BUILDING A STUB SWITCH AUGUST 28, 2010

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The turntable in the shed was not working as planned.  It could only handle one car or locomotive at a time and caused a number of minor derailments when it wasn't aligned perfectly.  When the pivot screw broke, I decided it was time to replace it with  a track made of regular rail.  But within a couple days, I figured why not two tracks, and make a stub switch starting outside the shed, in order to maximize space inside the shed.

VIEW FROM OUTSIDE - The rails mounted on 2x4's move left and right, bending at the foreground to line up with the diverging rails of the switch

VIEW FROM INSIDE - you can see the curved rails as they converge at the door.

NUMBER FOUR FROG - It's an aluminum casting I got from Peter Nuskey, my rail supplier. In this case there was no need to bolt the rails to the casting.

LEVER ASSEMBLY - Instead of a Harp Switch Stand, used on the prototype for stub switches, I built this simple wood lever mounted on a piece of aluminum angle.

LINED UP FOR THE LEFT TRACK - The 2x4's pivot on a 2x2 which is bolted to the metal connecting bar. It fits nicely under the door without interfering with it.

LINED UP FOR THE RIGHT TRACK - The 2x4's slide on the light colored piece of wood.  The wood-on-wood friction is OK because it keeps the rails lined up.

A TIGHT SQUEEZE - I had to modify the door, but now it closes just fine, barely fitting over the rails and the lever.