HI: Check out Wolfgang Dudler's Westport terminal HO Layout. He lives in Germany; models US freelance RR and has very interesting under-table manual switch gear shown on his website. His layout's quite impressive; always enjoy seeing what his latest projects are. My 2 cents. TTFN...Old Tom aka papasmurf in NH
Thanks guys. I think I'll go with the Caboose Industries at this point. This shelf layout is eventually going to be a second level that rests a mere 4" above the bottom table top. With cork and track, I'm now thinking I might not have enough clearance for linkage or powered actuators under the table top.
Thanks again for the help. I love this forum.
Will
Will.
I forgot to mention that they can gang several turnouts together with one lever. This would be good for something like cross overs or yard throats.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Why not start with a lever at the fascia right from the start. Hump Yard controls are not too expensive, look cool like a real interlocking lever and can incorporate a polarity or signal switch. Six levers are $51. Less than $10 a turnout. http://www.humpyard.com/
skagitrailbird I second the Caboose Industries ground throws. I generally use #202S but have also used some others for unusual needs.
I second the Caboose Industries ground throws. I generally use #202S but have also used some others for unusual needs.
Make that three votes for the Caboose Industries manual ground throw, #202S.
Rich
Alton Junction
In HO i use Caboose Industries # 208S. Holds the points tight. Can be used with steel wire in a plastic tube to throw switches across the layout from the front edge. The're a little under $3 each.
For a quick and dirty, 'right now,' trackside switch point mover, I've used slide switches mounted into the layout surface, connected to the throwbars with (don't laugh) re-bent paper clip wire. You need a little -v^v- shaped bend in the wire to make up for the difference in throw between the slide switch and the points. The switch handle looks something like a relay case.
Of course, my choice was heavily influenced by my need to:
Glancing at my handy electronic discounter's catalog, suitable DPDT slide switches can be had for a quarter apiece, or less in quantity. As for paper clips...
For the record, I have been using slide switches to throw switch points on my, 'End of the railroad,' module for 30 years with no electrical or mechanical failures.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
For leversat table side you might want to consider the Blue Point turnout machines. They mount under the layout but have a very positive throw action and an integral DPDT switch you can use to power the frogs and/or LED point position indicators. I used R/C airplane rods-in-tubes to connect the Blue Points to my panel. However, since I had seven turnouts spread out by as much as five feet and wanted to be able to throw any turnout from a central nearby panel it was quite a project snaking the rods-in-tubes around and through my risers to get them to panel. Next time for such an application I would use either Tortoises or Switchmasters since snaking wire is much easier. In my opinion, the rods-in-tubes would be better used in locations nearer the turnout location so the run from the turnout to the panel is straighter and perhaps shorter.
Good luck.
Caboose Industies ground throws are a good option to consider.
The Lone Geep
Lone Geep
\
Hi,
I'm looking for a good way to do some table top manual switching without the cheesy looking Atlas switch machine. Something that sits trackside, looks cool, isn't too big, isn't expense, and needs a finger to operate. I'm using Atlas Code-100 #4's. I have 4 righties and 1 lefty to consider.
Down the road I'd like to incorporate some levers that I can operate from table-side that connect to their respective machine via under-table linkage, but that's down the road aways.
Thanks,