Re engineering Lionel 5121 & 5122 switches

I would try replacing the switches with the Marx ones, they have low profile motors, by anyone's standards.

yeah, I have a couple of Marx O-36 switches, and my switcher does not like to go through them--it derails every time.  I haven't tried adding guide rails, though.  I've read that helps.  But O36 presents its own problem.

Even the 027 switches where pretty low profile.

How do those work with DCS?

You can remove the cover & direction indicator leaving the coils open, or fashion smaller covers to your liking.

Are you saying you want use the surface area circled in red for other layout items, buildings, scenery, whatever.  In other words everything above "ground-level" is placed below ground?

ADCX Rob posted:

You can remove the cover & direction indicator leaving the coils open, or fashion smaller covers to your liking.

I've done that already and still I have cars that hit the coils.

stan2004 posted:

Are you saying you want use the surface area circled in red for other layout items, buildings, scenery, whatever.  In other words everything above "ground-level" is placed below ground?

Just about, yes.  I don't think it's possible to move the "throw bar", but the more I studied the switch yesterday,  I'm convinced I can move the solenoids to the underside, thereby turning the metal bar that connects to the plastic pieces upside down and inserting it into the ring from the bottom.  It will only require creating a slot for the bar to slide back and forth.