Under table switch machines/alternatives


C

chimmike

UP and BNSF freelancer
So, Here's my problem. I'm having a hard time visualizing how I can make an undertable switch machine work on my layout. Here's why:

I have 1/2" MDF underneath 1 3/4" foam. The outside edges and some other locations also have flat 2x4's under the MDF as part of the table support.

How in the heck could I attach remote switch machines? Run piano wire through sleeves to specific locations throughout the table? What kind of material for the sleeve? How about the piano wire, how does it connect to the atlas n custom line switches? simple hook? Superglue?

This is all in pre-planning. I'm about to make some more switch purchases in order to get track laying underway, so I want to have an idea in mind as to how I can do this.

-The super-newbie
 
You don't really need a sleeve, just hole big enough to accommodate the travel of the switch machine wire. You would run wire up through the layout to the throwbar location of each switch. As Chip wrote, the easiest thing to do is drill a small hole in the throwbar and run the wire up thought the hole. As long as the is stiff enough and fits snugly in the hole, it should be able to move the points of the switch. BTW, any reason you really need all this grief? Groundthrows are a lot easier to do and way less money.
 
I was considering ground throws but there are some areas of the layout that I'd like to be able to flick a dpdt to switch it. Definitely the caboose ground throws are cheap, and that's what I'd like to go with. But at this point, I was figuring, if I want to do it, do it right the whole way through. But that'd be pretty expensive! haha.

There are also some areas that I'm not sure I could fit a ground throw. Anyways, we'll see.
 
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