Bob Nelson's [lionelsoni] switches [I'll let him explain]

[ChiefEagles]

Bob has arranged a real close switching yard by modifying switches. With the "mini switches", he can move one switch lever and make all switches move to arrange for cars to go through one certain track [like real yards].
A:

B:

C:

D:


The man himself:


More layout

[dwiemer]

Bob looks nothing like I thought, but his trains sure do. Perhaps my preconceptions are because we have a Bob Nelson that works in Anesthesia.
Dennis

[ChiefEagles]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dwiemer

Bob looks nothing like I thought, but his trains sure do. Perhaps my preconceptions are because we have a Bob Nelson that works in Anesthesia.
Dennis

Bob will not put you to sleep. [;)] That is unless its lots of his good spaghetti. [dinner][tup][:D][:-^]

[lionelsoni]

Now you've got me wondering, Dennis: What did you think I looked like?

I'll try to explain, as Frank says:

The yard throat uses Lionel O27 switches, cut down to 30 degrees to get the yard tracks 2 7/8 inches apart on centers. A pair of these, combined with an uncut switch, make a 4-track module. The modules can be stacked side-by-side indefinitely, each fed by a switch on the yard lead, which is at right angles to the yard itself. My yard has 2 modules and therefore 8 tracks. The advantage of this arrangement is that the yard length is not reduced by adding more tracks.

Each switch has a microswitch added to it to switch power to the yard tracks, which you can make out in picture D. That way only the track that the switches are lined for has power. The switch machines of the cut-down switches are operated on DC directly by the controls. Each of them operates the switch upstream of it through a pair of diodes when it itself is thrown either way. So only one control lines all the switches that lead to the desired track.

Picture C has a good view of a spiral curve on the outside main line. It's O72-O34-O72.

Several pictures show the track running around the upper part of the room and over the door. It is powered by the prewar type-T transformer and rheostats fastened to the wall between the windows. The rectifiers allow separate speed control of two trains. The trains automatically take turns stopping at a signal in the corner. (I'm looking at it in the head shot.) There are no electronics or relays involved in the control--it's all done with isolated rails.

One train is a General type. The other was made by ETS in Prague, where I got it. The locomotive was made for two-rail DC operation. Despite its toyish look, it is a very close scale model of its prototype. The green boxcar is painted for "Budvar", the Czech Budweiser, which is actually made in Budweis.

The Superliners, and everything else in the pictures, go around O27 curves.

Frank, thanks very much for taking and posting these pictures. And the rest of you are also welcome any time for trains and spaghetti.

[dwiemer]

bob,
with all your contributions to the forum and obvious knowledge, I guess I figured you would be the nerdy type with the pocket protector and taped glasses. Not insulting, but you know the kind that everyone seems to migrate to because they can fix anything. I am glad you look nothing like that.
Dennis

[csxt30]

Let me just say that, that was a real treat to see Bobs' picture and of course his trains, Thanks !! What a Train Room ! Boy, nice high ceiling & around the room running ! I would have liked to have seen his 2, I think, NW 2 Switchers he wired up to run together a while back ! I think he ended up cab to cab & I voted hood to hood !! [:D] Those are great pictures, and a great collection, thanks again !! [:)]

[jefelectric]

Bob, Great looking yard, you sure don't go by the book. Lots of original thinking. Nice collection of trains.

[tschmidt]

Bob, I like the room and layout. The original thinking is great. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

TomS

[Anonymous]

It's great to be able to see your trains, Bob! It's also nice to now see the guy I've known for some time and who has been an integral part of the forum! Excellent collection! I like that ETS set. I must say that it is refreshing to see a layout with innovative traditional wiring as opposed to TMCC or DCS.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Great photos and story, Bob and Chief.

In person visits with the various members on the forum has been really great. Each layout I have seen is different. It seems there is always one clever idea on everyone's layout. [:D]

[wrmcclellan]

[#ditto]

Pretty cool Bob! Thanks for letting Chief document it and feeding him too!

Regards,
Roy

[dbaker48]

Bob,
I can't say that I'm surprised, with the level of knowledge that you and Roy have I wouldn't expect much less. Your switches are fantastic, they should be in CTT, their's a patent their somewhere.

[bow]

[Jumijo]

Bob,

Love that little ETS train from Prague! You have a wonderful layout, and it was a treat to see some photos of it. Sounds like the Chief had a great time too.

