After noticing recently a set of points at a TRAM terminus which were set to the ‘through route’ direction but when the tram entered the points from the ‘diverging route’ the weight of the tram allowed the tram to pass through. When the tram reversed direction it automatically passed through the points onto the ‘through route’.
I am sure that I have seen this with manually set points (with a heavily weighted bar at railway sidings.
Is it possible to do this with any of the HO brand points. I know that Peco points have a small V shaped spring to hold the points open or closed (depending how set either manually or by a ‘motor’) and I don’t think that the weight of most rolling stock would be great enough to allow the wheels to push through without derailment.
I’m surprised no one has responded to your question. What you’re asking about is a “spring switch” in north America
Actually modeling them is simple but you need to stay away from the Peco switches (or remove their spring). Tomikawatt (spelled right?) I think uses fishing wrighhts and string to keep the points set in the proper direction.
Electrical shorts are a problem depending on power supply and gapping of tracks. Turnouts tend to short when a train runs through the wrong direction.
Yes I was wondering why no responses so far but thought maybe I didn’t explain myself enough.
And yes I am aware that Peco switches have a spring and that was the main reason I posted the question as Peco switches would certainly derail a light wagon.
Maybe switches with am insulated frog wouldn’t be a problem with short circuiting. I’m not sure but I think that I can remember seeing wires under Peco switches which have a ‘insulfrog’ to ensure that the rails which move always have a power supply.
insul frog or modding any turnout so the points are insulated from the frog rails is the thing to do. Isolating the points means supplying the frog rails power.
The reason for no immediate responses to your thread may be that all newcomers are moderated by Steven Otte of Model Railroader fame to make sure nobody is messing with the forums.
As was said, removing the Peco point springs is easy. There are a couple of different Peco designs. Some can be removed from the top of the turnout and some from the bottom. Make the changes before the turnout is installed rather than after.
Tomikawa’s weighted turnout points are a very interesting and functional solution to your challenge.
My ho scale switching layout uses Micro Engineering #6 turnouts which I’ve wired feeders to each separate piece of rail (6 for the rails and one for the frog) and use the Tam Valley Frog Juicer for frog power. I run the wrong way through turnouts all the time without getting shorts (NCE dcc system). It’s good and bad…if the locomotive would cause a short, the dcc circuit breaker would trip and the loco would stop, indicating I was trying to run through a turnout not set correctly. Since I don’t get a short, the loco keeps pulling the train through the turnout, often derailing more than one car. Switching long strings of cars (and me focusing on the end of the train where coupling/uncoupling is going on) sometimes makes me ‘forget’ where the loco is. bang head I’ve quickly learned to keep an eye on the whole train…but sometimes it still happens (darn gremlins keep throwing turnouts when I’m not looking! lol).
Micro Engineering turnout springs can also be removed to create spring switches. I remember my first layout (20 some years ago) had an Atlas turnout (the one with the big ugly switch motor on the side of the turnout) had a weak spring for the points which made for a good spring switch.
Whatever turnout you use, make sure the points move easily and have a light spring holding the points in whatever direction you want…maybe even a small length of strip styrene would work as a spring? Locos are heavy and will easily push the points aside, light rolling stock may not have the heft to deflect the spring so make sure your rolling stock is heavy enough to work in your situation.