Has anyone built a FUNCTIONING switch stand?

[FJ and G]

In Apr 05 MR nice article on switchstand, esp since it's scratchbuilt. Problem is that it doesn't operate. It's just eye candy.

Has anyone actually built one and if so can you share your pictures and plans.

I'm at the stage where I need a bunch and I want to make my own, not purchase them.

Mine will be for manual operations.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I have Dave, and it is not bad for O scale. I'll have to take a picture and post it. It's made of brass and a little piano wire. It wasn't too difficult either

[Big_Boy_4005]

Here it is Dave, not the best picture, and only one side, but it will give you an idea.

[FJ and G]

Nice Elliot,

The mechanism might be the difficult part, as you are changing direction of movement in a different plane, i/e the switch throw goes left-right and the switch rod goes in/out.

One option I'm thinking of doing is to simply build a static switch stand like in the MR article I cited and simply attach the rod to it and just pull the switch stand along the long ties forward and back to operate the turnout.

Otherwise, I'd have to get some kind of gearing.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Nice Elliot,

The mechanism might be the difficult part, as you are changing direction of movement in a different plane, i/e the switch throw goes left-right and the switch rod goes in/out.

One option I'm thinking of doing is to simply build a static switch stand like in the MR article I cited and simply attach the rod to it and just pull the switch stand along the long ties forward and back to operate the turnout.

Otherwise, I'd have to get some kind of gearing.

Dave the whole thing is really rather simple. That piano wire shaft has a crank bent into the bottom. The handle turns 90 degrees and locks into notches cut into the washer. It functions very similarly to a real one. I based it on the real one in my garage.[;)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Here are a couple of better photos. I built this about 7 years ago, and it wasn't that difficult. With a little practice, I could make the tolerances a lot tighter, this first one was kind of sloppy. I would be happy to explain the process in detail, but I'll have to rack my brain to do so.[swg]

[FJ and G]

Elliot,

That is so cool. Hope you don't mind me copying it.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Go for it Dave, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.[swg]

As you can see from the last photo, you'll need to add a connecting rod, totally prototypical I might add. It might be necessary to carve the tie away slightly where the crank is. Keep in mind that it is the offset of the crank that determines the distance of throw. If you really wanted to get fancy, the connecting linkage should be made of a light gauge spring wire, with a couple of "U" shaped bends in it. The bends will provide some tension and compression allowing you to overthrow slightly, and get the points to stay nice and tight against the stock rails in both directions.

[FJ and G]

that's cool. I'm gonna make mine entirely of copper. I'll have to think about the mechanism and your suggestions and come up with something that works for me.

I already have a 14-gauge copper wire connecting rod in place so that would be easy to solder to

[Big_Boy_4005]

Brass Dave, copper is usually too soft. Brass is just as easy to solder as copper. K&S metals, your hobby store should have a rack of the stuff. I used some very fine brass wire, some square brass tubing, (2 nesting sizes), and some srtips of brass. The washer was just a plane steel one I think.

Now that I know what I'm doing, I may have to go into mass production, as my layout is starting to take shape. I have a lot of industrial areas that can use a manual throws like this. If I get lazy, I can always use Caboose Industries ground throws, but the guys who have seen mine think they are pretty cool.

The HO guys are lucky, Caboose makes a nice switch stand for them. The problem with using them for O is they are a little small, but more importantly, they don't have enough throw distance.

[FJ and G]

Elliot,

I purchased some brass sheets and 2 sizes of brass rod on the way home, just in time to see your reply.

Perhaps you are the only model railroader to make his own functioning switch stands. Now got to figure out how to make the circle. I'll try tin snips and then bench grinder to round it out. How did you cut your circle out?

[FJ and G]

I had some trouble with linear vs circular motion so I just designed a sort of folded pretzel gear that appears as tho it will work out.

[FJ and G]

Made of brass and copper with a homemade linkage to change direction from circular motion (twisting the target) to linear motion (switch rod).

Took 90 minutes to make, incl cutting brass and copper and soldering.

Elliot Feinberg's switch stand inspired me. The only thing wrong with it is that when you twist the target, it activates the turnout without turning a full 90 degrees. Other than that, it operates very smoothly. I did it real fast and the target isn't quite circular so I'll spend more time on the next one. A bench grinder works nice to produce the circular form.




Ooops. I wanted so bad to fini***his up that I forgot to add the handle (cosmetic, non-functional because I twist the target). I'll add the handle next.

[FJ and G]

Added handle in about 5 minutes, soldered on.