Good Morning
I was online looking for ground throws to install on my layout. On the mainline I will be using tortoise switch machines with the turnouts but to save on cost and since the layout is fairly modest I was considering using the ground throws for all industries and sidings.
I see that Caboose Hobbies seems to be the leader in ground throws but my question is this. There are several or many different types of ground throws and I don't know what is the difference between them or which ones to get.
Looking for something thats reliable, yet fairly cheap and if I can buy in bulk which I saw MB Kleins do have 5 pks for about $16.00 all the more better.
Layout is modern day operations
Thanks
Get the ones with springs for your brand of turnouts as some from Caboose don't have enough throw for certain turnouts which is why they offer others. Also the high level ones are a bit fragle but the ground throws are rock solid.
Here is the Sneaky Leopard, Tower Operator and dropper of homeballs. Him is a bit outclassed here. This hnadle is on the property of the Red Trail Energy company, in Richardton, North Dakota. This switch is on track owned by Red Trail Energy. The next switch west, is owned by the BNSF railroad, and connects to the Mane Lion. It has a different kind of ground throw, one of those hoop shaped things that is ergonomically designed so that the switch operator will not have to bend over to move the swith points. It is intersting to see two different kinds of switch levers right next to each other, but that is the way it is. One is owned by RTE and installed by their contractor, and the other is owned by BNSF and was installed by their own track crews, along with the locked derail. The BNSF switches are locked, the RTE switches are not. RTE owns two (leased) locomotives.
Passing sidings are automatically controlled by the CTC operator in Ft. Worth, Texas (Could by Bangalore, India for all that it matters!), sidings, such as this are manual and are covered by the warrent to the train that is doing the switching at the plant.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
rrebellGet the ones with springs for your brand of turnouts as some from Caboose don't have enough throw for certain turnouts which is why they offer others
Springs are good, worth having.
The differences in throw length have something to do with scale, but this is not fixed. What works in N scale can work with some HO turnouts, for instance, but not all. So it's important to determine what the throw is on the trunouts you'll use.
As a piece of forward thinking advice, if you ever plan on adding Tortoises later, go ahead and drill the hole for the actuating rod underneath the bridle on the points when installing manual throws. It's way easier to do now than later.
Finally, you can actually build a manual undertable switch throw from a household three-way light cicuit swicth and a receptacle box even cheaper than a Caboose throw. There was an article in MR awhile back that shows how, but also in several threads here.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehmanmlehman wrote the following post 7 minutes ago: rrebell Get the ones with springs for your brand of turnouts as some from Caboose don't have enough throw for certain turnouts which is why they offer others Springs are good, worth having.
+1
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
For HO, the 202S works well with most turnouts, but you can get other sprung ones with longer or shorter throws, and ones with electrical contacts (for powering the turnout's frog or controlling the track power beyond the turnout.
There's info here on what's available:
cabooseind.com
Wayne
The absolutely least expensive manual throw device is a slide switch. Granted it looks more like a relay box, and will require a spring to match throw distances (straightened and re-bent paper clip) but it is absolutely reliable in lock action and has that nice set of contacts (SPDT or DPDT) for signals, panel position indicators and to power hot frogs.
In the past I mounted some on the surface of a club layout (hence the relay box comment) but now I mount the switches in niches in the fascia and connect to the points with cable and Anderson link arrangements. The cable is always in tension - points are moved to the normal position by a free-hanging weight.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - inexpensively)
Another option most people overlook is the metal throw from Bitter Creek Models http://bittercreekmodels.com/page11.html .
These are durable and subjectively less visaully obtrusive than the Caboose throws. They also have a long travel to provide a bit of extra pressure to maintain alignment (and electrical contact if you need it).
Rob Spangler
Never heard of them honestly but I they look nice. Bulk discount? =D
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Those look nice....Do they sell them in bulk? And you say that they're better and more durable than the Caboose Ground Throws?
I had never heard of the Bittercreek ground throws....
Caboose Ind. is 5/$16 on the 202S, where Bittercreek is 2/$10, so 4/$20. Close enough on price for me on something that looks a little closer to scale size...
I might just need to get me a couple of these....
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Regg05Those look nice....Do they sell them in bulk?
No idea on the bulk price, but I know the owner and he seems reasonable enough. Try contacting him and see what he says.
And you say that they're better and more durable than the Caboose Ground Throws?
Better is subjective. I have several, and know a couple other guys who swear by them. I've never known one to break. I'm slowly replacing my Caboose throws with them.
Here's one on my layout close to some Caboose throws so you can perhaps better judge the appearance.
Proto87 has ground throws and accessories.
http://www.proto87.com/model-railroad-manual-throw-types.html
South Penn
IMO, ground throws all look a little clunky on the layout. Why not consider one of the RYO or commercially available under table manual solutions? This especially makes sense in your case since you're using tortoises elsewhere and these will look the same from above.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
carl425 IMO, ground throws all look a little clunky on the layout. Why not consider one of the RYO or commercially available under table manual solutions? This especially makes sense in your case since you're using tortoises elsewhere and these will look the same from above.
Considering human fingers are big, ground throws are necessarily clunky. If you want something scale sized, how easy is it going to be for you to manually operate with your fingers? Probably not so easy is my guess. Sure if you have turnouts operated with electric machines, such as tortoises etc, then you can knock yourselves out with scale sized items all day long, but this topics is about ground throw isn't it?
riogrande5761...but this topics is about ground throw isn't it?
The OP stated that his interest in ground throws is as a way to save money.
Regg05but to save on cost and since the layout is fairly modest I was considering using the ground throws for all industries and sidings.
You can make a DIY under table control with a couple small nails and a bent piece of piano wire for less than a quarter. Cheaper than a ground throw, and looks the same as his Tortoises from above.
On my layout, I use Tortoises to control most of my layouts, but I also use Caboose Industries manual ground throws in yards and on sidings.
Recently, I have been using Peco Insulfrogs, flipping the spring thrown points with my finger. I prefer that method to the manual ground throws.
Rich
Alton Junction