Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Improving the looks of Caboose Industries ground throws

8784 views
34 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,775 posts
Posted by snjroy on Friday, August 13, 2021 9:35 AM

maxman

 

 
snjroy
In other words, when all is aligned for normal mainline running, the few CH ground throws I have (3) are all in their upright position,

 

Don't you lose 1/2 the available throw when you do this?

 

Actually, I can do the throw and bring it back almost vertical without engaging the switch. I should say that these are tight switches (I don't know the number...), and it does not take much to throw them.

Simon

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,878 posts
Posted by maxman on Thursday, August 12, 2021 8:16 PM

snjroy
In other words, when all is aligned for normal mainline running, the few CH ground throws I have (3) are all in their upright position,

Don't you lose 1/2 the available throw when you do this?

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,775 posts
Posted by snjroy on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 9:02 AM

mobilman44

Back to the OP's subject..........

I had about two dozen CH ground throws on my HO layout, and they lasted the life of the layout - about 12 years - without ANY malfunctions.  Of course a key to that is getting them properly positioned and secured (I used screws).

Yes, they are oversize, and have that "Delrin sheen" that looks so unrealistic (to me anyway).  So I painted them all with a "flat black, rust color, thinner" wash using Testor's paints.  This made quite a difference, and helped them to blend somewhat into the ground cover. 

  

 

I think the interest in the CH ground throws for me is that it is low tech (easy to install and maintain) and rugged. One thing I did was to ensure that the arm was in the upright position when in the "default" position. In other words, when all is aligned for normal mainline running, the few CH ground throws I have (3) are all in their upright position, which I find a bit more convincing in appearance. I did file the top part a bit to make it thinner, a bit like a piece of tin would look like. I painted mine craftpaint charcoal grey. Sure, the paint wears off but annual touch-ups do the job.

Most people don't even know what the real ones look like anyway Smile.

Simon

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 8:48 AM

maxman
Atlas used to sell a package of nail holes for this purpose  They included a little template that allowed you to position the holes easily.  Came in very handy if you couldn't find your pin vise.

Weren't those the holes that were counted to see how many would fill the Albert Hall?

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 5,449 posts
Posted by mobilman44 on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 8:43 AM

Back to the OP's subject..........

I had about two dozen CH ground throws on my HO layout, and they lasted the life of the layout - about 12 years - without ANY malfunctions.  Of course a key to that is getting them properly positioned and secured (I used screws).

Yes, they are oversize, and have that "Delrin sheen" that looks so unrealistic (to me anyway).  So I painted them all with a "flat black, rust color, thinner" wash using Testor's paints.  This made quite a difference, and helped them to blend somewhat into the ground cover. 

  

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 8:23 AM

FlattenedQuarter
A model railroad is a hole in your life that you throw money into
 

Cost is how well you shop. I have broke even over the years by making wise purchases and selling some things when they were in demand. I have been able to upgrade over the years too.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Heart of Georgia
  • 5,406 posts
Posted by Doughless on Monday, August 9, 2021 3:12 PM

BATMAN

 

 
Jumijo
I sure would love to see what a package of nail holes looks like. Are they expensive?

 

Buying the holes is the cheap part. Buying the "special air" to put in the hole is the expensive part.

 

Hmmmm.  I'm thinking that the surrounding material is the expensive component and the hole itself is relatively free.....

Or, its like Dunkin Donuts, which sells you doughnut holes that aren't really holes at all.....

- Douglas

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Monday, August 9, 2021 1:56 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Trains are more fun than the pool ever was.....

My black Lab (RIP) would totally disagree with You Sheldon..LOL Smile, Wink & Grin

Take Care!

Frank

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, August 9, 2021 12:59 PM

FlattenedQuarter
A model railroad is a hole in your life that you throw money into
 

I have to put it somewhere, I got rid of the big house with the swimming pool....

Trains are more fun than the pool ever was.....

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    March 2020
  • 86 posts
Posted by FlattenedQuarter on Monday, August 9, 2021 12:21 PM
A model railroad is a hole in your life that you throw money into
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Monday, August 9, 2021 9:54 AM

Jumijo,

did not remove the guardrails from the turnout. I cut the street around them. The brick is from Walthers cornerstone street system when they first came out. The entire brick street is roughly 11 ft. long, plus a 6ft. 1/2 circle extension.

Those photos can be clicked on for a larger view, along with these:

Take Care!Smile, Wink & Grin

Frank

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Monday, August 9, 2021 9:23 AM

zstripe

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Frank, 

How did you remove the guard rails from the switch in the street?

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Monday, August 9, 2021 9:01 AM

The N scale ones did not work om my HO Shinohara turnouts, the HO ones have very little overthrow when used with my turnouts.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Monday, August 9, 2021 8:43 AM

joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

 

I have been using the N-scale 206s caboose groundthrow for the past 25+ yrs. without any problems on Atlas code 83 #4 turnouts, which is what I use on all Industrial sidings. Atlas #6 turnouts are all powered. To Me whoever started that so called rumor more than likely never even attempted to try it. I have no problems throwing them. Most serious modelers usually carried an uncoupler tool in their shirt pocket to assist them.

The first one controls  that turnout, second one controls the turnout in the brick street. A brass tube (1/8'' imbeded in the homsote bass with 1/16'' linkage inserted into the center hole of the turnout drawbar to groundthrow works flawlessly as does the other 15 on the layout. Layout which is DC is now 41 yrs. old.

