Finally getting around to the part of my railroad that uses #6 switches. So far have had to modify the #6 switches to enable EPL switch machines to be fitted. The standard ‘throw’ dimension on the switch is approximately 0.080" less than required for an EPL switch machine. This entailed a new throwbar to be made. The EPL switch machine also needs a new mount to be made to enable two mount fitting to the Aristo switch. For some reason a factory decision was made to enable fitting to a wide-radius switch, without modification, as regards throwbar movement and tie spacing to enable an EPL switch machine to be readily fitted without alteration.
The new throwbar was made from an old material known as Micarta (a phenolic resin impregnated canvas material) with the correct rail separation to enable full throw on the EPL switch machine. All the standard electrics were removed from the switch, as they will rust away anyway. Frog polarity is now taken care of with a microswitch pack (LGB #12070) attached to the EPL switch machine. As per my usual outdoors redundancy design, all six contacts on the microswitch pack are utilised to enable changing frog polarity with route selection. This duplication will hopefully extend the operating life of the railroad. My usual build process to date has been to duplicate all power supplies and when relays are utilised, I use twice the amount normally required.
