Turnout Controllers on my Model Railroad

Рет қаралды 2,104

Күн бұрын

This video is a closeup look at the turnout controller installation on my Clear Lake Timber Company model railroad. The controllers are Blue Point mechanisms, but instead of using the push-pull tubes as designed I connected the mechanisms directly to the control knobs with dowel rods. This video shows the installation in detail.

Пікірлер: 12

@Baumeister40 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Carl for showing me how I could use the blue point controllers without having to buy all those other gadgets and accessories to operate them. It's an elaborate set up as designed but not the only way to do it.

@elsdp-4560 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing. Very nice.

@davestrains6816 3 жыл бұрын

New sub here, very useful information, great design. Thanks for sharing. Dave

@theangelsmodellingandrailways 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent info Carl. You're a gentleman and a scholar, thank you kindly for the upload, it is saved for future reference. All the best. Brian.

@jimstrainsandstuff9539 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing that information Carl. I've been thought experimenting various turnout throwing methods for my own layout so I will put your method into the mix for seriuos consideration. Cheers, Jim

@spaceframe7750 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Carl, many thanks for the advice. Do you or any of your viewers find that there is a real saving using the Blue Points over say, the Tortoise mechanisms? I personally like the idea of manual point/turnout control and have been looking for some scale manual point lever mechanisms (DCC Components in the U.K. produce working electric point levers, but not sure that they would work for manual - also very costly). A company in the U.S. used to produce excellent quality manual levers, but these seem to have been discontinued since about 2013. Your system however looks great. Cheers. EW

@CarlBrainerd 2 жыл бұрын

I didn't set out to save money over Tortoise. Rather I just liked the idea of a simple mechanical device that would hopefully be bulletproof (so far, OK). I suspect the costs are in the same range but have not done a real analysis. I have been using switch stands from Railway Engineering. While they are intended to throw a turnout, I use them the opposite way, with the Blue Point mechanism actually throwing the switch stand as the points move. My only criticism of this setup is that the geometry of the switch stands is such that the points do not rotate them a full 90 degrees. I've learned to live with that, as they look pretty good on the layout other wise.

@centeroftheearthmining4095 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Carl! How did you get your switch stand to move with direction of the switch?

@CarlBrainerd 2 жыл бұрын

The switch stands from Railway Engineering are intended to actuate the switch points via an actuating rod between the points and the switch stand. In my case, the actuation is being done with the Blue Point under-table mechanism. But since the actuating rod from the points to the switch stand is still in place, moving the points causes the switch stand to rotate. Sort of a backwards operation- instead of the switch stand actuating the points the points actuate the switch stand.

@davetenney5835 3 жыл бұрын

How deep is your layout? Front to back

@CarlBrainerd 3 жыл бұрын

Dave, the layout is 30 inches deep, fascia to rear L-girder. There are a couple of turnouts near the back, but naturally with the dowel rod activation the distance doesn't matter as long as the dowel has a straight shot.

@davetenney5835 3 жыл бұрын

@@CarlBrainerd thanks for the info, amazing layout, love your videos....thanks so much for sharing with us all!