Lionel Switches

  I don't know if parts swap, but adding a manual rod doesn't strike me as impossible. 

Manual switches being bad would be pretty rare imo.

I'd like to see the motor separated.  To be honest,  I don't even know for sure if they used a geared motor or linear motor (coil).

carsntrains posted:

I would like to know what changes were made from last years 0-36 manual Fastrack switches to this years.   And why doesn't Lionel make 0-60 and 0-72 manual switches??   

Does anybody have pictures of the inside of any remote FT switches?  Could a person take a no good remote switch and put the manual parts in it?

Jim 

I too would be very interested in purchasing Fastrack manual O-60 and O-72 switches for our modest layout. At about/over $100 for even a CC/RC O-36/O-31 switch is pricey.

Gentlemen,

    As far as I know Lionel is now only making FTCC Switches, no manual or regular type are being made any longer.  You will need to pick the earlier Lionel FT Switches used off the NET, or at the Train shows.   Last Train Show here in Monroeville, Pa they had very few and they were purchased very quickly.

Good luck these early FT Switches will be getting scarce.  Myself I sold all my early FT Switches to put FTCC 072 Switches in my new Train Room.   

PCRR/Dave

All my switches are now FTCC except my original Tin Plate 711's. Low Voltage FTCC Switches are some Great Lionel Engineering Technology, no doubt about it.

Dave I think the manual switches would work out better for switching yards and industry.  No doubt using the CC switch is awesome on a reversing loop with the anti-derail feature.  Ive been watching lots of switching videos on Youtube and most of them use manual switches.   The 036 is too sharp for my liking because I spent a lot of cash and space making my outside loop 072 and inside 060. 

Jim

The beauty of the Fastrack switches is that they are non derailing whether they are powered or not. Even a non functional O60 or O72 can be used manually by turning the lantern, so there is no real need to put the "break easy" flag on it.

Does Lionel make an O31 Fastrack switch, either auto or manual?

The new catalog page 187 shows all the current Fastrack Switch options.

John H posted:

The beauty of the Fastrack switches is that they are non derailing whether they are powered or not. Even a non functional O60 or O72 can be used manually by turning the lantern, so there is no real need to put the "break easy" flag on it.

"BREAK EASY FLAG"     You have a problem breaking the throws??   Ive had some for over a year and they are fine??

Jim

John,

   The original 711's were non-derailing clear back in the early 1900's and they still work very well even today, although they take a lot of power to operate. Most use them with their own power source and place LED's in both the Switch light and the Manual remote Controllers.  

IMO the new low voltage FTCC Switches operated by the Cab2 or Cab1L, are some of the finest Lionel Engineering ever developed.  They do it all from the Cab1L or Cab2 and you can use the manual controller along with the HHRC operations.  I place my manual controllers Track Side near the actual Switch, with the lighted number showing, so I can instantaneously see which number to reference on my Legacy Cab2.  If you have about 20 FTCC Switches or more, the instant number recognition helps while actually running the trains.

After I understood how quickly the Cab2 operated, I saw little use for the manual controller, lots of guys actually remove them from their layouts.  I like the lighted numbers showing however, even though the manual controller takes up space on the layout.

PCRR/Dave 

Jim, the score on the throws is: Grandpa 1, grandkids 1. I just hooked one with my sleeve one day. I have extra parts on hand now.