Is it just me or are some instructions better than others? (Don't get me started!)
I am trying to set up the nice Caboose Industries High Level switchstand 204S, manually operated groundthrow used with nice Walthers/Shinohara #6 switches, er, turnouts but I can't get to second base. <grin>
These are the throws with the different interface thingies for different brands of switches. A 90 degree thing for one, two rods for a second, one rod for a third, and a rectangle thing with a part missing for a fourth.
I cannot for the life of me get the thingie I need to use into the throw arm. The thingie has a T-shaped bar opposite the interface that fits into a slot of the throw arm. So far so good.
But the thingie also has a peg on the top side, opposite the T-shaped bar, that appears to fit into a hole in the throw arm and keep the thingie in place tightly once it is installed; otherwise, the thingie would just fall out the first time it was pulled.
How do you get the thingie with its T bar and the peg into the rectangular slot that is just big enough for the T bar but not with the peg?
I may just throw the thingie away and connect with a nice wire. Wire I understand. Thingies with T bar slots and pegs, not so much.
Bill Rowe
Chico, CA
Your description is way to cryptic for me. Photos might help some folks.
Ray
Bill,
Use a sprue cutter or Xuron track cutter to cut the "tab" off of the top of the throw bar. Cut the tab off flush with the top of the throw bar and you should be left with a flat throw bar with a hole in it (actually a large hole and a small hole). The larger (fatter) vertical pin (rod) attachement that comes with the Caboose groundthrow should fit nicely into the hole that was under the offending tab on the turnout.
-John
Thanks, John.
I actually figured the part about removing the tab on the switch throw bar out.
The 204S style groundthrow is one with different attachments ("thingies" I call them) for different switches. One side of an attachment goes into the throw bar of the switch (where I cut off the tab as you describe); the other side goes into the ground throw's throw bar. So the ground throw's throw bar is connected to the thingie and the thing is connected to the switch throw bar.
The thingie to the ground throw's throw bar side is a T shape with a peg on top. This part fits into a rectangular hole with a slot for the T part and a hole opposite for the peg part.
The trick is how to get that part in when the peg stops it from going in. Once in, it would be fine and locked in place, but how can one get that in with the peg in the way?
In the stock photo below I am talking about the lower left hand corner, where you see the connection to the ground throw throw bar.
Ah, now I understand. You are talking about the locking tab on the top of the Caboose option attachment. If you look closely (with a maginifer) at the "peg" you describe you will find that it is actually beveled. This tab is meant to slide into the slot on the top of the attachment receiver and lock the attachment into place as you noted.
Yes, it is a very tight fit and the solution is to push hard. Obviously you want to have a firm grip on everything so that when you apply the extra force you do not break anything but it really does work and the tab really does slide on home and into the locking slot.
I used a few of the Caboose model 218S ground throws which also have the multiple option attachments on my layout . Then I changed to the wire link method shown on the NMRA web site: http://www.nmra.org/beginner/ground_throw.html I find that method easier (and the model 202S ground throws cheaper).
Good Luck.
I guess I was not pushing hard enough. I did not notice a bevel.
Thanks for the nifty NMRA link.
Thanks for posting this thread!!!!! I am in the exact same situation and have the exact same questions.