Summer Shunting Shelf Project

[RBrodzinsky]

Nice MC! Glad to see you working on this project, again. But all that space... You sure you don't want some of the modules back (hee hee).

Rick

[Mark W]

Well, now that I've gotten rid of 90% of my Free-moN modules (all except Shoofly!)(and 2 cool 45's as photo dioramas), I finally have some space on my workbench:



[Ignore that "Possible New Shelf Project"--not going to happen/for awhile]

So while I build some structures to finish up the HO logging layout for a friend, I thought I should use the opportunity of a relatively-clear workbench to "finish" the "Alameda Belt In A Box" layout my daughter and I did awhile ago (wow: she was nine when we worked on it, and she just turned 13 yesterday!).
And by "finish" I mean replace those ugly oversized Caboose Industries ground throws with slide switches that 1) won't look like gargantuan catapults and 2) power the frogs (very important!).

Based on recommendations from fellow Mark W, I picked up a variety of slide switches to experiment with:



The Radio Shack are smallest (and more accessible), and the Adafruit are solid, with a slight "snap" throw, and black, but I wanted to try the smaller SparkFun first, mainly because they're smaller than the Adafruit (I could always carve a bigger hole!) and they have a metal cover that goes almost all way around (RS are mostly plastic).

Actually, the most difficult step of the whole conversion is drilling the hole:



But even if you're close to the edge, the plastic is very strong: I slipped the brass rod in and could not break through the plastic.

I popped the Caboose ground throw off, then drilled a hole with a bit slightly smaller than the width of the slide switch:



Drilled another one next to it, then used the Dremel to ream out the space. A triangle file helped square the corners and widen the space so the slide switch slipped in snug:



Originally, I was going to try to slip decoder wire under the rails on the surface, but it looked bad, so I just used ye ol' 22 gauge stranded under & back up:



At least the wires don't hang out too much.

Then I scraped away some paint on the throwbar to expose the copper, and the soldered the brass wire to the throwbar:



I had to re-position one point rail to match the slide switch throw distance, but otherwise it works great!
I was thinking I'd have to use the uncoupling tool (bamboo skewer) to throw the slide switch, but it's still big & sturdy enough that a fingertip/nail can throw it fine.

Careful application of NeoLube on all shiny parts really helps the slide switch disappear:



I still need to go back and do a little touch up ground cover, and I'm thinking about ways to make it look less slide switch and more turnout switch stand, but all in all very happy with the new look (and POWERED FROGS!!!!!!!! WOOT!).

You can see the improvement over the Caboose Catapults already:





One down, 13 more to go!

Thanks for looking.

And it really is as simple as that!   

When I first connected my slide switches with the turnout, I thought I needed to drill a hole in both the slide AND the crossbar.  What a pain it was trying to bend the wire to the exact width between the slide switch hole and the crossbar hole so that the turnout points were aligned.  I'm sad to admit it took WAY too long for me to realize I could just position the switch left, the turnout left, 'tack weld' it with solder and BAM, perfect! 

Time saver:  Instead of drilling two holes and shaping everything in between, I found it's so much easier to drill one hole.  The big gaps are going to be filled with scenery anyway. 

Recommendation:  Use a pin-vice rather than dremal/power to drill the slide switch hole.  It's only a little slower but safer on both the slide and the drill bit.  And hey, you saved all that time with one mounting hole!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Thanks for all the tips!
Will try the pin vice drill tomorrow (could also just use it to start the hole, then Dremel away  )

I didn't want to use the BIG BIT as I'd like to be as minimally invasive as possible.
If I get the exact fit then I don't have to do any ground cover touch up   

The SparkFun are great for this project replacing already built stuff.
Next layout / module I'd probably use the AdaFruit: black, more robust, and they have a slight "click" when thrown.
Perfect for Free-moN modules 

[Chris333]

Ignore that "Possible New Shelf Project"

I cannot un-see what I've seen 

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Finished an HO build for a client, got a "real" job, cleaned up (but not out) the garage/workbench, so getting back into my own model railroad projects.
Not expecting any more space anytime soon, so working to replace the oversized Caboose Industries "Catapults" with SparkFun slide switches.
Not only smaller & thus better for photos, but also power frogs, which increases running reliability 20000000%.
Which is worth the kabillion hours installing them.



Compare with the Catapults:



[Slide switch at lower right]

So finished installing all the slide switches on the right side of the shelf layout:



And just applying some NeoLube helps the slide switch loose its shine & blend in, even before scenicking.

