Hi all, You may remember the MarkI version of powering the frog on the handlaid turnouts. If you don’t
That is the turnout which underwent the “environmental assessment” test. As work progressed I came up with the MarkII version. Since the newer turnouts have “bend-the-rail” points (not hinged!) I needed some simple way to keep the points in the proper position. Wellllllll, on the staging yard in HOm days I used toggle switches and attached the throwbar wire to the toggle. That was the no-brainer version of the EMM Actuator mechanism. :lol: So it was a matter of finding a heavy duty toggle switch that could handle the large shortcircuit currents. The Source (ex Radio Shack) sells a smallish, round switch that is rated at 5A/125VAC and it has a long toggle to provide the required throw.
Glued it into place with epoxy
Fashioned a cover (that is the test sample)
The feeder wire attaches to the rail by drilling a small hole in the railbase and thread it through, then solder.
The cover will be painted and held in place with silicone (easy removal if required). Oh BTW, to drill the small hole for the actuating wire in the toggle handle: file a flat on the toggle handle, clamp the handle in the vise to drill. That way the drill will certainly not wander and inserting the wire from below is easier on a flat with a hole. The throwbar shown is the MarkI type.