After painting my ground throws last week I decided that I needed a visual indicator for my interlocking on the far side of the layout. Since I had unused switch contacts on the Atlas under-the-table switch machines that controlled the interlocking, I decided to try my hand a signal. I took an unlit signal and drilled out the top light. The top part of the signal actually broke off during this, but that was ok since the LED was just about the same width as the signal and had a nice rounded top. I just painted the top of the LED black to help it blend in.

I also did some work on cutting out and painting the floor for the maintenance building. I still haven't gotten the left hand switch to replace the one that didn't make being taken up off my old layout. Right now I have a temporary one with the ugly switch machine on the side until I acquire a replacement. After I get the track work finalized I will glue it down the floor. around it.

Small Projects and a New Engine

One of the little projects on my layout I recently did was adding in a tunnel portal to my hillside tunnel. I fabricated it out of cereal boxes and painted it two different shades of gray.

I also went about painting the handles on my ground throws. They had previously been all yellow. I repainted the side that faces up when the turnout is positioned for the diverging route red. This should make it easier for me to tell which way a turnout is aligned.

I also got a new acquisition in the mail this weekend. An Atlas GP-38 painted for CSX.

Installing Atlas under the table switch machines

I just spent a few hours of my morning re-installing one of the two Atlas under the table switch machines on my layout. It went smoother then the first installation, but it still was a major pain.

The switch machine has just enough throw to move the points from one side to the other. If you have it at a slight angle to the track centerline or off center, it doesn't quite move the points all the way over to the stock rail. It was working for a while, but recently my engines have been picking the points on a consistent basis.

After 3 installations of these finicky machines here are my suggestion for installation:

1. Draw the track centerline on the bottom of the table. This way you can check if the switch machine is parallel with the track once you have an approximate position. My first installation was a bit crooked and this reduces the range of the throw.

2. Use tape. I put a piece of packing tape over the motor portion of the switch machine with the ends hanging off. Once I had found what I though was a good position for the switch machine I could press the tape onto the bottom of my layout. This held it in place while I crawled under to check the alignment and screw it in.

3. Look in the hole. I found it easiest if I could look down the hole and see the position of the switch arm relative to the sides. You may have to put a light sheet of paper or light the area beneath the layout if there isn't enough contrast to see where the arm is positioned. In my case I found that the arm was hitting the side of the hole near the end of the throw and that is why it wasn't moving the points far enough.

4. Work from the thrown positions, not centered as the instructions suggest. IIt is easier to push the switch to one of the thrown position when it is under the table then to center the arm. Throw it one way and see how much space is between the wire rod and the centerline. Throw it the other way and make sure the rod ends up the same distance away from the centerline on the opposite side.