Ross manual superline switch

No. 

I make them spring return using K&S wire.  Simple n' quick.  I am right now in the midst of installing a loop to loop with a 14' passing siding with four Ross entry level manual switches.  This is an aprox. 70+/- foot run to handle four trains automatically.

The spring wire runs 7 ties back from a Z bent slip in connection at the tie bar to be spiked in along side the stock rail web.  In lower 1/4 of photo above.

Tom, thanks for the reply. Will the spring hold the new position after a train passes or does it return to its starting position?

Steve

Steve,  the points will always be favoring the "sprung to" position.  The spring has a one side orientation.   The points will want to return to their home side after each flanged axel passes.

Do not back up a train that is only part way thru the turnout.  Instant calamity!

Play with the spring wire until you find the sweet spot.  You want enough spring to return the points but not enough  spring to fight/derail  the wheels when they are forcing open the points when they are running against the closed points.

Tom, thanks for the detailed explanation, I finally understand. What size wire is that? About .030 maybe?

Steve

You could also add a DZ 1000 to each switch and wire them for nonderailing. That’s what I did on one of my loops.

See and Owe RR or  another perspective...... "When I see something  that I like that is $100 +/-   less than four Z1000 switch machines I will owe no one" *

Steve.  I have tries several wires. Softer wires need to be spiked closer to the throw bar, stiffer wires can be spiked further away from the throw bar.

The music wires I wound up using are 1.19 mm, the full UBC tag number is  6    14121 10501    7. 

I forget the price, it may have been something like $2.90 for five 36" lengths.  Available at Nick Smith's in Broomall PA, down stairs in the toy department hidden back in a wrap around corner to the right from the train entrance in the K&S racks.

I also use this wire for  connecting the frog polarity slide switch my lower two rail pike:

Exploded view of on right, installed on left with painted wire; hole drilled in slide switch, bend and run under the stock rail, bent up and over the headless tie and down into the drilled out throwbar.

*any time you save money avoiding any unnecessary purchase expense do not consider that money actually "saved" unless you actually put it away in a savings vehicle. 

Often "saved" money is just spent on additional stuff.  Stuff that you may have a hard time giving an account for at the end the year.

Tom Tee posted:

See and Owe RR or  another perspective...... "When I see something  that I like that is $100 +/-   less than four Z1000 switch machines I will owe no one" *

Steve.  I have tries several wires. Softer wires need to be spiked closer to the throw bar, stiffer wires can be spiked further away from the throw bar.

The music wires I wound up using are 1.19 mm, the full UBC tag number is  6    14121 10501    7. 

I forget the price, it may have been something like $2.90 for five 36" lengths.  Available at Nick Smith's in Broomall PA, down stairs in the toy department hidden back in a wrap around corner to the right from the train entrance in the K&S racks.

I also use this wire for  connecting the frog polarity slide switch my lower two rail pike:

Exploded view of on right, installed on left with painted wire; hole drilled in slide switch, bend and run under the stock rail, bent up and over the headless tie and down into the drilled out throwbar.

 

*any time you save money avoiding any unnecessary purchase expense do not consider that money actually "saved" unless you actually put it away in a savings vehicle. 

Often "saved" money is just spent on additional stuff.  Stuff that you may have a hard time giving an account for at the end the year.

 

Ton Tee, Just another idea. Also you only need 2 DZ 1000's to do what he wants and the direction of the train will alternate each pass.  I do like your idea though.

Doug, thanks for the thought but I have four Ross turnouts.  One at each loop and a pair of 11 degree wyes to make the passing siding.  Please do not get me wrong.  I have a great deal of respect for the dz-1000 switch machines.  I have a little more respect for a $100 bill.  

The main reason for the spring method is that this line will be self sufficient.  I want these trains to run with out any intervention on my end.  Dallee electronics will sequence the movement.   This will be equivalent to a fish tank.  Effectively white noise running in a wrap around vista to add railroad ambience to the main operation of my 2 rail branch line RRs below which are rather demanding.  Think mid 20th century department store display operation.  Kind of funky but it's my funky.

I have three rail track. I use raw switches in these reversing Loop situations as described above. I describe my setup for the raw switch As free-flowing. I have no switch machine or throw on the points anytime. The train simply goes through the turnout whichever way the The train simply goes through the turnout whichever way the the points happened to be facing and when it returns it shoves the points out of the way. As easy as easy can be and it is work this way for years