does anyone have any “cost friendly” ideas for under the table manual switch mechanisms for
Altlas switches?
With the high cost of switch machines, there has to be some ideas out there that work well
and are relatively cheap to make and can be used a different distances from the switch?
I’m mainly looking for the type of switch/lever that you could use that would maintain the small amount of force to the switch
You can use the piano wire method. I myself used a fishing line and homemade actuator switches. This worked quit well at a distance of about 10ft. Since I have gone dcc and control turnouts electricly now.
Caboose for close in. Humpyard for remote, though more expensive. Choke cables from a junk yard for cheapest and most work. Control cables from radio control airplanes work but are a lot of work,
I am a fan of Humpyard remote levers
Thanks for the replys
can you explain the humpyard control lever?
Ideas like this are fantastic…thanks
The more ideas the better…keep them coming
I went reeeeeaaaaaallly cheeeeeeeap…I used coat hanger wire fed through small metal eyelets. The hand end comes out through a small hole in the fascia and looks distincly awful. As in, “eewwww!”
The far end has a tight loop through which a 1/2" wood screw travels to anchor it to a sliding block or to a pivoting lever, depending on my whim. The sliding block is blocked in by other pieces of wood so that there is some friction, but not too much…I learned. On the front of the block is a thin slat of a length needed to reach up to the throwbar. I used nice wooden ones that I removed from the bottom lip of vinyl blinds, the old fashioned spring-up type. On the top of the slat is a filed track pin inserted in a small hole and glued. The high end sticks into a hole in the outside part of the throwbar…I didn’t use larger holes to access the throwbar middles from under the roadbed.
The pivoting ones have a block to which the slat is fastened, similar to the sliding block. However, the slat also is screwed to a small block that has a hole drilled through its side. Through that hole, a longer wood screw provides the anchor and pivot. It is embedded into wood on the frame.
If you would like more information, I can take some photos and post them to your private email.
photos would be great…thankyou
the method i use involved a 1/4" wood dowl, two wood blocks (1"x2") with a quarter inch hole drilled in them, a 1/16 inch steel rod and a cabinet door knob. my longest one is about 3 feet but it could made longer. the wood block are screwed in underneath and serve as guide for the dowel. the dowel sticks out from the facia and the cabinet door pull is attached to the end. the steel rod goes up to the switch. the friction between the doweling and the wood is enough to hold the switch points. if not a simple over center spring can be added. i will post pictures later. It cost me about 15 bucks for 20 switches.
Try this method: http://home.earthlink.net/~grleone/ar-turnout.htm It is based on a Model Railroader article, with illustrations. I use a variation that allows the turnouts to be farther from the fascia (by using model airplane bellcranks). It works like a charm.
John Timm
I sent you a email. I have photos to send you if you would still like to see them.
Hi Selector: I would like to see the photos also. Thank you. I mounted a small piece of piano wire with a red glass bead on it to the slide switch of the frog. Bad news. Had to rip them all out as there was not enough clearance for the loco and cars to go by.