I am a 33 year old who has wanted to do a layout since he was 10, I am now doing it, modelling the RR I watched growing up in Marion, NC, the Southern Railway. After 2 months planning I have narrowed to a double main line surrounding 2 large back-to-back yards & 2 long switching sections, nice balance of scenery & operation, L-shape plan, 14" radius on main lines, DCC, 26 turnouts, all #6 except for tight switching areas.
My question - for the operating fun factor, what are experienced modelers views on ground throws versus switch machines?
For small layouts, I have always used ground throws in a central location, using the brass tubing/piano wire travel system worked into foam.
Basics - I do know ground throw usage is far more reliable than switch machines, but with minimal machine use, I am low on data. How frequent are burnouts? How hard is replacement? Is the ‘fun factor’ for operation that much higher?
I would be using solenoid peco machines embedded in roadbed, as Tortoises arent an option with my choice of benchwork & physical problems (very bad back).
I’ve operated on a 25’ x 75’ layout (The layout Bob’s myth series refers to and it uses all ground throws.)
Personally, I like the idea of a mix. Ground throws where there are no obstacles, switch machines where there are hindrances. My next layout will have a combination of both.
I have a 9.5’ X 9.5’ On30 layout with, hell I don’t remember…18 turnouts, I think. I’m using groundthrows on all of them I can reach…which is most, and on the rest, I will use coat hanger wire. It all kinda depends on your time period, and your budget of course. I’m modeling right around the turn of the 20th century, so ground throws are best for me. Also, I’m in poverty, so ground throws are best for me.
A lot of my turnouts are in awkward or impossible-to-reach places, like down in the subway tunnels. Others are a long way from the edge of the layout, which is a 5x12 foot free-standing table. For convienience, I like to operate from one side of the layout, so I need some kind of remote control. I have a number of Atlas snap-switches, but all my new purchases are Peco.
You can have it both ways. The Peco twin-coils can be thrown by hand, either by just pushing the points over or by using a throw lever. (I don’t do this, so I don’t know which manual levers will work with the Peco.)
If you do use motors, then you can wire position indicators, either as control panel lights or as on-layout signals. It’s a lot more awkward to that that with purely mechanical throws.
For fun of opperation and great look, I love my Humpyard levers. They installed easier than my Tortoise and are flawless in opperation. They can be hooked up to frog switches but I have not tried that yet. Here is a pic of 4 in my panel.
If it is not easy to reach for I use electrical. If it is easy to reach I use the finger method.
To me throwing the switch or ground throw is just one more part of being on the railroad.
If you enjoy it then do it either or both ways. I don’t like to reach because of my back. Other may just like to press a button. There really is no choice in this one.
Do what you enjoy. [:)]
Judging by the 14" curves i’m assuming that your in N scale. I would stick with your usual approach of the turnouts. After readying your post i’ll probably do the same for my layout. I can’t afford Peco turnouts. and i need something to lock the points in place to keep them from moving while a train is passing over it. I might use Peco turnouts in the yard. Or maybe i’ll just bite the bullet and spend the extra money to have a better operating layout. I’ll get back to you on that descion.
on my club layout they use mostly ground throws to be more realistic and save money on switch machines. But at home I prefer switch machines, I dont like the idea of reaching over and around trains and scenery to get the ground throws and using the piano wire trick I always get confused on which throw controls what. I’m a control panel guy.
I like automation, so I use switch machines activated by stationary decoders themselves controlled by CTC-type panel buttons, DCC throttles, or layout-control software.
…I just took a look at the Humpyard switch machines web site. If I didn’t already have a Rubbermaid bin full of Tortoises and DS54’s I would really think about using the Humpy’s…
I use a mix of manually operated Pecos where access isn’t a problem and tortoises where it is. I’m going to convert as many of the manuals to tortoises as finances permit because I’ve run into a problem w/ the manual Pecos that nobody has yet addressed. Eventually oxidiation and/or crud interferes w/ the electrical conductivity of the points requiring some work w/ 600 grit sandpaper and contact cleaner moistened pipe cleaners. And it ALWAYS pops up in the middle of an operating session.
You asked about “fun factor.” That’s completely subjective … its in your own mind.
For me, automation is much of the fun. I hate putting my hand on my layout for any reason.
Many here, most I would assume, enjoy manually operating turnouts. They feel that it is the most realistic way of doing it.
I use Tortoises and stationary decoders … perfectly installed … and they never fail, and I am constantly using them in my little switching layout. Sorry, I have no experience with the Peco solonoids. There are methods, that have been discussed in this forum and the layout building forum, to install Tortoises from above the layout. There are also mounting options so you can mount a Tortoise well away from its respective turnout, if there is a space problem.
Good luck, and have fun. And this is just my 2 cents…for some reason, I really enjoy hands-off model railroading. But, I only have a small layout.
Hi southern man
I am a Believer in point motors on the main line manual levers in yards with
local control.
But I prefer the point lever at the set of points with an indicator target if appropriate.
This only works if the points are wthin easy reach.
regards John
Ground throw - a device on the layout surface immediately adjacent to and connected to the points of a turnout, meant to position and hold said points.
Switch machine - some kind of electromechanical actuator, linked to the points of a turnout but can be located almost anywhere.
Manual turnout actuator - a hand-operated device which can move and lock the points of a turnout. (Ground throw is a specialized subset.)
I personally use switch machines for turnouts which may be operated from more than one location, and for turnouts involved in NX or automatic-throw interlockings in hidden track. Everything else gets manual actuators, mounted at the edge of the layout. I do not use ground throws, partially because realistic ones would be too flimsy for my ex-mechanic’s ham hooks, and partially because I don’t want to put the 0-5-0 into the catenary.
This is not a pure, “either - or,” situation. One size does not fit all.
I’m using Switch machines for Mainline with fascia mounted toggles, and ground throws for everything else. I can be Engineer, Tower operator, and Switchman.
Going in circles every 20 seconds may be relaxing - but after 10minutes it’s boring.
For spurs connected to the main line I use ground throws with SPDT contacts to provide illuminated indicators that a switch is open.
I use groundthrows for the ones I can reach eaisly, and generally have used electric motors for the ones I can’t. But with the dependability I have had with my ground throw switches I plan to use ground throws now where ever it is possible, it just makes senceeeee!
