Anyone who might be using these could you let me know what the foot print is or dimensions. I have one turnout that is going to be difficult to throw because of the incline. Moving the turnout is not an option but if I move the tail end of the spur track I can gain about 2 inches of space. The model number is 206S 51096b_7e4356f8de754df283ecc1f49ca59e2d-1 by John Moore posted Feb 9, 2018 at 7:29 PM
Thank you it helps greatly. Now I know I can just move one section of track by putting a short curve on the stub end of that siding where the Hops and grain mill are going and install one of those. In fact I see where I can install a few more and improve some more access to the Pecos.
If there is no room could you run a wire under the adjacent track? This was my solution but some didn't like the looks of it.
I have a turnout just behind the lower part of the incline and no where on the outside to mount the throw and run a wire under the incline so have to go on the inside between two tracks in fact I may do the other in that same area. I just have to relay the siding for the mills in that area, and also at the same time solve another clearance issue, where the incline turns in and crosses the canyon line.
I did the same for one of mine, but dug a little trench in the foam to put the wire below ground level. Scenery will cover it up.
Not worth tunneling under the incline, and the next track and coming up through the cork, and a half inch of the Pink Panthers very rigid foam. I simply have set the spur track back about an inch and now have all the room I need to place it right by the turnout.
May be relevant.... I only use the ground throws on industrial tracks - solenoids/tortoises on the main - as main line turnouts are dispatcher-controlled. I also use them on the logging modules in some situations where Peco switches don't work. So I've got more than a few. I do have all plywood subroadbed - and that's important, because the darn things have to be secured to something that can take a lot of abuse. For the life of me I don't know how you'd ever hold them to foam, unless you dug a hole, glued in plywood, and spiked the ground throw to that. I drill holes in the plywood with a pin vise and spike them in with a headed brad nail, and even that can work loose. But if I have to adjust a throw I can still pull it with pliers and reset it slightly. I have multiple situations where I've had to go under a track with a piece of either steel wire or brass rod and put the throw to the inside of a second track. Works fine, I've even angled it. But the biggest thing is to literally dig a hole to put them in so they don't look so bad, and allow the connecting rod to raise up to the switch, even if it means putting bending in the rod. I try to get it so the throw handle is at about ground level. That, plus weathering the throw with grimy black, makes them pretty unobtrusive. Mine are almost always much lower than the track they control. Darn things are strong though, the springing in them is stiff enough to break rails loose at the throwbar. Even broke a Peco throwbar a few months ago. So adding wire in the middle with a little more spring in the middle is actually a good thing.
I tried several adhesives and types of spikes, brads and nails on foam. What seems to be holding is Aileen's Tacky Glue with a couple of spikes driven in at an angle. In the future, I may try a dot of caulk.
I don't know what happened to my post except operator error on my part. If push come to shove I will go to the Gorilla Glue. A very small dab and I mean small. The stuff is water activated and will expand and lift something,which I have happen with a few rock castings. Got in the habit of checking things in about an hour or less. Then I have found that I can just push the object down and once full set has occurred it is rock hard to the point of being sandable. So that with some track spikes should be enough. I have ordered the model that is recommended for Peco so should not have any problems. Their website has a listing similar to MT in that it has a chart listing the turnout models and the recommended throw.
A little of topic but for those who have these throws can you tell me what they are like especially to install as I am thinking of using some on my layout. Sorry for the side track.
Not a side track and I should have mine in late today and be installing at least two by Sunday. Mine are simple in that I will be using the spring in the turnout itself rather than having to install a spring on the linkage as required by some other models. Since I am using them on Peco turnouts I have the model that is listed for them.
Well the throws arrived early so I took two and placed on the layout. the Peco turnout has a post on its throw bar and the ground throw has a hole in it's arm that fits over this post. As you can see I have already trimmed the arm from the opposite side which give me even more clearance in a tight spots. I have to build up a pad, which I will do from sheet cork, which will bring it up level to the roadbed. There are two pre-drilled holes for track spikes which I will use with glue in addition to the spikes. 100_5237-4 by John Moore posted Feb 17, 2018 at 10:47 AM PS Just playing with one for awhile they are going to be tricky little S.O.B.s to install.
I also have found that the small hole in the throw arm is a tad too small for the post on the Peco throw lever. So I have used a small round jeweler's file to ream it out a little.
Thank you for the tip. If that is the biggest issue with them then I guess there's nothing to worry about
Another big adventure. First time in my modeling life I am using other than what came with the turnout, and another first in using powered turnouts rather than manual.
Quick question if I may - the Caboose Industries recommended ground throw for the Peco Code 80 turnouts is their 206S model which is a sprung variant. Because it is sprung, did you have to remove the spring from the Turnout or did they work together without modification? When you say you are using powered turnouts, why use the manual ground throws? Or do you mean powered frogs electrofrog turnouts? Just wondering ... if I am misunderstanding something because all of my turnouts are insulfrogs.
Designed to work together without doing anything. When I referred to powered turnouts I am talking about turnouts where the rails are thrown with an attached servo powered by a slide switch button, in this case two Atlas #6s. The Pecos are are hand thrown ST-5s and ST-6s. The Pecos are power routing in the direction they are aligned to giving me the benefit of having blocks without all the wiring. I can pull a train into a siding and align the turnout to the main again effectively killing power to the loco and having another train pass it.
