I am thinking of installing Bull Frog Turnout controls on My Virginian layout on the raised branch line. The sub-road bed is about 6 inches wide and elevated about 4 inches from the rest of the layout. The control rods leave the controller perpendicular to the direction of the track. What I’m wondering is will it be possible to bend the control rods sharply enough to travel down the 4 inches and then turn again to go out to the fascia? Has anybody used these where a really sharp bend in the control rod is needed?
I got my Bullfrogs from handlaidtrack.com they have pictures of all their control options. Mine is controlled with their small plastic tube inside a bigger plastic tubing housing and works very nice. Mine has S curves in this control cable but not real sharp curves. If I understand your question I don’t believe the control cable would work with as sharp curves as you want. I made blocks of wood fastened to my layout framework to hold the cable and route it where I want it
Instead of a bend in the cable, cut the cable into two sections and use a bellcrank. A 1:1 bellcrank will move the second cable as much as the first one moves, and you can go off in a 90-degree change of direction (or even greater) in a space just slightly larger than the crank, without adding the binding or friction a curving cable will.