Hey rails, in a prior disscussion on the HEX FROG JUICER someone reiterated to me that it's a "HEX" because it handles 6 frogs..This got me to thinking...Would'nt it be nice ( I'm humming the Beach Boys tune while typing ) if the folks who make the Juicer came out with a larger one , say, an 18-frogger for less than 3 HEXers ? It could merely be named " the OCTODECA FROG JUICER " and could sell for like $ 175.00 instead of buying 3 at $ 210.00.. ( 3 x 70 ). You know, the old buy in bulk to save senario..This would allow us to expand at will from say an 11 switch-track layout to a 14 ,having now the extra connections available.Then if we go to 19 we buy a HEXer. Total cost $ 175.00 + $70.00= $245.00 as opposed to 4x $70=$280.00..or some such facsimile..a little savings anyhoooooooooo...
Invent a plug in that extends the outputs. Use the outputs to trip 3 or 4 relays that power the frogs that can be powered alike. cute:
Hey, Rick ,I always try to say 'switch', too..The realroaders ( my name for the 1:1 scalers ) call them switches..I believe ' turnout ' came into use in the MRR era where toggle switches were the way of operating blocks and accessories. So, to cut down the confusion in technical discussions they renamed the switch-tracks 'turnouts'. Now that the digital era has began and as toggles quickly are disappearing it, to me, is surely time for us all to return to the realroader name 'switch' or ' switch track '.
Snap out of it! Realroarders technically call them turnouts. Switch is merely a colloquialism and are really are the moving rail/s of the turnout. Electrical switches have existed in varying forms well before MRR came into being.
Some years ago the Horizon TV programme (which I think you do get over there as it's usually a UK/US co-production) investigated 'changing minds' and it turned out that it's near impossible. They did an experiment with trainee teachers - as they started their course they were asked what a log of wood (standing in for a tree) was mostly made from and nearly all said 'soil' or 'dirt'. It's not, it's mainly from air - carbon and hydrogen extracted by photosynthesis. On the (3 year IIRC) course they were taught the correct answer, but when asked the same question on graduation day they still mostly said 'soil'. Since then I never bother to tell my wife when she has the wrong idea about something - I've seen the proof that I'd be wasting my time (It does raise some worrying questions about teachers though ... )
why not just buy shinohara switches with power routing frogs? a pair of insulators on both diverging rails is all it costs.
