Clearwater Valley Railway Co.

[PRR Modeler]

Ron I looked at those when I was building my layout and was worried about their durability and hooking the plastic rod to the fascia, being not very mechanically inclined.

[elwoodblues]

Ron, great news on the layout clean up and maintenance.
I hope there will be updates on new layout progress soon.

Thanks Rick,

There will be layout updates soon, I have incentives.    I'm part of a model railroad tour in mid-October, I have a deadline.

[elwoodblues]

Repairs are sometime mind soothing! Carry on!  

Philip

Thanks Philip.

And sometimes repairs can be a real pain.    Fortunately the repairs were not the pain kind. 

[elwoodblues]

Ron, how did that switch machine fail?  A piece of plastic broke?  General disintegration of the plastic? 

dave

Dave,

The Bullfrog Switch Machine is made from wood that you get to assemble.



The assembly holding the throw rod de-laminated.  I assembled a new one to replace it.  I did manage to glue the original one back together, so I have an assembled spare for future use.

"de-laminated" - that sounds like a materiel failure.  Tim should send you a replacement for free...  Seriously, you should let him know about that.

dave

Dave,

De-laminated was probably the "wrong" word.  The pieces separated.  It was one of the first ones I assembled and after review I'm classifying it as "builder Error" as I "might" missed a glue joint. 

[deemery]

Ron, how did that switch machine fail?  A piece of plastic broke?  General disintegration of the plastic? 

dave

Dave,

The Bullfrog Switch Machine is made from wood that you get to assemble.



The assembly holding the throw rod de-laminated.  I assembled a new one to replace it.  I did manage to glue the original one back together, so I have an assembled spare for future use.

"de-laminated" - that sounds like a materiel failure.  Tim should send you a replacement for free...  Seriously, you should let him know about that.

dave

Dave,

De-laminated was probably the "wrong" word.  The pieces separated.  It was one of the first ones I assembled and after review I'm classifying it as "builder Error" as I "might" missed a glue joint.

Ah, that makes me feel much better.  "disassembled" rather than "delaminated" 

dave

[elwoodblues]

Ron I looked at those when I was building my layout and was worried about their durability and hooking the plastic rod to the fascia, being not very mechanically inclined.

Curt,

I bought them when Fast Tracks first came out with them and I bought enough to do all the turnouts on my layout.  That was before I got into servos and planetary stepper motors.  I used the plastic rod method for the turnouts that were not parallel to the fascia and used  0.093 rod (with a 4-40 threaded ends) for the turnouts that are parallel to the fascia

I have been happy with their operation.

[Philip]

I think the first marketed switches were plastic?

[ACL1504]

Ron,

Congrats on the clean up and maintenance. I'm not sure which one is better, the constant maintenance or as you said the deferred maintenance method. I've done them both but get more satisfaction our of the deferred method. 

Tom

[elwoodblues]

I think the first marketed switches were plastic?

Philip, it you are talking about the switch machine from fast Tracks, I believe that they were always wood construction.

[elwoodblues]

Ron,

Congrats on the clean up and maintenance. I'm not sure which one is better, the constant maintenance or as you said the deferred maintenance method. I've done them both but get more satisfaction our of the deferred method.

Tom

Thanks Tom,

The deferred method does let you fix the problems all at once rather than when they arise.  Not working on the railroad for 13 years is almost criminal. 

[Jerry]

Ron,

Congrats on the clean up and maintenance. I'm not sure which one is better, the constant maintenance or as you said the deferred maintenance method. I've done them both but get more satisfaction our of the deferred method.

Tom

Thanks Tom,

The deferred method does let you fix the problems all at once rather than when they arise.  Not working on the railroad for 13 years is almost criminal. 

13 years!!!!  Your lucky they didn't put you in jail!!! 

Jerry