Page 26 - NMRA Roundhouse January-February 2020

HO Switch Stands
Neil Rogers
Original switch stand design by Laurie McLean MMR from the YouTube video at https://youtu.be/g7HoBY-g0dY
MODELLING ARTICLE
A while ago I came across a scrap strips of brass sheet, brass shim
video on YouTube on how to build a switch stand in On30 and I didn’t think it
looked too difficult, so I gave it a try in HO and of course I failed the first cou- ple of attempts, mainly because of the scale difference.
The original design used code 55 track and brass tube, but I could not bend the code 100 track I had squarely without
it buckling, and the fine soldering was proving a real challenge.The parts were very small, so I had to rethink the design.
Referring to the book “Trackwork and Lineside Detail for Your Model Railroad” by Kalmbach Books, on page 70 there is a drawing of a switch stand. I think it was
designed for the larger scales with very small parts, but it gave sizes of parts in various scales including HO, so I decided to try and use the dimensions to simplify the design.
This is what I came up with in scale HO, simple to build, with a switch handle, all working, with some soldering and CA glue. All you need to build it is some
for the target and wire for the rods, staff and handle.YouTube video shows the op- eration of my switch stand https://youtu. be/pNfgn77dGU0 - I have subsequently made a small visual improvement with
a small disc of brass mounted on top of the main stand with a hole in the middle to slide over the shaft, a total of 7 parts, see photo on right.
Tools needed for construction
Tin snips, paper hole punch, jewellers files, small pointed nose pliers, small vice, soldering iron flux and solder, template to form the switch stand made from mild steel, variable size hole punch for the disc on the top of the stand, and
a lot of patience. Don’t rush, check everything, especially while fitting the stand to the switch.
Materials
I used 0.9mm brass sheet for the base and body of the switch stand. Brass #258 shim for the target and disc mounted horizontally on top of the stand.
Rod 0.9mm dia. for the staff that the target is attached to and the rod to the throw bar on the points.
Assembling the parts
The parts, ready to assemble, shown below and dimensions shown at top
of next page. Note the tightness of the loops on the rods, it is crucial to get this right so requires a bit of trial and error.
How it goes together
1. Start by tinning the base which spans the two extended sleepers on the Peco code 83 points.
2. Form the stand frame and tin both feet ends.
3. Heat up the solder on the base and, using small pliers, place the frame on the base. Remove the iron and let the solder cool before removing the pliers, it should then be fixed in place.
4. In the flat on the top of the stand, drill a hole in the centre of the top and down through the base to fit the staff. It’s a good idea to use a small vice to hold the part while you are doing this.
5. Cut the disc with a hole in the centre to fit horizontally on top of the stand through which the main staff goes.
ROUNDHOUSE - January/February 2020
26