Locking up your layout - 7
the thin end of the shim. I simply shove them into the foam and
allow their wider heads to wrap around the tip of the shim. If
you have a more traditional sub-roadbed such as plywood, you
could try small hinges attached to the end of the shim.
With the shim securely hinged, I turned to the lock itself. Small
padlocks, while more prototypical in appearance and action,
wouldn’t work in this setup because they would have required
access underneath the layout. In addition, I preferred to main-
tain the clean look of my layout’s fascia and not have padlocks
hanging everywhere. Ideally, each of the locks would be set
into the fascia directly under the switch it controlled.
An online search for a solution turned up cam locks. Available
from a variety of manufacturers, they’re used primarily to lock
cabinet drawers. A
cam lock sits flush
with a surface and
features a rotating
arm that I could use
to push up against
the thick end of the
shim. Cam locks are
available in a variety
of cylinder and arm
lengths and can be
made “keyed alike”.
When I turn the cam
to the up position, it
presses the shim tightly
against the roadbed
and pushes the wire
into the throwbar, lock-
ing the turnout. When
the cam is turned to
the down position,
the weight of the shim
pulls the wire down, unlocking the turnout. The thickness of the
cam prevents the shim from falling to the floor.
Alternate Locks
If you’re uncomfortable with a purely mechanical method,
there are alternatives available. Electric supply retailers sell
single-pole single-throw (SPST) switches that use a similar
cam lock mechanism. The electrical switch features a lock
and key that turns 90 degrees. When turned on, it allows
electricity to pass through the lock, similar to a light switch.
When turned off, no electricity can pass. You could use these
electrical switch locks to turn off track power to a spur,
12
12: The excess wire is trimmed with the top of the
throwbar using flush-cut pliers.
13
13: A contractor’s wood shim
provides the right amount of
leverage to pull the wire down
through the throwbar and sub-
roadbed while being lightweight
and simple to install.
MRH-Dec 2013
