Can someone tell me who make this switch machine and where I can get a couple dozen? I took the picture at the Milwaukee Trainfest on someone's Modutrak module. I believe I also saw them on Lashedup's modules. By the way, I love the work you guys have done on your Modutrak modules. You've really inspired me to keep working on my layout and making more of that beautiful static grass.
I can't see what I'm supposed to be looking at... What's the metallic thing next to the track in front? Is that part of it? Otherwise, I just see a piece of piano wire on the rear side coming up through the deck. It could be an ancient Peco motor, which will make quite a bang when it moves, or a bluepoint which is manually operated, or a tortoise, which is slow and quiet and electric. The bluepoint and the tortoise are widely available, check any of the Trainboard advertisers.
Hi John, The only place I have found the CTC power switch machines are in "Railway Express Miniatures Mainline Detail Set". Part Number REM-2151. There are 2 machines in there plus a bunch of other trackside details. Very neat set. Your photo looks just like the part out of that set. Hope this helps!
Some scraps of styrene will do for making these. Machines are fairly basic in their case design and it's just a matter of how close to a particular model you want to create.
Thats a GRS 5F or 5H switch machine. theyre a fast throw machine and predate the later M23 switch machines by US&S. youll see these in transition era photos and even up to today because we still run the refurbished machines. Id like to find some for my layout also. might have to make some and have them cast!!
Great thread- this Railway Express Miniatures detail set is exactly what I need to finish off a CTC control point I am working on. Jamie
Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty sure those powered CTC machines (to differentiate them from under the table switch machines like a tortoise) are not made by Railway Express Miniatures. Even if they are, I'm not interested in buying a set of stuff I don't need just to get two switch machines. Drasko, thanks for the detail. So is a US&S M23 correct for BN in the midwest in the mid 90's? That's what I'm looking for though I'm not quite a rivet counter. I've thought of building my own and casting them as well but haven't got to it yet.
An M23 would be correct but it all depends on the territory and traffic/passenger traffic. On the Santa fe, we use M23s alot but up around argentine and the Kansas city terminal, GRS machines are used for their fast throws while the slower throwing was used out on the mains. Now i have noticed one thing at least around here in kansas. it seems that the GRS machines are used in heavy control points if Amtrak is running on that territory. I now work every other week in everett, wa and they use all GRS possibly due to the heavy passenger traffic. When i was working in wyoming in the powder river, all the new equipment we put in was M23. Theres no exact signal standard but for HEAVY traffic, it seems we like the quick throw machines so we can keep congestion down as much as possible. John, if youre just modeling a territory with little to no amtrak traffic and its not EXTREMELY heavy traffic like a terminal, id stick with M23s. If you can find pictures of switches that are on that territory now, that will tell you what was on it in the last 50 years damned near as we dont change things around that much in regards to what switch machines are where. If it was originally installed with a GRS, most likely it will keep getting a GRS as its easier for us to put a refurbished GRS back in instead of rewiring and putting all new lock, throw, and indication rods on. As you can tell, im in the Sigal dept for BNSF. If any of you have questions in regards to signaling, lemme know. Adam Draskovich Signal Engineering BNSF Railway
I believe the machine in question is a CTCw turnout motor made by Depots by John: Here's a link to the page on his site that lists the item (price: 2/$2.49).
Thanks Bryan. That's what I was looking for. Excellent info Adam. I do have some pictures of machines in the area between Galesburg and Burlington but can't seem to find them now. In any case, I've decided I need to count fewer rivets and get on with modeling. I'll go back after I have more track and scenery done and add the correct number of rivets.
