Another week has passed, and that means another blog entry. This week I continued to work on the Met. I laid out the track, changed it, changed again, tweaked it, added stuff and eventually went back to my original plan. I powered it up early in the week, but ran into problems almost immediately. The thing would start and stop, sputter and strain and come off the iron. Remember, this is going to be almost 100% out of reach so I cannot have any flaws. Once it is running, it has to stay running.
I also made a discovery. I had wired up the loop for testing (see diagram a few blog posts ago), but had not yet laid out the siding. Once I had the loop running pretty good, I added the spur, complete with makeshift temporary "climb" to see if it would work. Rather than hard-wire it in, I disconnected the wires from the loop and wedged them against the rails of the spur. The little thing performed spectacularly! She glided up the steep hill and came to stop right where she will need to be when all is complete. Then I ran it back down and out onto the loop. To my amazement, it kept running. What I am saying is, the spur does not need separate wiring. It had been my experience that all frogs were insulated. The frog on this switch sure LOOKS insulated (it's made of plastic, how insulated does it need to be?). Well the spur is live, and functions perfectly, whether it is supposed to or not.
I have pretty much decided to use the electrical switch to throw this turnout. It will be "underground" and I want as little margin of error as I can manage with this line. The turnouts on ground level are another matter. I don't like the look of that control box along side of the turnout. I am thinking of making spring-loaded throws for the turnouts that will be visible. We had them on the HO club I used to belong to and I can't imagine they'd be much more difficult in N-Scale. In fact, they might be a little easier.
So my project for this weekend is to complete the Met, and get it running perfectly. Then I can Place the supports for the main level, begin to lay it out, and get on to the subway station, which has always been the reason behind this subway to begin with.
OK, sometimes you learn in spite of yourself
Alby25
If you are considering spring-loaded throws for your 'ground-level points, I'd recommend that you consider the Caboose Industries Ground-Throws, and use staples as the connecting-rod between the 'Throw and the point - I've used them for years!
BUT before you go out and purchase these items in quantity, take the top off one of the boxes on an old Atlas point.
Unless they have changed things recently, you will see that there is only one (1) hole in the tie-bar (the bit that the actuating-wire moves in and which in turn moves the point blade), unlike most other points which have two (2) holes on the tie-bar - one on each side of the rail, outside the rail itself.
This 'one-hole only' will mean that you will have to think very carefully about where you locate the CI Ground-throw because you will only be able to place the 'throw on one side (though if you are very clever and use a long 'reach-rod' you can place it on the side away from the hole - but with difficulty!!)
You will also need to trim the excess plastic base away from around the sides of the tie bar to provide access to the bar and hole.
And if, after all this, you still want to convert all your points to manual CI Ground Throws, I have found it easier to use ordinary stationary staples as connecting rods between the 'throw arm and the point tie-rod.
(I wrote a somewhat lengthy posting on this a while ago -, so rather than repeat it ad nauseum, perhaps Bryan or Todd can retrieve it or direct you towards it - if not, PM me and I'll give you the details).
Hope that this helps.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Keith, after some
Keith, after some searching, I came up with these two threads that contain posts of yours that pertain to CI Ground Throws;
http://www.nscale.net/forums/general-modeling-techniques/2007/06/14/weathering-ground-throws
http://www.nscale.net/forums/signaling-detection-and-turnout-control-devices/2007/01/28/using-ground-throws
OK, sometimes you learn in spite of yourself
Albey 25
Courtesy of our marvellous Co-admin, herewith the offending article - slightly modified as appropriate (Thank you Bryan):
'. . . An alternative way of connecting the 'throw to the points - it works for both Peco and Atlas units, and uses an ordinary Stationery Staple (which are of course cheap, and easy to come by - saves you money as a result). :D
The method is simple: From UNDERNEATH the point, place one end of an un-used staple through the hole at the end of the points lever arm (the bit that sticks out at Right angles from the side of the point). Lift the staple up when you've done this and carefully bend the part that is now sticking up ABOVE the hole over, so that it locks the end of the staple in place. You should now have one end of the staple curved through the point arm, the other end still vertical. Place the other end of the staple through the hole in the G'throw arm, and curve this over too - efectively the two units are now joined by the staple. Place two track pins between the points blades as per the instructions on the packet and follow the rest of the instructions on the packet as to locating and fitting the throw in relation to the point etc. I use track pins to hold everything down, with a LITTLE (stress that word) CA to hold the whole assembly in place if it is in a difficult location - but be very careful with the CA - too much will seize the moving parts of the 'throw, though if this does happen throwing the G/throw onto the ground a few times WILL release the CA's grip (I kid you not - it does work!)
I've done what I've described above for all my Caboose Industries Ground Throws - it works for me and looks good too . . . '
So there you have it - hope it's of use.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . ."
thanks
Thanks guys, I'll look into the caboose industries throws. Just to save me a click or two...is that the one I was looking at in here the other day? The home page was green, and it showed a man sitting in a switch tower, among all the switches for that yard. The model switches looked like 1/160th versions of the real thing. Whatever site that was, they looked pretty sharp, and a darn site easier than manufacturing my own.
Thanks again, --Al