Buiding Your Own Switches

KevinEOGR Forum Member

Many years ago I recall reading a layout tour article published in Model Railroader (back in early 80's before CTT was out) that described a 3 Rail tinplate layout built using simple homemade switches. (before they published CTT, they would include the odd 3 rail layout during the Christmas season in Model Railroader)

I recall trying to figure out from the pictures how they were made, I remember them looking like they were cobbled up from a few pieces of tubular track with some form of swivel frog in the middle. I think they were just manually thrown.

At the cost of new switches today, I have often thought it would be nice to simply "kit bash" them using some left over track parts. Has anyone ever tried this? Would anyone have a design for such an item? Switches have always been an expensive item and I would not be surprised that even in the 1950's people were trying to build their own.

3/11/158:53 PM

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railOGR Forum Member

rlraub@sbcglobal.net

Richard Reichard makes switches, and maybe he can help you. His e mail is above.

Don

3/11/159:08 PM

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Arthur P. BloomOGR Forum Member

There's a man at York who sells kits of templates so that you can make your own switches from tubular track. Perhaps he is Mr. Reichard.

3/11/159:27 PM

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jim pastoriusOGR Forum Member

Interesting, I have thought the same thing but never tried it.

3/11/159:28 PM

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abbrailOGR Forum Member

Great topic, Kevin. I was just thinking about this a few days ago as I piece together my layout. It would be great to make a few manual switches of my own. I've always admired the work of guys who hand lay their track. I hope more information will be posted.

3/11/159:34 PM

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ADCX RobOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

You Can Build Your Own Switches ! ! by Richard (Dick) Reichard

3/11/159:39 PM

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JohnSOGR Forum Member

HO guys build switches all the time. unlike O gauge, there is not a big selection as far as radius or number in HO so they have to.

3/11/1510:14 PM

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samparfittOGR Forum Member

I also have HO and have built all my turnouts. All #10, even in the yards.

I could crank them out in 45 minutes. Rolled some ink across the frog area and transferred it to paper. Used a wheel grinder to shape the frog rails and points.

Spiked it over the template and soldered. Used a hacksaw blade to clear out the flange area in the frog with final tuneup using an NMRA gauge.

These were easy but doing 3 rail is a lot more difficult. Being an old SOB, I just go to flea markets and buy 3 rail turnouts. Although, RMT has the 72 radii ones for a C note.

Although that was very cheap, I got two 072 for 50 bucks at the last flea market but you can usually get them for around 50 bucks each. If you're going to motorize a hand made, by the time you buy the point movement, you might as well just buy used ones.

Sam

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3/12/158:01 AM

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handyandyOGR Forum Member

I would think tubular tinplate switches could be fairly simple to make, but then old Marx switches can be had for cheap so why bother other than the challenge or fun of trying it?

3/12/158:29 AM

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Hudson J1eOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER

Originally Posted by samparfitt:

I also have HO and have built all my turnouts. All #10, even in the yards.

I could crank them out in 45 minutes. Rolled some ink across the frog area and transferred it to paper. Used a wheel grinder to shape the frog rails and points.

Spiked it over the template and soldered. Used a hacksaw blade to clear out the flange area in the frog with final tuneup using an NMRA gauge.

These were easy but doing 3 rail is a lot more difficult. Being an old SOB, I just go to flea markets and buy 3 rail turnouts. Although, RMT has the 72 radii ones for a C note.

Sam

Wow! That's some really nice track work!

3/12/158:42 AM

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samparfittOGR Forum Member

Thanks, Phil,

1500' of track, individually spiked on wooden ties (back when I was younger).

Back in the 80's there wasn't any really good ready made track (plus I was cheap). Raising a family of 5 on one income and wanting a basement size layout, you needed to 'do what you had to do' to cut costs.

I used to paint brass engines to support my 'addiction'.

The good old days, I could buy an HO car with kadee couplers for a buck fifty at the flea markets. Of course, I used to think, 'pay 15 bucks for a brass caboose, are you crazy!'.

Sam