Cheap but effective Turnout machines

[Eriediamond]

Hey Fergie, Thats what I'm doing on my future layout. As a suggestion only, check out a product called Ny-rod at your hobby shop. It's a product used to transfer movement from a servo in model aircraft to the control surfaces. It can be routed around curves and such. It has an outer plastic tube with an inner plastice tube that slides with very little friction. Threaded rod is screwed in to each end to attach it to what ever. Those DPDT switches elimenate those expensive relays for signals and such. Ken

[Fergmiester]

As I've commented above these will operate any turnout and lock them in position.

This is a "Heavy-Duty Slide Switch" DPTP contacts (on-on) rated at 3A at 250VAC. The manufacturer is Nexxtech (formerly Radio Shack) part no. 2750403.

The rod is 1/16" steel. The mounting bracket is 1" pine mold.

I've cut the rod to the required length and put a 90 degree elbow into it. I then took the switch and drilled a hole through it in the direction of the slide travel. Taking a dremel tool I notched one end so the rod could be seated in the slide giving it more stability.

I then slid the rod up into the hole of the turnout and the other end through the facia of the layout.

This will run LED's on the control board and LED signals



sorry if it's blurred

Fergie

[DFORD]

I am a relative newcomer, and I don't understand how these switches work. More explanation would be helpful.

[oleirish]

Great!! Some times life is simple,I've herd of this being done![^][:D]

JIM

[ereimer]

excellent execution of an old idea , great thing is you have the switch contacts for powering frogs or lighting indicators on a control panel

[CP5415]

I like cheap Fergie.

Especially since I'm going to have no less than a half dozen switches rhat are not quite withjn reach.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Sweet Fergie!

Now cough up some part numbers for those switches.

How are the rods attached?

[Fergmiester]

By Gawd they work! And at $2 a pop!!





The switches are DPTP and slide the same distance as a turnout.

Fergie