Mechanical operation of points and signals.

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Bufferstop
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Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Bufferstop »

I've been operating my current layout with mechanical control of points and signals. After ten years I thought it was time to put this into a how-to not just of my methods but how others do it too. Explanations are almost superfluous if you have a picture, so here's some:-
2014-11-30 15.38.22.jpg
My basic mechanism, it comprises from left to right,
the head of a map pin pushed onto a short piece of rod whilst it's just no hotter than you can handle,
the brass bit from a choc connector, joining two pieces of rod and acting as a stop against the side of the board.
A length of rod, another connector, a bit of springy wire (sleeved in red so you van see it, and
a further length of rod reaching the other frame. If this was for a layout operated from the rear at exhibitions there would be another connector and another map pin knob.
Signal1a.jpg
this is the operating end for controlling a double bracket signal which is sited in a difficult spot to reach. The movement is transmitted by wire in tube seen on the left, the frame is some bits of hardwood left over from a new staircase. The white rods came from an old magazine binder, they could just as easily been brass or steel. This is the full kit before installing
Signal1.jpg
and this is the whole thing in place,
signal2.jpg
the signal post (white behind the crane) is right next to a baseboard joint, the colours of the map pins match the tracks on my control panel.
Now I'm off to find a picture of an operating knob hidden in plain sight on Dad-1's shunting layout.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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minipix
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by minipix »

Excellent, love the simple but effective engineering here, and the use of second-hand materials! I have some hard-to-reach areas on my layout that would definitely benefit from something like this. That said, installing it would be difficult, because they're hard to reach (duh). On reflection, I should have thought about this earlier on in the build, but this is my first layout so I've learnt a lot as I've gone along. Still, I'll bookmark this post and probably refer back to it in a few years' time!
Frontington & Backwoods Railway: https://www.matthewdawkins.co.uk/catego ... way-build/
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Mountain
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Mountain »

I thouught I would share a few pictures.
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Bufferstop
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Bufferstop »

I've been searching for a picture of one of my signals before I installed it, as it demonstrates how to get every thing but the operating knobs installed through a half inch diameter hole, plenty of clearance under the board, but just about impossible to do anything more than six inches in from the front. It might be easier to build a demo one.
There will be a short break whilst I knock one together.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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b308
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by b308 »

The new layout with manual point control and frog switching.

Image
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Mountain
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Mountain »

I like that. Nice, simple and effective. :)
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Bufferstop
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Bufferstop »

Proper Omega loop too :wink:
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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b308
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by b308 »

Yep, managed to get a dozen GEM ones for a fiver on eBay, then got another lot so I have some for future layouts! They are ridiculously priced these days for new ones...
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Bufferstop
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Bufferstop »

Only buy them when they are cheap! Bend them from Eileen's phosphor-bronze wire.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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Dad-1
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Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Dad-1 »

We used those Gem ones on the clubs West Bay layout
Where we also have the simplest mechanical signal, easy as it only has one
close to where you drive from. Simply a weighted large coat button that drops
a signal to the 'on' position by gravity. A short lift from a finger to the button
underneath and the signal is 'Off'

My favourite mechanical point change is still HS2 where parked vehicles operate
the two points on the layout. Only useful I fear for very compact layouts. The only
time they were photographed was in operation during a video I did.

Might add a link later. https://youtu.be/uG3CoFnhrMk

Geoff T
b308
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by b308 »

Bufferstop wrote:Only buy them when they are cheap! Bend them from Eileen's phosphor-bronze wire.

I tried that but they didn't work very well, there's obviously a knack to doing it!
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Bufferstop
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Re: Mechanical operation of points and signals.

Post by Bufferstop »

there's obviously a knack to doing it!
Possession of a pair of genuine GPO "pliers wiring No.2" otherwise known as "81s" (Not a clue where that came from).
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
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