Take Care!

Frank

 

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Monday, August 9, 2021 5:20 AM

rrebell

Met the owner, he was not interested in changing his product to more scale even though he could and no one has chalenged him with new product.

 

I suppose one could argue that he's modeling an HO version of the backsaver throws railroads are using nowaday.  Then again I suppose one could model the backsaver handle and attach that to the throw in lieu of the oversized lever.

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Sunday, August 8, 2021 11:30 PM

Met the owner, he was not interested in changing his product to more scale even though he could and no one has chalenged him with new product.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 3,139 posts
Posted by chutton01 on Sunday, August 8, 2021 9:25 PM

joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

Yes, see my post above (4th post in this thread).  They work fine for HO Peco Eletrofrogs (#5 & #6). I don't have an Atlas code 100 to test, so they may or may not work on those without adapting them.  I think the N scale Caboose throws look decent enough in HO, brings to mind an article in a c1977 MR article regarding hiding ground throws, and comparing an average Atlas switch machine to an abandonded pieced of miltary equipment alongside the switch.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Sunday, August 8, 2021 2:30 PM

Jumijo
I sure would love to see what a package of nail holes looks like. Are they expensive?

Buying the holes is the cheap part. Buying the "special air" to put in the hole is the expensive part.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,878 posts
Posted by maxman on Sunday, August 8, 2021 2:23 PM

No

Jumijo

 

 
maxman
 
richhotrain
I temporarily used a track nail through the throwbar to hold the point rail against the stock rail. I used a pin vise to drill two holes, one for each point rail position.

 

Atlas used to sell a package of nail holes for this purpose  They included a little template that allowed you to position the holes easily.  Came in very handy if you couldn't find your pin vise.

 

 

 

I sure would love to see what a package of nail holes looks like. Are they expensive?

 

No, they were not expensive at all.  However, Atlas discontinued them because there were too many consumer complaints about quantity discrepancies, mainly shortages.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, August 8, 2021 11:15 AM

joe323

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 Well all my turnouts are either #6 or #4 Atlas Code 100.

 
joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

 

 

 

Depends on the amount of travel your chosen turnouts require.

Sheldon

 

 

 

 

Well, I can't answer that question specificly because I don't have an N scale Caboose ground throw or an Atlas code 100 turnout to measure/test.

No offense to the OP or anyone, but Caboose ground throws have never been something I would consider using.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Sunday, August 8, 2021 11:00 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 Well all my turnouts are either #6 or #4 Atlas Code 100.

 
joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

 

 

 

Depends on the amount of travel your chosen turnouts require.

Sheldon

 

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,897 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, August 8, 2021 10:30 AM

joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

 

Depends on the amount of travel your chosen turnouts require.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, August 8, 2021 10:22 AM

joe323

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor? 

I have repeatedly read where someone uses an N scale ground throw on an HO scale turnout. I tried it once but I was disappointed. It was unrealiable and difficult to throw because of its small size.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Sunday, August 8, 2021 9:17 AM

I have been told that Caboose N scale ground shows can be used with HO turnout.  Any truth to this rumor?

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Sunday, August 8, 2021 9:00 AM

maxman
 
richhotrain
I temporarily used a track nail through the throwbar to hold the point rail against the stock rail. I used a pin vise to drill two holes, one for each point rail position.

 

Atlas used to sell a package of nail holes for this purpose  They included a little template that allowed you to position the holes easily.  Came in very handy if you couldn't find your pin vise.

 

I sure would love to see what a package of nail holes looks like. Are they expensive?

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 2,505 posts
Posted by caldreamer on Saturday, August 7, 2021 8:24 PM

I have used the Caboose Industries S202 sprung ground throws on my N scale layout and have found them very easy to install and very reliable. I paint the the top of the throw arm green to indicate that the switch is set for the straight track and when the switch is thrown the top fo the throw arm is painted red.  That way you can tell which way the switch is set for by just looking at the switch arm color.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,190 posts
Posted by mvlandsw on Saturday, August 7, 2021 8:02 PM

I like to use the O scale Caboose Industries ground throws. The larger size is easier to operate. Using them to throw a switch is more like the prototype than pushing a button.

I mount them in a box set into the fascia below the edge of the layout with an underground linkage to the switch. This keeps them out of the scene and eliminates reaching into the layout. The linkage can be as long as necessary.

Mark Vinski

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,878 posts
Posted by maxman on Friday, August 6, 2021 4:20 PM

richhotrain
I temporarily used a track nail through the throwbar to hold the point rail against the stock rail. I used a pin vise to drill two holes, one for each point rail position.

Atlas used to sell a package of nail holes for this purpose  They included a little template that allowed you to position the holes easily.  Came in very handy if you couldn't find your pin vise.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, August 5, 2021 5:49 PM

I have lots of those Caboose Industries manual throws and they are big and ugly.

That is one reason why I switched to Peco turnouts with the spring loaded points that can be thrown by the flick of a finger.

When I was building my new layout, I used Atlas Custom Line turnouts in my engine servicing facility. Before I installed the Caboose Industries manual throws, I temporarily used a track nail through the throwbar to hold the point rail against the stock rail. I used a pin vise to drill two holes, one for each point rail position. That worked so well that I was tempted to keep it on the final layout. But I didn't in the final analysis.

Rich

Alton Junction

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!