Ground Throws and Peco Code 83 Track

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am enjoying building my switcher layout and have learned quite a lot from forum members this past year. I have questions about the ground throws made by Caboose Industries. On my layout, I have five turnouts that I throw by hand using a wooden skewer stick. All the track is Peco. As you know, the Peco turnouts have springs in them and snap nicely when ‘skewered’ (though this is a bit tedious and requires good light and a light touch to avoid damage to the turnout). I would like to have ground throws as this would just be easier for me and for guests to the layout. I want to order the Caboose Industries groundthrows and I have several questions that I hope some of you can help me with:

(1)Do I need to get unsprung or sprung Caboose Industries ground thows for my Peco track? Maybe a spring in both would be good? Not good? I am also not clear on the distance of travel noted in the ads and elsewhere…but maybe this isn’t crucial to know for now. If you know which Caboose Industries ground throw I need for my Peco code 83 track, please give me the exact Caboose Industries model number.

(2)My Peco track has headstock ties (maybe the wrong language wording there…referring to the long ties surrounding the switch throw bars/rods). Can the ground throws be mounted atop these or is it best on the other side of the turnout/opposite the headstocks? I have a few situations where nearby trackage or structures would dictate the side of the turnout that the ground throw would be on.

Thanks in advance for any help/guidance that could be offered on this! I started to ‘guess’ and just order; but trying to lessen that costly practice…lol !!!

123mike

2

Use the Caboose Industries Sprung throws. Remove the Peco spring, and cut off the ties as necessary so the ground throw will fit onto the turnout.

3

I use Peco Code 83 track and turnouts on my layout. For groundthrows, I use Caboose Industries 218S types. They are small as CI also lists them as suitable for N scale and they have more than sufficient throw for Peco HO turnouts. As the S suffix indicates they are sprung as are the Peco turnouts themselves. I use them without removing the turnout springs and have had no problems whatsoever. They have a choice of end fittings so matching them to the Peco throwbar is easily accomplished. I cut the headblock ties on both sides of the turnout to the same length as their adjoining ties so the switchstands can be mounted either side depending on clearance factors. I mount the assemblies outboard from the turnout on a piece of roadbed and then run two styrene strips between the remaining lengths of the head block ties and the switchstand itself and, after painting, it looks like the stand is actually mounted on those ties.

4

Very useful. I appreciate the advice and will be ordering the 218S CI ground throws very soon!!! Thank you! 123mike