What are ground throws and what do they do? Are they realistic looking manual switch machines?
Ground throws are manual switch machines - whether they’re “realistic” depends upon the manufacturer, the scale, and your perspective. Caboose Industries are probably the best-known brand of HO and N scale ground throws - both are very much over scale size to make them big enough for 1:1 scale hands, but they work well and are very popular.
I use Caboose switch stands rather than the ground throws. These look and work more like the stands that one finds around the railroad I model. Operators that have used them on my module are quite taken with them, oversize or not.
Until recently, Alder Models made true HO scale switch stands that worked, as well as a larger version mounted in front of the layout to move the scale version trackside. They recently went out of business, however, and I’m not aware of anyone else making functioning scale-size switch stands in HO or N.
Bentnose,
Surrey Custom Models, whom took over the Alder Models line is advertising the switch stands in HO and other scales:
http://www.surreycustommodels.com/switch.html
Have not tried to buy any from them yet.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
The Alder switch stands are very interesting but you might want to note the following caveat from the web site:
So I take it that they are not meant to be used as “throws” in HO scale.[V]