Anyone have any information on using choke cables to throw turnouts.
I have read Paul Norton’s information and how it is used at Fred’s layout.
Anyone have anything additional?
Thanks
Rick
Check out Kalmbach’s MR archives if you have access (I don’t anymore). There were a number of mentions of choke cables back in the 40’s, 50’s and before. RMC certainly had mention of them as well.
Marty, Choke cable may be hard to find now, plus can often be too short. although your line is a shelf type so distance is less. I once used
Brass rod soldered together with sleeve tube at the joints and a simple knob threaded on the end. Used large Cable type staples to align and retain rod . Brass bell crank on the turnout end, distance was over 12 feet, rod traveled parallel to the track for the first 5 feet or so. Worked flawlessly for over 5 years, before the track plan chaged. The rod link even went around a bit of a curve, used to operate a LGB 1600.
Jonathan/EMW
Rick,
The only negative I can see is maintenance. The cable is spring steel and so is the coiled over cover. Neither are real acceptable to corrosion, which will occur when steel is allowed to get wet. When I was many moons younger, my first truck had a choke cable on a manual choke. If I did not keep it oiled (even though it was under the hood), it would get stiff and sometimes freeze up, making operation difficult at best. One of my club members arrived at a unique adaptation of the barrel bolt switch throw. i will take a photo next weekend when I am at the club and post it here to share.
Bob C.
Marty,
A friend of mine, Bob Berio, came up with the idea of using model airplane lead in wire inserted into small flexible plastic tubing. This allowed the cable and tubing to be spiked down to the bench work, slid beneath tracks and even gently bent to reach the switch. He used small ground throws secured to the bench work edge to throw the switches. I imagine you could substitute barrel bolts ala Fred Mills’ IPP&W as the throws if wanted.
The tubing was a type of delrin I believe and was available from an industrial model plastic mfgr. whose name eludes me at the moment. It protects the cable (wire) and prevents it from moving outwards giving it sufficient back and forth movement to move switch points from a considerable distance. Also I would imagine an occasional drop of oil would prevent rusting pretty well.
This idea was used indoors but I think it would work outdoors as well.
Model aircraft control cables are known as “Snakes”. Any model shop worth its salt will have them. There are a few makers of these. Most are US made (or claim they are)…
I use this all the time for my R/C aircraft. It is the longest fully sheathed cable I am aware of. This stuff would easily form around any curve and will function smoothly.
If you want the real thing:
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Part-Type/Choke-Cables/?keyword=choke+cable&kr=choke+cable
Howdy. When I first built my train yard in 2007 I used choke cables to actuate the switches with mixed results. I had 4 cables brought together to one point. The closest ones within 3 feet worked fine but the longest one at 7 feet had too much flex in the cable and I could never fasten it down well enough. Over the winter all the cables rusted and come spring were useless. I never tried to resurrect them.
I now have a similar scheme using plastic tubing with a greased up metal wire inside it to move a switch point that is nearly 8 feet away and under a bush. Due to the track being on the ground there is nothing to secure the tubing to so I drove a handful of stacks into the ground and attached the tubing to it so it wouldn’t flex when the wire was pushed.
So far so good. I wouldn’t use the choke cables if I were you.
The RC aircraft tubing sounds like the way to go.
Happy RRing
I think Fred doses his with used motoroil from time to time…
I found that a dribble of plain motor oil on the outside of the cables is all that is needed…although around here the available choke cables seem to have SS cable inside the shield…length is no problem around here…I seem to be able to get them up to 9 feet. The cable does need to be supported, but with my PT roadbed and decking, I yust use those U shaped stables, normally used for telephone cable. It does take a few before you learn how to use them correctly…I just use a 1 inch flat angle bracket as a bell crank at each switch…as noted above; check out the OVGRS web page, where some of my applications are shown. (You do have to drill the angle brackets on the ends and centre, for appropriate sized holes…I don’t bother with expensive brass ones…plated steel soon rusts and looks good.
I have several choke cables that have been in service for over 8 years…they get stiff, but the dribble of motor oil soon frees them up. I usually only need to lubricat them once in the Spring.
No need to use “Used” motor oil…a quart of WD30 last for a loooong time in a handpump oil can…I think I opened the can I’m using now 3 years ago…
Thanks for the input guys,
I hooked one up with a choke cable from the auto parts store.
Only took about 30 min. and it works very well.
Being under the table and off the ground they/it will stay
pretty dry during the winter so rust shouldn’t be a major
problem, we will see.
Now to get two more hooked up.
Rick
The need for raised switch throws for ground level switches on the Fred’s IPP&W Railway was solved by mounting choke cables on T-bars. The choke cables Fred buys down the street from an auto parts store. The T-bars are from the garden section of Home Depot.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-C.jpg)
This cable had plastic tube added to protect it from the elements. But it proved to hold moisture and prevented the steel casing from being oiled.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-D.jpg)
Now they are left naked, but oiled every spring.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-F.jpg)
Before the cable was added to the switch above, it was found the switch could be thrown using just the angle bracket.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-E.jpg)
That rendered the barrel bolt switch throw and its rusty spring obsolete. They are all being replaced with the new more compact and reliable angle bracket switch throw as times permits.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-A.jpg)
The plastic throw bars shown in this picture also proved to be susceptible to breakage over the years. As we run battery power only, they are being replaced with brass throw bars. The new throw bars are shown in some of the pictures above. The following diagram shows a cut away view of the new switch throws. http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Switches/Throw-H.bmp BTW: For those that use barrel bolt switch throws, silicon spray will keep them lubricated and operating smoothly. Unlike grease or oil, silicon spray will dry and not collect dirt. If you are looking for a tool to push small pieces of ballast and other debris from under switch throw bars, I found a 1/4 wide cable tie works well.
Plenty of industrial suppliers of Bowdon cables in various lengths, with various control knobs, etc. For a “cadillac” version suitable for transmitting both pull and push loads, consider:
http://www.controlsandcables.com/index.php/Kongsberg-Control-Cables/SILVER-LINE™-Cable.html