Realistic switch control - 2
2. Brass switch
stands like this
are mounted
on shelves and
operate the
switches on the
author’s layout.
2
track switches. And while my layout is S scale, this system will
bend the iron in any scale.
The story starts in the back yard…
A miniature switch stand
While browsing the Web, I found some wonderful G scale
switch stands. These stands, sold by Sunset Valley Railroad
are built from brass castings and
machined parts. They’re fully assembled, stand about 3½”
tall, and operate like a real switch stand. To throw the switch,
one lifts the lever, rotates the stand 90 degrees, and drops
the lever. Notches
at each end of the
lever’s travel lock
the switch points in
position.
The switch stands
– Sunset Valley
part “SW ST” – are
designed to mount
directly on the head
blocks (the two long
ties) of a G scale
3
3. Switches on the author’s layout are operated using
these brass switch stands mounted on shelves.
Engraved labels indicate which track switch each
stand controls.
turnout and are robust enough to take a direct hit from falling
acorns or high-speed critters.
I wondered if I could use these as switch controls for a tradi-
tional indoor model railway. I talked to my friend Chris Abbott,
and we decided a switch stand could be mounted on a small
shelf on a layout’s fascia. But we weren’t sure how to translate
the stand’s motion to a turnout mounted on the layout.
BullFrogs to the rescue
Then Fast Tracks provided the answer, with the BullFrog
manual switch machine. This nifty device is
easy to build, install, and is operated by plastic control rods
MRH-Aug 2014
