C&S Switch Chairs and Ball Throws...

[Keith Hayes]

Chris, what is the purpose of the ball? Does it keep the rod off the ground and easy to grab? Does it provide some sort of counterweight? Is it a safety device so you can only spear yourself so far should you fall on the handle when it for some reason is in the upright position?Is this a solid casting, or is the ball spun and bolted or soldered on the handle?

Sooo many questions!

[Todd A Ferguson]

Keith,  Probably the first two you mention for sure.  Plus it was a way to use up surplus cannon balls!!!  Probably cast as one piece or possibly forged.

Todd

On Jun 25, 2017, at 7:55 PM, Keith Hayes [via C&Sng Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Chris, what is the purpose of the ball? Does it keep the rod off the ground and easy to grab? Does it provide some sort of counterweight? Is it a safety device so you can only spear yourself so far should you fall on the handle when it for some reason is in the upright position?Is this a solid casting, or is the ball spun and bolted or soldered on the handle?

Sooo many questions!

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[Paul R.]

Keith,
Maybe the ballweight is to keep the turnout in the same position even if a loco goes through on the other track,- returns the blade to its set position.I think I have explained myself.In Victorian Railways Days a lot of larger yards had this feature, helped in shunting( switching) Paul R.

[Chris Walker]

The Ball is indeed a weight, other roads used cylindrical (Diamond&Caldor) weights and others ( D&C also) used rectangular weights.  This weight just keeps the handle downwards in the desired position.  These are the most basic of levers known, look at the C&S Standard drawings, there is a loop on the end of the handle to be used for lifting such.


The Handles are usually(i.e. most cases) a forged rod with a squished nipple at the location of the weight, this forging is then inserted through the Ball mold which is cast around it in place.  The nipple locks the ball into place.  There are among the types some variation, the WSLCo (which had a cast handle) and C&S versions had the Crank arm position the lever, the D&RGW, D&C, Gilpin examples had a pin on the Handle arm to throw the connecting rod.

The type that Paul is referring to in Aussie, (same as the NZ and British) Weighted Points lever were able to be flipped upwards by the action of the Loco trailing through the Blades and return to the set position, since I use these WSLCo versions on my Tramway here I doubt that to be the case with the C&S although I have not seen one in use.  Certainly one would not want to trail a loco through a stub switch that wasn't set for the movement

NZR version, the cast weight is seperate and secured by a lockbolt


My versions

[Jim Courtney]

At the Denver NNGC, I approached Jimmy and Keren about purchasing separate parts from the PBL code 55 Sn3 stub switch, specifically the bridle bars, throw rod and head tie with chairs.

They said PBL doesn't maintain an inventory of spare parts, only the complete ready to run switches. They referred me to MicroEngineering, who manufactures the stub switches for PBL.

After several emails to Ron Rands at MicroEngineering, he is willing to sell us the "point" assembly and head tie from the PBL Sn3 stub turnout as separate items:





Each set includes four fixed ties, short sections of code 55 rail, 2 bridle bars and a throw bar as one assembly; also included is one head tie with cast in chairs (as in the above photo). Bridle bars and throw bars are not available individually.

MicroEngineering will sell us sets of the above parts for $8.95 per set, plus $6.40 total shipping in a small Priority Mail box.

After my order earlier this week, MicroEngineering had 20 sets remaining in their current inventory.

To order, email Ron Rands, http://[e-mail].  

I told him that others from this board might be contacting him for the same items. If interested, tell him how many sets your want, ask for an invoice to be left with the receptionist, then call ME at 636-349-1719 and give them a credit card number (at least that's what I did with my order).

Ron says that once the current inventory of the Sn3 stub parts are gone, we'll have to wait for PBL to reorder a new bulk order of complete stub switches to be made, to have extra parts.  

If any of you contact MicroEngineering and find that theses parts are all sold out, I would suggest that you ask if you can leave a back order.

I suggested to Ron that these parts may well be popular among Sn3 modelers and that MicroEngineering should consider marketing them as a separate item of Sn3 stub switch parts. Ron says it will take a minimum order of 100 sets of just the stub parts to justify a production run on their end.

I've used these parts on a hybrid FastTracks stub turnout, and they work well:





Hope this info helps . . .

[Jim Courtney]

For all you C&S modelers in HOn3, George Sebastian-Coleman is offering Shapeways printed stub switch throw bars for two rail sizes:

Code 55 rail: https://www.shapeways.com/product/D3UL2UPJY/hon3-code-55-stub-switch-bridle?optionId=66393355&li=marketplace





Code 40 rail: https://www.shapeways.com/product/MEAQVKA6M/hon30-code-40-stub-switch-bridle?optionId=66393303


Looks to me that the end of the throw bar could be trimmed back to the rail chair to make the bridle bars that fit between the ties as well.

[John Greenly]

This looks nice for HOn3 code 55, unfortunately the code 40 version is listed as being for HOn30.  

Wish he would make ones for HOn3.

John

[Jim Courtney]

Ooops, my bad!