Any ideas on how to power a from by using a manual throw?
Several methods. Caboose Industries makes a ground throw with contats, but they are rather ugly and even more oversized than the typical ground throws. Or you could use one of the various methods described in the magazine using a slide switch. Tyically, the switch is mouted ona bracket or in some way perpendicular to the roadbed. A hole is drilled in the side of the switch’s lever and a piece of sprng wire is used to connect it to the turnout’s throwbar. Another hole is drilled int he end of the switch lever to connect to some sort of knob glued to the end of of piece of stiff wire that protrudes through the fascia. You can use various model airplane bellcranks and so forth if the turnout is not directly parallel to the fascia - and also to connect both turnouts of a crossover. Pushign or pulling the knob moved the slide switch, which givs you your contacts for frog power and/or signals, and also moves the turnout throwbar.
–Randy
And even simpler method is to mount the slide switch next to the turnout throw bar. And connect the two with a short piece of brass rod. Of course this only works if you can hollow out a space for the switch, and it’s close enough to the layout edge to be thrown by hand.
Nick Brodar