Idea, what you think?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I use “Caboose” ground throws and find that they tend to go all the way over when thrown, making them hard to grab and throw the other way. I use florets wire as the link between the ground throws and the turnouts. Now to stop the ground throws from going all the way over I made a staple from the florets wire just high enough to stop the throw bar level either way it thrown. As I use 1/2" foam board for my layout surface with 1/4" under that the “staples” are 1/4" wide by 3/4" long. With this measurement the plywood stops the staple at just the right height to make the throw of the ground throws stop level. Making it’s just a flip of my finger to operate the ground throws, no more stopping to pickup a ground throw bar.

Now, in my thinking if the ground throws were used prototypal they might have a stop bar just to keep them from being thrown too far if the hand of god should come down and throw one. [angel]

2

J Reb,

That’s a clever solution to a real problem. I also have trouble with the Caboose Industries ground throw - especially with my stubby fingers and “bear paw” hands!

Thanks for the tip.

chicochip

3

i have seen people put those round headed pins under the handle to keep it from going down. They put a green one under the reverse position and a red one under the normal position. That way it indicates the switch portion. I put a small flat headed nail under the handle and painted the side of the handle visible when the switch was normal green and the other side red.

Dave H.

4

We use a wire nail (the kind some people use for track) under each side. The throw handle sits on the head of the nail.

5

Another with the round pin.