But once all the slide switches were installed on the right side, it was a good excuse to run some trains & share some video:

A quick video, so pardon the janky light & whatnot.
Just happy to be working on the railroad again.
And spreading the gospel of powered frogs & slide switches.
Cheers!

Thanks for looking.

[pdx1955]

I've also added slide switches to add frog power but since mine were a bit bigger I think, I took a Dremel to the handle and cut it down and rounded it into a switch stand base shape. I drilled a hole in the side for the throw and one straight down from the top. I CA'ed a short piece of wire into the hole and added a target made with a sliver off of the end of a styrene rod. Looks to be pretty durable at this point.

[John]

I've also added slide switches to add frog power but since mine were a bit bigger I think, I took a Dremel to the handle and cut it down and rounded it into a switch stand base shape. I drilled a hole in the side for the throw and one straight down from the top. I CA'ed a short piece of wire into the hole and added a target made with a sliver off of the end of a styrene rod. Looks to be pretty durable at this point.

@pdx1955 If you can, share a picture please

[pdx1955]

I still have to cut a cork plug to fill in around the base which will further reduce the base size and keep eventual ballast from gumming up the switch.
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[M.C. Fujiwara]

Looks like yr having a ball 

So I finished installing the 7 slide switches on the right side (the "top" of the layout when folded into a box for travel), & I should have made a video then, as that side was easy!
The turnout I used for making the "How To" video turned out to be the most difficult (at the edge, so support material underneath):



& everything went wrong every time the camera started rolling (of course), but I think I got enough to convey both how to install slide switches as well as why it's important to have powered frogs for better ops.

At the very least, the slide switches are more N scale photo phriendly than the Caboose "Catapults":



[At least they will be after I scenic around them!]
And slide switches power the frogs, which is 20-kabillion-times more important to smooth, happy model railroading than almost anything else.

So here's the "How To" video showing how to install SparkFun slide switches https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9609 for turnout control:

If you're installing on pink foam then cut out a 0.030 / 0.040 styrene rectangle frame that slips over the slide switch, then secure the styrene frame to the foam.

Hope this helps improve ops on your layout.
Thanks for looking!

[basementcalling]

What sized wire are you using, MC, and hw far from the track center do you move out for the hole for the switch?  Got some RS sliders to try in my mill, but my track spacings around turnouts are tight.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Electrical wire is 22 gauge stranded.
Brass wire is 0.022".

There's no set distance to drill: I just mark the closest I can put slide switch to the throwbar.

Some of the areas between tracks on this switching layout are pretty tight, which is why I'm using the SparkFun instead of the AdaFruit.
From now on for new layouts I'll be using the AdaFruit: slightly larger but much more robust & there's a "click" when throwing that holds toggle (& thus points) in place.
Note on the Radio Shack switches: I've used those before, and have found that:
1. they're not very robust & can fall apart/get damaged easily
2. the slide rapidly loses tension over time/use, resulting in a "floppy" toggle that can't hold the points one side or the other. 

The SparkFun are much more solid & better constructed (all-metal enclosed housing, rather than 1/2 metal, 1/2 plastic partially open housing), & I've heard from others that the SparkFun hold up much, much longer.
Just FYI.
Hope this helps.

[basementcalling]

Electrical wire is 22 gauge stranded.
Brass wire is 0.022".

There's no set distance to drill: I just mark the closest I can put slide switch to the throwbar.

Some of the areas between tracks on this switching layout are pretty tight, which is why I'm using the SparkFun instead of the AdaFruit.
From now on for new layouts I'll be using the AdaFruit: slightly larger but much more robust & there's a "click" when throwing that holds toggle (& thus points) in place.
Note on the Radio Shack switches: I've used those before, and have found that:
1. they're not very robust & can fall apart/get damaged easily
2. the slide rapidly loses tension over time/use, resulting in a "floppy" toggle that can't hold the points one side or the other. 

The SparkFun are much more solid & better constructed (all-metal enclosed housing, rather than 1/2 metal, 1/2 plastic partially open housing), & I've heard from others that the SparkFun hold up much, much longer.
Just FYI.
Hope this helps.

Floppy, eh? I'll paint them blue.

Where do you order the SparkFun and Aidafruit.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

https://www.adafruit.com/products/805

SparkFun link is above the video.

[eric220]

So here's the "How To" video showing how to install SparkFun slide switches https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9609 for turnout control:

@4:25, yeah watch out for that chuck...

[M.C. Fujiwara]

@4:25, yeah watch out for that chuck...

Every time my drill gets close to a rail I PTSD of that image of your layout.
I did bounce the chuck off the rail, but it only burnished the railtop a little "bit".