under power they will just bend out of the way and let the train pass.  For a stopped train they will brush up against the axle and hold it in place.  The number of bristles required will depend on the stiffness of the bristle, grade, weight of the car, spacing of the axles etc.  Using soft bristles will require more work to install because of the number, but are more adjustible and make less noise on a train passing over.

[Sperandeo]

That was me, "Stix,"

My article, "A Tortoise hill brake," appeared in the November 2001 "Model Railroader," page 109. A Tortoise may not actually be a "cheap switch machine," but I do try to buy them in boxes of two dozen to get a little break. (Sorry about that unintended pun.)

So long,

Andy