selector This may be beside the point...
And your solution is actually right beside the point(s) Jamie
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Thanks, Chuck and Ken. I will not be so squeamish with them from now on.
-Crandell
Crandell, K 10 model trains has around 200 of them and we all throw them with our fingers. In three year I have been going there I yet to hear of one being replaced.
Ken
I hate Rust
About 30 years ago; I think one of the MR editors (Jim Hediger, maybe?) developed the "Mark 7" manual switch machine. It was basically a couple of pieces of music wire, a short length of brass tubing, and push pin. It worked much as the modern Peco manual switch does; although the workings were under the table and took up several square inches of space. As a teenager, I built these for my layout in my parent's attic; and they really, really worked. They were very inexpensive to build, as well.
selectorBut, maybe I am being over cautious. -Crandell
But, maybe I am being over cautious.
Maybe you are. We have 20 or so Peco turnouts on our large HO scale club layout that get thrown by finger several times a day and have never had one go bad yet after 10 years of use and abuse.
This may be beside the point, but I have a policy of avoiding using my fingers with Peco turnouts. To be sure, it works very well that way, and I sometimes must resort to it for safety...I may have forgotten to line one turnout and must get the finger in and out before the lead axle meets the bind. But my point is that the points blades on Peco turnouts are only held in the throwbar by a much smaller tab, and it can't be great for the integrity of the throwbar and points system to be sliding them with fingers all the time. I try to use a wood skewer in the holes provided, a safer and more positive method if one has the time than running one's finger/nail against the point to be moved.
thanx
Yes, they were Peco. No motor necessary as long as you can reach them to use your finger.
Hi,
About 10 years ago I was a regular operator on (the late) Clyde Fazenbaker's railroad.
On that railroad he had a lot of turnouts that the methof for throwing them was your took your 0-1-0 (index finger), put it on the throwbar between the points and pushed. The turnout was.. I guess spring loaded and stayed in place. Some of them would even route power.
What manufacturer were those turnouts? Peco?
thanks