I just received the 204S Hi Level ground throw from Walthers made by Caboose Industries. It has no instructions on HOW to build it, no drawings, nothing but a little card that tells you how to install in to the turnout.
Does anyone have any experience building these things or advice? I have tried to contact Caboose but it’s impossible because they don’t have a valid phone number.
Thanks in advance.
Paul
Paul,
I have 8 of those on my layout.
I consider myself an experienced model railroader, but I have to tell you that the 204S Hi-Level ground throw was one of the most difficult kits of any kind that I have ever assembled.
As I recall, there is an instruction sheet, but I still had to improvise. They work but they do not perform flawlessly. The biggest problem is the targets. They have a mind of their own. Also the toothed gear that rotates the target is touchy. Even in HO scale, they are so small as to be nearly indiscernible.
Unless you absolutely have to have hi-level switch stands, consider using the 210S instead.
Rich
Thanks Rich. I have the 5202’s on back order. At least they’re prefabricated. Any particular reason you like the 210S’s? I looked at them online and they have numbers and it still looks like you have to build them. I don’t mind buiding things but th pieces are SO tiny that even with a magnavisor it’s tough to see and manipulate. One thing about this hobby is it seems NOTHING is ever easy.
I just built a DPM townhouse and it was a HUGE pain! For starters most of the sides were tapered and had to be sanded flush. That’s a lot of work. THEN, the back wall was larger than the front wall so when dry fitted it would have not been square so I had to sand a ton off the sides to get it to work.
Sometimes this “hobby” can be quite frustrating but I’m gonna keep on plugging along slow and steady. I’m used to big jets where everything fits with exacting tolerances.
Are these the instructions you need?: http://www.cabooseind.com/204Assembly
LOL
That is part of the charm of DPM buildings, sanding the edges of the walls to square them.
Rich
Paul, I don’t actually have any 210S ground throws, but I mentioned them to you because there is little assembly required, unlike the hi-level switch stands.
The 210S ground throws also have targets if you prefer those.
Rich
How can a pre assembled kit (the newer ones don’t come with the end connector attached), be hard. No proublem with the targets either, a little ACC and done except painting.
Have you built and installed any?
Rich
Oh, and by the way I just installed about 20 of them as I use these on the main and the 202S on the yards.
I will stand by my earlier statement that I consider myself an experienced model railroader, yet the 204S Hi-Level ground throw was one of the most difficult kits of any kind that I have ever assembled.
The delrin plastic does not accept any type of glue very well. I wound up using 2-part epoxy on some of the parts. The rod that holds the target and extends through the handle needs to be secured to keep it from slipping down and jamming. The gear mesh is unreliable and overruns the end point. The targets do not hold in place.
It is not a project for a newbie.
Rich
Well, not exactly. I would like drawings. Like when you build a structure. What a HUGE disappointment. Might as well go with Tortoise machines and dummy throws. I will never buy from them again.
And to all you other guys who have responded. Thanks. Your help was much appreciated.
Paul, while it does not have target I use 202S throw’s. They take a little thinking to uses depending on the turnout you use, but work great.
Happy Modeling, Ken
Hi Ken, seems that’s the preferred throw, only one problem, getting them. Backordered at Walthers.
Ye Olde Hobby Shop should have a whole pile of 'em.
Brad
Hmm, that seems to be a bit of an overreaction to your issue. Caboose Industries makes a pretty good manual ground throw. I have tons on the 202S ground throws on my layout. They are extremely reliable and require no assembly. And, they are a lot less expensive than a Tortoise and its related electronics and wiring. Don’t get me wrong. I have tons of Tortoises on my layout as well. It is all a question of cost.
Rich
I guess I’ll have to rethink my opinion of them for two reasons, one, the reason you mentioned and two, the guy who owns the company has been in constant email communication with me and he even said he’d build one for me. He seems like a nice enough guy. He said he works out of his house. He even told me he had a woman who works in clerical build the hi-level throw without anu problems which I find hard to believe considering no drawings but oh well. Yeah, the Tortoise’s are expensive and throw in a DCC module and you just upped the ante. I have some of the 202’s on order so that will help. Thanks.
What type of glue were you using that did not hold, did you remove the little burrs from the gear for proper mesh. Sometimes you need to rough up a surface for ACC to work. Make sure your ACC is fresh, if not it will not hold but for maybe a split second. And last you could use them without the targets, that’s what I am doing on most right now as only a small part of my layout is sceniced!
The problems all center on the thin metal rod that fits through the handle into the base.
Mounted on the rod are the lantern, targets, and a small plastic bushing or ferrule (I cannot recall the name of the piece) that holds the assembly (rod with lantern and targets attached) in place so that it won’t slip down out of position. The glue did not hold these pieces securely, so I resorted to 2-part epoxy which did the trick.
The gear meshes fine but the gear can overrun itself causing the targets to become ineffective until you reset the gear. The gear should have more teeth and form more than a quarter of a circle.
If you don’t use the targets, what’s the point of the hi-level stand?
Let me be clear on one other point. The hi-level ground throw works just fine to throw the point rails on the turnout. The problems that I am describing relate to the failure of the targets to turn properly in order to indicate the position of the point rails.
Rich
No, the targets will be added to all eventually but only a few have them now. I have some of the new ones too, wonder if something changes as the only ones I have done are the older ones???
Paul, I am off the next 3 days and plain on visiting my LHS. [:D] If Ken (the owner) has any 202S would you like me to pick them up for you?
Ken