I have several ground throws that are elevated to track level like the one in the picture.
http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/athenasowl1/media/Groundthrow_zpsinnwohuz.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Anyone have any ideas on how to scenic this kind of situation?
I have a number of ground throws that are elevated like the ones in your photo. I just ballast around them as shown here.
All of these sit on cork mounting pads to keep them level with the track. Once ballast is added they just sort of disappear into the scene.
I do what Rob does and ballast around them.
Joe
Yes, not drawing additional attention to them–by not including the ground throws in the scenery–is not very realistic.
I found that I did not like the ballast around, so I covered them arround the throw with the same treatment as my earth so they blend in somewhat, looked much better than the ballasted ones, so much so that I scraped away most of the ballast and redid them.
Here is a photo showing how I did it.
For the situation you showed us I would put ties on three sides and lightly ballast within the ties. I saw such a case on an old right of way converted to a bike trail.
Take off the cork, turn the ground throws around, & mount them with the hole below the throwbar.
Attach with a piece of music wire.
Ground throws will have a lower profile.
Or replace with N scale ground throws.
(Neither will power your frogs)
If keeping as is, I like the small retaining walls Guy showed above.
Careful not to get glue in yr groundthrows while scenicking.
Dusting the plastic throws with weathering powders also helps them “disappear”.
Ballasting around the ground throw is not bad either.
I guess I’m a little different…I don’t use ground throws on the mains. They are all electronically controlled…and nearby You’ll see a electronic switch machine made by JL Innov. a cast metal one. In second pic’ you’ll see one, directly below the truck, painted silver, for a crossover. Any sidings or ISL area’s come off a #6 first, with a small lead to a #4 which are all Atlas Customline turnouts…all those are controlled by Caboose Ind. N-scale 206s ground throws…they look much better than the monster HO-scale one’s and work just fine…In first pic’. you’ll see two of them, first controls turnout nearest the points, second controls turnout in the street, which has a brass 1/16 rod inside a brass 1/8’’ sleave buried in ground and attached to center of throwbar. Ballast is not necessary in Industrial area’s and sidings…I’ve never seen any. Still a lot to do yet. Weathering brick street and stuff…work in progress. And I havn’t experienced any problem’s at all using the N-scale, rather than the HO scale ground throws…but I’ve only used them on #4’s.
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
I like the retaining wall idea, and I have some 1/4 inch square balsa wood which should work, although in all likelihood I will probably mix them up. N scale throws are not an option, too small, and I can live with the higher profile throws.
Hi Bearman
Your options are rather limited you can live with it and Ballast around it
with or without retaining walls to hold the ballast.
Remember RR staff have to maintain them so don’t make the area to small
and also the shunters have to be able to throw them.
You can paint the handle white if you wish in some places they are painted white for visabilaty
Don’t know how well paint would stick to the slippery engineering plastic they are made of.
Your other alternative is to find a smaller ground throw that works
These things tend to look prominant as they are atached to the track even a more scale sized one will look prominant given it is mounted on extended ties as it should be
Perhaps one with a target mounted on it painted red and green or something more stand out may make it look better sort of hiding it in plain sight because the target indicates which way they are set if you go with a black and white target some where
If white could be seen in the facing direction in this instance that means “unusualy” literaly facing the driver
white is right so the points are set for the road to the right from the direction the driver is coming from regardles of what handed the point is.
regards John
Hi,
I have both caboose hobbies ground throws and Atlas above table switch machines.
I find that painting the ground throws with a flat black/rust wash and running the ground cover or ballast around them makes them blend right in.
For the switch machines, I paint them (carefully) with the flat black/rust wash, and plant small shrubs around and over them - being careful not to hinder the movement or allow anything to get into that slit opening on top.
Gotta tell you, the above mentioned was does wonders for a lot of MR structures and rolling stock trucks.
I am not surprised that my options are liimited. All I really want to do is take those cork blocks out of view as much as possible. Smaller throws are not an option because I have fat fingers. All my throws are manual so switch machines are not an issue.