I purchased N scale Ground Throws to put with my Atlas N scale turnouts. Put the ground-throw action is to long, in a word, the action to throw the switch goes from one side to halfway on the throw when the turnout is being thrown? Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.
Can you attach it with a z shaped piece of piano wire instead of directly? The flex in the wire would make up for the difference in throw distance.
The ground throws come in two different throw distances, it looks like you got the longer one, exchange it if you can for the shorter one.
Yep. They make a .165" throw and a .135" throw. Also sprung and rigid.
http://www.cabooseind.com//pr1.html
Perhaps a stupid question, but did you centre both the points and the handle of the ground throw when you fastened the ground throw in place? I use the N scale ground throws on my HO layout, and there’s still sufficient travel.
Wayne
Yeah I tried both points of the tips on the ground throw and it completes the turnout mid-way. I also tried setting the mid points of the rails and setting in the ground throw and it’s still off. I’m using Caboose Industries Nscale Ground throws and Atlas Nscale Medium Turnouts without the switchmachine attachted. It’s not woking out to use these so I guess i’ll just go to Peco’s turnouts, I have a few so i’ll have to get more, anyhow thanks everyone for the input.
What I was trying to say is that to install the ground throw so that it works properly, you should first park the points, manually, at the mid-throw position - if necessary, temporarily spike or block them in position so that they don’t move while you install the ground throw. To install the ground throw, place the “handle” upright, at the mid-point of its movement, then attach the throw arm on the ground throw to the throw bar on the turnout, then spike the ground throw in position. Obviously, you’ll already have headblock ties in place on which to install the ground throw. After you remove the spikes or blocking holding the points in place, moving the arm on the ground throw should move the points so that one of them is tight against the stock rail - moving the handle in the opposite direction should then flip the points so that the other one is tight against the other stock rail.
In summary, both the points and the handle of the ground throw need to be at the mid-points of their travel during installation.
Wayne
Hi!
I can’t speak for N, but for HO I found the Caboose Hobbies SPRUNG short throws work just great! Of course you need to take special care to mount them properly, but once done, they last a long time and do a wonderful job. I recently converted about 15 close at hand turnouts to manual control and am really please that I did so.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44