turnout motors (switch machines)

[[e-mail]]

Can anyone steer me to methods or plans or instructions for fabricating home-made turnout operating machines that would permit some kindness to a guy's budget?  Any sober suggestions would sure be appreciated.    bobbauie

[rolleiman]

Do you actually want machines, or do you just want to throw the switch points?

[cacole]

It would be helpful to know what type of turnouts you have.

Use Caboose Industries ground throws if the turnouts can be reached to throw by hand.

You're likely to wind up paying more for a home-made motor than the cost of an Atlas twin-coil mechanism if you're using Atlas turnouts.

[tomikawaTT]

If you want electric turnout motors, you have two types to consider:

1. Twin-coil.  You can wind your own solenoid coils, fabricate a frame, rig an armature and linkage, figure out how to deal with electrical contacts if you want a hot frog or panel indicators - or you can buy whatever's selling for less than $10.00 at some catalog or on-line supplier.
2. Stall motor.  You can buy cheap motors in bulk, couple them to machine screws, rig a frame with a slide switch for contacts - or you can simply buy one pre-assembled, debugged and ready to install for a bit more than the least expensive twin-coil.

If, OTOH, the object is simply to make the points move, it's possible to use a cheap slide switch at the fascia line (or imbedded in the layout surface - looks like a small relay case) and link it with fishing line and/or a bent paper clip to the throwbar.  Extending the fishing line and hanging a used automotive nut from it will keep the whole system in tension.  Total cost per turnout, about 20 cents more than the price of the slide switch, including a couple of screw eyes to act as cable guides.

The purely manual system requires the operator to be physically present at the point of operation - no big thing with a walkaround control system.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - twin-coil remote machines, mostly manual throws)

[[e-mail]]

Thanks to each advisor!  I'm using Atlas turnouts, pretty close together in a 6-track yard ladder, and the idea of a slide switch linked to each throwbar gets me thinking...I can do that.

bobbauie

[Snow]

The large club layout I was a member of used old phone relays for turnout motors.  They were cheap and plentiful at the time.  They might be harder to come by these days.

[UpNorth]

Google found these.

http://www.westportterminal.de/manualturnout.html

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/wdenton101/Tips.htm

http://www.proto87.com/turnout-controls.html

http://www.nmra.org.au/Layout_Tours/Saxon/Switch_Throw.html