Jim

[FJ and G]

Well, I was gonna take pictures of his layout in 2 weeeks but Chiefie beat me to it. The yard switches look pretty cool. You don't get too many derailments there?

I especially like the layout; which utilizes the best available space by doing the perimeter shelf with book storage under and plenty of room in the center of the room. An island would not nearly have as much mainline running.

Bob, I'll be at the Marriott-Austin South from about 10-15 March but probably traveling on 10th and 15th.

[lionelsoni]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words.

[cnw1995]

Wow, I love this idea for the 027 switches. I have to experiment with that - how did you cut them down to 30 degrees? I also love that ETS engine, boxcar. I still enjoy perusing their catalog

[lionelsoni]

I take the steel bottom off the switch, remove the rails, and cut them separately. The curved rail that connects to the frog is replaced completely. I drill and tap the frog for a small brass screw (probably 0-80) that clears the inside of 3/32-inch brass tubing and use that to fasten a short piece of tubing to the frog. (I file or grind the screw head to 3/32-inch diameter.) Then I solder the rail over the tubing. The rest of the rails are soldered with 3/32 brass rod for track pins.

The microswitches are a low-force version attached to the plastic layer with 4-40 screws. The lever fits into a notch cut into the plastic switch rod.

I can give you the rail dimensions if you like.

The yard tracks can be spaced as close as 2.55 inches; but I think that's too close. I estimate that O31 switches could be used for spacing no closer than I use, which is 2 7/8 inches.

There is a topic somewhere where I describe how I put disassembled switches back together, in response to the CTT article about rewiring them for separate power.

[dbaker48]

Worth Review (bump)

[gwg50]

Bob
I’m starting to put a yard into my layout & I’m wondering if I brought a switch out would you show me how to make the small switches that you have in your layout? What parts I need to get. Let me know if this is Ok and at your convenience.
Gary

[lionelsoni]

No problem, Gary. Give me a call, and we'll figure out a time. Home 401-0878, work 670-7372.

[gwg50]

Just wanted to thank Bob for all the info he gave me last night, He showed me how to make the small switches. He probably saved my transformer by showing me that I need to put blocks in my layout and how to do it. And got to see all of his cool stuff. Now I’m going to take one of my switches apart to see if I can make one of his small switches. Thanks Bob.

Gary

[lionelsoni]

My pleasure, Gary. You're welcome any time. Holler if you need any advice on the switch surgery.

[lionelsoni]

Gary, I have worked out the rail lengths for you, if you're still thinking of cutting down some switches.

The curves are either 15 degrees or 30 degrees. I find that the easiest way to measure the rails is not along the curved rail but along the straight-line chord between the ends. For a 15-degree section, the rail chords are 3 7/16, 3 1/4, and 3 3/32 inches. For a 30-degree section, they are 6 13/16, 6 15/32, and 6 1/8 inches.

The curve of the cutdown switch itself is one of those 30-degree sections. The center and inside rails are no problem, but the outside rail, the one that includes the frog, is. You will find that the 6 13/16-inch chord ends on the plastic just past the frog, leaving nothing to attach the next rail (a 3 3/32 inside rail of a 15-degree section) to. My solution here is to cut the plastic back to the frog, then make that 15-degree inside rail longer by that small amount. It is so short that there is no practical difference between straight and curved rail at that length. To attach it to the frog (as I described to you), I drill and tap the frog at the point which matches the center of the curved rail for an 0-80 screw. I use the screw to attach a short (3/16-inch) piece of 3/32-inch brass tubing, which acts as a track pin and which I solder into the rail.

I attach all the other rails with pieces of 3/32-inch brass rod soldered into the rails.

The straight section of the switch should be cut down to 7 13/16 inches.

On the facing-point side of the switch, there is either a 15-degree or a 30-degree section, according to whether it connects to the curved or straight outlet from the next (uncut) switch up the throat, as you can see in the pictures. These also need very short straight extensions to make everything fit properly. The 15-degree curve should be lengthened by 1/8 inch and the 30-degree one by 1/2 inch. Note that you should mark the chord first on the rail, then measure that additional 1/8 or 1/2 inch along the rail, rather than just making the chord longer by that amount.

I mark the rails with a "Sharpie" pen on the railhead. I mark all three rails before cutting. If the marks don't line up, I know I made a mistake somewhere. Then I cut straight down through the railhed and web from the top, leaving the flanges intact. Then I flex the rails up and down to break the flanges. I usually cut the rails about 1/32-inch short since they often don't fit absolutely snugly together when I solder the joints.