Howdy all!!!! Well after seeing Dirk's (caddy58) post on his yard along with pics he posted using control cables. I attempted to do the same. I am using Atlas CD80 custom line #6 turnouts. Along with some 1" x1" alluminum angle, slide switch, gold-n-rod control cable and some K&S wire. The problem I have is that I am not happy with the throw of the TO. 1. Is the throw of the slide switch not long enough?? 2. I am using to weak of wire??? right now .032 music wire 3. Is the subroadbed 3/4" too thick?? 4. Do I need to mount the slide switch closer to the sub roadbed? Here are some pics of what I have done. Any ideas, hints, or any web sites that might be of some help?? Adios Wyatt
Wyatt: What exactly is the problem you are having with the turnout? 1. Is the throwbar not moving far enough to ensure the points are firmly against the rails? If so, you might gain some additional movement and pressure if you glue a piece of sheet metal or hardboard to the bottom side of the slide switch and run the activating wire through a hole in it. This will give you a pivot point much like the pivot point provided in Tortoise machines. Even though the slide switch may only move 1/4 of an inch, the upper end of the activating wire will move much more, so you'll impart greater movement to the throwbar. 2. You mentioned thick roadbed/subroadbed. I've sometimes encountered difficulty with my Tortoises because of not having removed all splinters and homasote shavings from inside the hole through the 1/2" homasote and 1/2" OSB paneling I use for deck surface throughout my layout. The debris has usually fallen into the hole at some time long after I thought the hole was perfectly clean. So I'm investigating more complex kinds of linkage problems when a simpler solution was needed. 3. How secure is the linkage from the slide switch to the throwbar? Is there enough "give" to permit poor throwbar action even though there is sufficient slide bar action? 4. Is the problem present in one turnout but not another? Sometimes I've been able to identify why one situation was problematic by looking at a similar situation that wasn't problematic and comparing what was different about the successful situation. 5. Your close-up pics showing your work under the layout are great. By chance, do you have pics of the throwbar treatment?...I have Atlas C80 turnouts on my N-scale layout. Most I've activated by using the holes predrilled in the throwbar on the outside of one rail or the other. But for some, I've drilled a small hole in the center of the throwbar between the rails. Many Atlas throwbars are composed of 2 layers...one which is the throwbar itself that goes all the way from one side of the turnout to the other. The other layer is very short, very thin, and holds the turnout points the proper distance apart while attaching the points to the throwbar. On a few of these center drilled throwbars, drilling the hole caused the short plastic layer between the two points to come loose. As a result, the throwbar moved the entire distance it was designed to move but the loose points were no longer being held firmly against the rails, so I had constant derailments until I discovered what had happened and fixed it.
Wyatt, the problem is poor design. The way you have it set up, the slide switch travel would have to be much greater than the turnout throw to compensate for the inherent play that is going to be in the linkage. I would suggest that you add a pivot point on your actuating rod, similar to how the Tortoise and Bluepoint controls work. To get more travel on the turnout, make the pivot closer to the slide switch and keep in mind that the throw bars will move in the opposite direction.
Ppuin,, 1. You make a very valid point about having a pivot point, I think that would slove the prob. 2. I drill 5/ 16" holes,, I do make sure they are clean,, learned that from installing 40+ tortoises. 3. I think that is a problem also, if it was stiff I think it would work ALOT better. 4. I only did one turnout, as I did not want to get way ahead of myself and cause me to take a sledgehammer and sawz-all to the so called layout,LOL 5. I know of that problem also with the point rails,,, there has to be a better way to do this,LOL Nelson, I agree with the Blue point and tortoise being a good option, as I am trying to save money. The manufactured option is at the botom of the list.. I have 40+ tortoises now, and need to control about 45 more turnouts, the manufactured option is way too much$$$$$$. In closing I guess I wll just try to stay the course with the homemade controls,,, maybe with practice and repetitve process , they might work. Thanx for the help guys,,,, A fresh mind always helps. Adios Wyatt
Wyatt, I wasn't suggesting them as an alterative, I was just using the Bluepoint and Tortoise photos to show what Dave and I were describing as using a pivot point because they both use the same concept. I have been using a similar system similar to yours for years but with lever action micro switches. I may reconsider the Bluepoints in the future though. They can be had for $7.50 each in a 10 pack. When I figure in the time and expense of making my own I think the Bluepoints may make more sense. If you don't need the ability to also control signaling, and just need a single set of contacts for powering the frogs, check out the simplicity that the Humpard shows for their switch throws. Very basic and easy enough to "home brew" very cheaply.
Nelson B: Nice Pic!!!:thumbs_up: Are the points soldered to a circuit board RR tie? I assume the red and green wires connect to A and B power to the rails, and the black wire connects to the powered frog?
I can't help with the problem, but Wyatt, Nelson B., et. al. those are some great pictures explaining the issue! :thumbs_up:
