Don't fancy putting lots of point motors in the fiddle yard, wondered if here was a simple ground lever I could use instead.

Stumbled across a You Tube item the other day (but can't find it again) where Nigel Birkin was using these ground throws on a OO/HO or 4mm system.

With a bit of Googling found them available in N gauge via eBay from USA and they are quite expensive, although OO are a lot cheaper.

Has any one had experience of using these in any scale (maybe on Peco set track points) and does anyone know:

1 - Will OO/HO ones work with N gauge points?
2 - Are they are available from a UK supplier?
3 - Is there is a UK equivalent on the market?

Thanks in anticipation

Ray

Based in Harrow

http://www.nscaleamericantrains.co.uk/en/accessories/4591-operating-ground-throw.html

Lawrence

Thanks for the link, it looks interesting, have you any experience of using the throws?

Ray

Interesting.
Looks like the 206s or the 105r for n scale use, but can't tell if peco points would need a sprung unit to operate them. I'd suspect possibly not, as they have springs within the peco unit itself?

Looking at these has confused me in the past, as they offer so many options, but don't state clearly which ones suit which track type.

I make my own point throws buy running a wire through 3/4 of an inch of brass tube, I then bend it up and hook it to the points throw and bend the other end up to push and pull the points into the desired direction, to hold the brass tube in position I knock a track nail either side of the tube and solder the tube to the nails which have the heads filed so the solder will take.

Quick, easy and costs next to nothing, I had 13 sets of points up and running this way in less that 2 hours.

Quote from: REGP on May 29, 2012, 09:26:49 PM
Lawrence

Thanks for the link, it looks interesting, have you any experience of using the throws?

Ray

AFAIR they are designed for use with Atlas switches (points) which are unsprung unlike the Peco lot (you can always remove the spring though), there is a link to the company contact details, bottom left of their web page, drop them an email for clarification 

Thanks guys

Plenty of food for thought there, have ordered a couple of sprung ones to find out how (or if they work) with set track and will let you know how I get on.

In the meantime might experiment with some wire, now where's that old "joanna".

Ray

Quote from: Lawrence on May 29, 2012, 09:13:10 PM
Based in Harrow

http://www.nscaleamericantrains.co.uk/en/accessories/4591-operating-ground-throw.html

Thanks for the link Lawrence, they look live a very interesting retailer of all things American. I have a couple of coaches where the axles are a bit short/worn and the wheels come adrift. I now know where to get some spares of the correct size.

Received a pair of the sprung version very quickly but have but only just been able to play with them.

Had to ream out the hole in the bar on the throw  to 2mm and narrow the pin on the set track point a little to enable the throw to fit the point.

For a test fixed them down on a spare bit of board and it worked fine. 

Although I don't know how long the weakened bar will last, might have to try 00 version as over scale in fiddle yard wont matter.

Thanks for your help guys.

Ray