Hirth Century Switches

http://tcaetrain.org/articles/...stmichaels/index.htm

I personally have no experience with Hirth switches but you might contact Mike Stella via the TCA.  He should know as he raves about the Hirth switches in the article above.  In fact, he's replacing all the Lionel switches on his layout with Hirth switches.  

Bob Nelson

Click for larger image.

Before I started using Ross I used a lot of these.  The problems are these:

1.  The center moving rails must make good contact with the raised center contact "bud"

2.  The switch motors are dual electro-magnets, the rods within must move freely or if they lock up they will burn out the  coils. 

3.   The side wire connectors are very fragile take care tightening down wires. 

4.  under the cardboard bottom the wires to the rails may be mis-wired.

5.  oh and the cardboard is very poorly attached dont touch it if you dont need to.

Have you considered the 0-72 switches made by Merkur?

I had these years ago on a carpet central, worked good with my post war lionel Geeps and F3's

 I think the inside swing rail changes polarity as it moves. So very little gap.

But could find no info. Old stuff?

 I think someone posted an article a few years back, and they had ground the offending guides out, and redid it with epoxy, and/or putty, and/or styrene (JBweld?)

I don't think it was a free of work type choice.

I have and had some Hirth switches. I bought a bunch from a forum member. His opinion, of which I agree with, was they are good for sidings.

I concur with what AlanHN said.

I would like to add, in my opinion, you do not want these on anything that can catch fire. So a concrete floor is OK. I had one burn up on me when something "got stuck" and the coil stayed on.

I had so many of them, so many were in bad shape, I just did a "wheat from the chafe" moment and pitched the bad ones.

I assume from the OP's comments that Ross Tinplate will not work.

Oh oh oh - I need to point out these are not O-72 switches! They are like numbered switches, they depart at a straight route.

Good morning,

Based on all of your posts--especially the one about being a fire hazard--I think I'll stay away from Hirth switches.

I really like the Merkur switches, although I'm still looking for a #4 switch. According to Steve at RCS, the Ross tinplate switches won't work. I'm still not clear as to why they won't work--I assume it has something to do with the guard rails and the design of the frog, but not sure. Thanks again for all the input.

John

John,  if you need a #4 you might want to try one of the early Gargraves switches with the closed point type frogs (sometimes called flying wing).  Those came out in the 40s and I'm thinking that running prewar engines might have been allowed for.  You could use almost any switch machine you preferred, or use choke cables.

wrong quote????

Have you used anything Merkur John? Any businesses you've dealt with to get something?

There are options for O-72 (Merkur and RMT). Both of the owners there have been great to deal with.  I like RMT for the low-profile switch machine. What I'm really in the hunt for is a viable option for a #4 switch. Steve @ RCS has been great to deal with as well, and I appreciate his honesty when he says his tinplate switches won't work with the old tinplate trains. I'm definitely going to buy his SG switches. I've always been a tinkerer--when I was a little kid I used to take apart my Lionel C&O steamer to see if I could re-assemble it--so I may end up buying a RCS tinplate switch and see if I can modify it. What's the worst that could happen? I'll be out a few $$ and some time.  

I haven't bought any as my current layout under construction won't use tubular track.  The Merkur ones that I've seen have been very nicely made.  RobG on the Forum is a Merkur dealer from the Nederlands who will ship to the US and is very nice to deal with, he will answer any questions and will bend over backwards for you.  Do a search for him, he had a recent thread on the tinplate forum about his switches, with pictures.  His prices including shipping are comparable to Lionel Chinese 0-72 switches and are better quality plus will accept prewar flanges.  He has 0-48, 0-63, and 0-72 switches, and 3 different cross-overs.  BTW, Merkur also makes tinplate O trains.

Are you just looking for tubular switches then?  Those older Gargraves switches show up on ebay fairly often and are not expensive, but if you are looking for the prewar look those would not have it.  If the Ross switch doesn't work out, another possibility is use a Merkur 0-72 switch and cut off the curved part where it clears the straight & the frog and replace it with a straight section.  That would allow closer yard tracks.

Thanks John. I'm definitely going to give the Merkur switches a shot. I'm going to a small meet here in ME on Saturday and will keep an eye out for the older Gargraves switches, and we're going to York as well. The look of the switch isn't nearly as important as its functionality, so if I can find the Gargraves, I'll go with those as well.

I guess you could say I'm officially "in the hunt."

Thanks again.

Thanks John,

The motor/frames are what interests me. 

The old GG switches usually come in green boxes - if they're boxed.  I'd avoid well worn switches, as the contacts under the swivel rail can get worn out.  Also avoid the later switches from the 70s-00 period (white box with black stripe, and they have a black metal swivel plate - they just don't work well).