I really like the Bachmann switch stands, nice and straight forward, gives you a visual of the throw position.
However… they don’t work with my Train Li “wide radius” turnouts. This is because the switch stands mount to two adjacent ties – without skipping a tie, like many switch machines. And since my TL turnouts have a circuit board and reed switch beneath that “middle” tie, I can’t do some dremelling and shove it in.
Do PIKO turnouts have this issue? Photos suggest they might, but I can’t tell what’s going on with the underside.
While putting some track together over last weekend, it occurred to me that an adapter could be made to convert the BM stand to a wider tie stance, skipping the middle tie, just like many switch machines.
So here it be:
In a nutshell, this replaces the two mid-range length adapters (the loose bits shown above), which are included in the BM kit. It requires replacement of the thrown rod with the medium-length one, also in the kit.
The adapter can be parked on the left or right of the stand, in order to mount the thing on either side of the turnout.
These are printed in brown PETG, which is said to be good for outdoor used.
Jerry B and I will be trying them out soon, hopefully they will work fine.
Cliff
