i’m sure there are some good ways of installing a microswitch to a turnout throwbar to properly power the frog. I have track spiked to 1/4 layer of homasote on top of 1"foam and a 1/4" sheet of luan. I was thinking of burying the switch in the foam along with the wire, keeping it out of view but accessible
greg
What I did was take a roughly 1x2’ piece of thin ply or masonite, route a slot down the middle of it and glue a 1x1 piece of pine to it crossways to the slot.
On the micro switch, I wrapped shim brass around the lever and soldered a piece of stiff wire (hard brass or piano) a couple inches long.
Holding the wood piece so the ply was on top, I screwed the micro switch to the wood block with teh wire sticking up.
I drilled a 1/2" dia. hole under the throwbar of the switch. The micro switch bracket was screwed under the table with the wire sticking up through the hole into a small hold in the throwbar. The attachment screws went into the slot, and I could slide it back and forth to adjust the microswitch so it would throw when the track switch was thrown.
Don’t see why not, If you don’t want to bury the switch in the scenery, allow a link from the throwbar to operate the sw under the layout. Some have fabricated contacts to do the same and there is no need for a microswitch… Just make sure the switch is rated for the max power supplied to the rails or you’ll have to send out the scale Fire Dept to that sw stand.
Dave I “must have been asleep @ the sw”
How are you throwing the turnouts? If you’re using twin-coil machines, there will be a significant jolt every time the turnout throws, and you’ll also need to account for the extra force required to throw the microswitch. Peco switch machines, which will really only work well with Peco turnouts, have an accessory switch (purchased separately) which can give you the appropriate SPDT contacts for frog control. Slow-motion machines like the Tortoise won’t jolt your turnout, but if the microswitch “snaps” into position the Tortoise will end up throwing the points with a snap. Of course, if you’re using a Tortoise, you’ve already got the contacts built in.
Another option you might consider is the Frog Juicer. This is an electronic gadget which will sense the proper polarity for the frog and adjust things accordingly.
The LION wants to assume that we are talking about manual switches. Obviously if you have a switch machine then you already have all of the electronics and mechanics in place.
What are you using to throw your switches. Most under-table mechanical devices will have plenty of space to accommodate a micro-switch, so just go ahead and do it. But what if you do not have a throw device already in place?
Lion might be happy to try a regular 3-way wall switch. Drill a hole through the toggle to accommodate the actuator wire and use the switch to both throw the turnout, power the frog, and to provide mechanical stability to the switch. That is to say, I have seen such a thing done, but have never tried it. LIONS stick with TORTOISE machines.
ROAR
As others have mentioned, it depends on how or what device you are going to use to throw your turnouts. Not all turnouts require the frogs to be powered. Short wheelbase locos are about the only ones that may need the frogs to be powered. Some turnouts will power the frogs through the points as they contact the stock rail.
If you are going to use Ground Throws by Caboose Hobbies, they make a ground throw with electrical contacts that you can use for frog power.
If you go to Tam Valleys web site, they have a photo or two of using a microswitch for frog power routing.
i should have said that i’m using caboose ground throws and hand laid turnouts.
trying to keep things simple
thanks
Caboose makes a ground throw with a built-in SPDT switch. Can’t get much simpler than that.
Greg: Virtually all the Peco Code 80 turnouts on my N scale layout (about 50 of them) are hand thrown. After looking at everything available, including the power routing Caboose throws, mircoswitches, etc., I came to the conclusion that the Hex Frog Juicer is the simplest to install on existing turnouts. It’s an electronic mircoswitch.
Solder one wire to the frog, connect it to the Hex Frog Juicer (six turnouts per Hex Frog Juicer) and connect the Frog Juicer to track power. That’s it. The only caveat is that the turnout frogs have to be insulated.
Easy, quick, flawless operation. About $8.00 or so per turnout. Check out Tam Valley Depot.
Joel
Photo of how I used microswitches on my old 4x8 layout:
This isn’t the only place they were installed, some were under the switchstand, some activated by the groundthrow, some by the throwbar; it all depended on the location.
This was covered by a square of styrene with ground cover glued to it; worked great and easy to access if maintenance was needed (but in 10+ years, no problems). I had about 10 shinohara #4’s, all with microswitches. It wasn’t too hard, but definitely needs adjustment so the switch changes polarity when the point rails aren’t touching the other rails (or momentary short might happen).
On my new 2x12 switching layout, I used two hex juicers.
Hex juicers are great, easy as can be; I already solder feeders to every piece of rail and no adjusting needed.
My dad used Caboose Ind ground throws with contacts; they work great, not too hard to install but I don’t like the way they look. These are on a club’s modular layout so function is far more important than looks.
edit:I can’t see my picture, but if you go to my shutterfly and look through the 4x8 S&W album (last pic).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tortoise-Switch-Machine-Connector-Kit-VN-002-05-/321064288923?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4ac0ec429b these are what I used on my tortoise machines. I have over 70 of them on my layout and they work great if your using sound loco’s. Jim.