Subject:
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Re: Micromotor Point Switcher (!)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Sat, 8 Jun 2002 00:15:39 GMT
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Viewed:
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634 times
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I've played with Rick's solution first hand and I think it is one of the
most elegant solutions out there. Ricks' writeup doesn't give himself
enough credit for his ingenious design. I especially like how the spear
piece is fitted in the slot in the track. Pure LEGO. Very small footprint
and uses readily available pieces. I rate it 'Full Throttle' for a top
notch LEGO creation and superb engineering.
Anyone looking for a LEGO motorized switch should seriously consider this
option.
Ben Fleskes
PNLTC
In lugnet.trains, Rick Clark writes:
> I've been looking for a new way to do remote point switching. I wanted a
> system that met the following criteria:
>
> 1. Uses an unmodified point.
> 2. Smaller and more unobtrusive than existing designs.
> 3. Simple and reliable.
> 4. Won't tear itself apart if left on for short periods
> (especially important for computer-controlled applications).
> 5. Indicates switch position from a distance.
> 6. 100% LEGO with no rare pieces.
> 7. Can be removed and re-installed fairly easily.
>
> I believe I've got it. My new design meets all these requirements in a
> 5x5x5 space. Taking a cue from traditional model railroading, I
> completely circumvented the point's main mechanism, and directly
> activated the spring-loaded piece on the track itself. While this method
> has two drawbacks (discussed below), I believe they are minor enough for
> most applications.
>
> The switcher works by using a micromotor [1] to push an activator rod
> (actually a LEGO spear) through the small hole at the end of the switch.
> The switch starts in the "mainline" or straight position. When the motor
> is turned on, it physically pushes the track into the switched position.
> Reversing the procedure allows the spring-loaded piece to reset itself.
>
> Please see the following Brickshelf folder for construction details:
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=18637
>
>
> This method has two minor drawbacks.
>
> First, when the point is in the switched, or "non-mainline" position,
> trains must not enter the point from the other side of the mainline.
> This is prototypical for real railroads, as well as model railroads, but
> LEGO train people are used to allowing trains to pass a switch that is
> turned the wrong way. If you do that using this switcher, your trains
> will derail. The switch must be set correctly for all mainline traffic.
>
> Second, and more importantly, since the point's main switching mechanism
> is bypassed, the electrical switching is bypassed as well. As a result,
> the siding will be electrically dead, even when the point is set to it.
> This can be remedied by making the point fully powered. This means you
> can't park unused engines on the sidings (without much more complicated
> wiring), but other than that, it does not affect the trains.
>
> To power the siding, simply use an electrical jumper to connect the
> unpowered track of the siding to the corresponding powered track of the
> mainline. This can be done (expensively) with two LEGO track power
> connectors, but I decided to go non-LEGO for this part of the project.
> Doing so meant a cost of less than a dollar, versus $12 for the two LEGO
> connectors. See the following photo for clarification on where to
> connect the wires:
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=185589
>
> And see my earlier thread for more options and construction details for
> cheap power jumpers:
> http://news.lugnet.com/trains/?n=16617
>
> Well, there you have it. I have no doubt that my design can be improved
> upon. Please feel free. But also try it, and see what you think. Thanks!
>
> Rick Clark
> PNLTC
>
> [1] Micromotors are currently available for $9.95 from Pitsco/Dacta at
> 800-362-4308, or online at:
> http://www.pldstore.com/pitsco2_30/finditem.cfm?itemid=11
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Micromotor Point Switcher (!)
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| I've been looking for a new way to do remote point switching. I wanted a system that met the following criteria: 1. Uses an unmodified point. 2. Smaller and more unobtrusive than existing designs. 3. Simple and reliable. 4. Won't tear itself apart (...) (22 years ago, 7-Jun-02, to lugnet.trains) !!
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