Simple push / pull switch rods?

[trainsteve2435]

Hello everyone, does anyone have any information on how to make a simple push / pull switch rod? Im useing Peco switches with the locking points on them, and there in a hidden stageing area, so im trying to save some money, plus i dont see the advantage of spending a bunch of money on Tortis machines or something similar if i can make a push pull rod. Any information is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jasonboche]

Check this out:
http://www.humpyard.com/

Then click on the link saying "more photos"


Also see this link:
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=80011

 

[pgandw]

Everything from coat hangar wire to fishing line and weights have been used to manually throw turnouts.

Whether or not you use the Peco spring that "latches" the points is going to make a difference on how you set up the manual throw. Because of the spring "latch", you can just push them by hand if you choose and can reach.

Commercial solutions include Caboose (and other) ground throws which can be made to work from a distance with some kind of push/pull rod/wire. Humpyard is in this category also, as is a blue box resembling a small Tortoise that has been recently advertised. Caboose Industries throws are much cheaper than the other 2, but will take more engineering to hook up a push/pull system.

And you can roll your own using model aircraft components, fishing line and springs or weights, coat hangar wire, etc. If you remove the Peco latch spring to make the throw easier, make sure your device has sufficient throw and some spring to hold the points firmly against the stock rails without bending anything.

Hope this helps

 

[KCS]

I went to Home Depot in search of an idea like this and came up with a really cheap ay to make manual switch throw rod's. I bought two full circle "eye let's" with pointed self tapping ends. You will need two eye's per swich rod. Now the thing to do first would go find the wood dowels. Pick a diamater that best suits you. Then when you pick out the eye let's make sure they are as close of a fit as possible.

The one's I used had to be slightly sanded but I got the best results this way rather than useing to small of a dowel. With a pin vise I drilled a hole in one end of the dowel. I don't remember the size. Anyway I used a piece of piano wire snuggly fitted into the hole on the end with a "L" bent in to it. Make sure the wire is all the way in the dowel as far as it can go before you bend the "L". The "L" would be best if marked and bent right next to the dowel end. One "eye let" should go on one end where the switch is and the other about a 1/4th of the way from the edge of the bench work. A little fine tuning and bam.

I use this on my newest built module and it works great. I think I spent like $2-3 bucks and about 20 minutes underneath the module. Hope this helps.

 

[trainsteve2435]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas and suggestions, they really help!

 

[Glen Haasdyk]

I used Model aircraft plastic push/pull rods. I think they were made by Dublo? Anyway included in the kit were 4 clevesis that, when you remove the pin and drill the one side a bit bigger will fit over the peco plastic pin on the throwrod. The only downside to this is you have to make a rather gentle bend in the tubeing or you'll end up with binds. this means that an inch or two of the rod is visible on the top of your layout. Not a big deal if it's for a hidden staging yard or you can place a building over it like I did.

 

[60103]

Another way is to mount a slide switch below the points, with a hole drilled through the roadbed. Drill the switch skider two ways -- one for a wire going up to the ponts and the other for the rod going out to the side of the layout. Then add a little knob on the end. Any of the above ways to hold the rod up.
The slide switch can then be used for any extra wiring required.