#1122 turnouts

[magicman710]

What are # 1122 turnouts? (Saw them on ebay) Well, actually, in the pictures it didnt show them but it did show the boxes. (There were multiple items)

[RRCharlie]

Magicman710

# 1122 turnouts were an upgrade of Lionel's 1121 turnouts for O-27. The 1121's had a rounded motor housing. The 1122's had a square motor housing with the revolving lantern like their O-22 big brothers and also were non-derailing which the 1121's were not.

Mel Hazen; Jax, FL

[ADCX Rob]

If they are true 1122's, they were unique 1-year-only(1952) O-27 remote control non-derailing switches...  I have several pairs.  They don't need fiber pins, & you can change the lightbulbs without removing the switch housing.

Most  postwar O-27 remote control non-derailing switches are the 1122E made from 1953 to 1969.  They look exactly the same from ~ 10' away, but are actually completely different in almost every aspect, from the plastic castings, the housings, the rack & pinion assembly, the lighting method, almost every piece of rail, & now fiber pins are needed as in the 022 type for the non-derailing function. 

Apparently, the 1122 was prone to problems that surfaced within just one year.  The 1122E units are stamped as such on the metal baseplates, but were always cataloged & packaged as "1122".

Rob 

[magicman710]

Are they good/reliable switches?

[ADCX Rob]

Are they good/reliable switches?

I have never had a 1122/1122E completely die.  They are sometimes sluggish, but then cleaning & tuning brings them around.

The trigger rails are shorter on the 1122's causing some delayed throws especially with tire tractioned locos or at low voltages.

Rob 

[lionelsoni]

They are reliable.  They can be modified for constant-voltage operation, but not easily.  They lack the shutoff contacts of the O22s, which makes it a good idea to operate them from capacitors, especially if using constant voltage.

The rotating lanterns are much less unrealistic than the flag contraptions on the later 5122s.  They also don't get in the way of long locomotives and cars that could otherwise swing over the switch machine.