Ken Ford Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm currently building a sceniced test track for my Kyoto Randen tram stock. I want to finish something self contained that I can use for breaking in equipment, testing scenery ideas and just for getting into the swing of things. To this end I have a Kato CV1 and CV2 to which I'm considering adding some straight track to make a longer oval. I know the Kato tram turnouts are designed to be usable as spring switches, but the instructions for the compact turnouts in the CV2 set say not to use them this way to prevent shorts. KenS mentions on his website that he was successful in using them as spring switches - has anyone else tried? I'd hate to get them mounted permanently and then start having trouble later on... I would probably be wise to drop control wires at the time of installation just in case I need to power them later. Link to comment
Nick_Burman Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm currently building a sceniced test track for my Kyoto Randen tram stock. I want to finish something self contained that I can use for breaking in equipment, testing scenery ideas and just for getting into the swing of things. To this end I have a Kato CV1 and CV2 to which I'm considering adding some straight track to make a longer oval. I know the Kato tram turnouts are designed to be usable as spring switches, but the instructions for the compact turnouts in the CV2 set say not to use them this way to prevent shorts. KenS mentions on his website that he was successful in using them as spring switches - has anyone else tried? I'd hate to get them mounted permanently and then start having trouble later on... I would probably be wise to drop control wires at the time of installation just in case I need to power them later. You can use the Kato #4 switches as spring switches, provided you switch the frog power off. Otherwise they will short. Cheers NB Link to comment
katoftw Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Being a noob - what is a spring switch? 1 Link to comment
brill27mcb Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Being a noob - what is a spring switch? A spring switch has point pieces that are not rigidly fixed against the stock rail. They are literally sprung, so that a train coming from one of the two diverging tracks onto the single track can pass through against a "closed" point. Its flanges will simply push the point piece out of the way. With a model turnout, you can test it by using your fingernail or a small screwdriver (hey ... or even a model railcar with flanges!) and running it through the flangeway to see if the point piece easily moves out of the way or not. Spring switches were commonly used on trolley lines. For example, at a passing loop or siding, where trains always go to the left (or right), they could exit at the other end just by pushing the moving points aside, and no one would have to throw the turnout. Rich K. Rich K. 1 Link to comment
kvp Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 A spring switch can be crossed from any direction, even if the switch is set to the other track. This is mostly used for trams, where two lines join or for two track stations on single track lines. In the first use, you don't have to throw the switch at all, because trams can cross it regardless of its settings and in the second case, it is used to direct onedirection into one station track and the other to the other station track, allowing two trains to meet and avoid each other without actively setting any switches. Tomix switches can be used as spring switches and they still have frog power, while kato switches have single polarized frogs, which have to be turned into an unpowered frog to work. The latter is problematic, since most smaller engines and trams tend to stall on unpowered frogs. Link to comment
katoftw Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Thanks for the info. Sorry to "switch" the thread a little off topic for a moment. Link to comment
brill27mcb Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) No, we are exactly on the topic. We still need someone who actually has a Kato compact turnout to try it out and inform all of us... No one here has one they can test and report back? Rich K. Edited August 12, 2014 by brill27mcb Link to comment
Ken Ford Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Mine just arrived, so I'll do the tests and report back. Link to comment
Ken Ford Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 They seem to work just fine as spring switches with the power routing set as they came out of the packaging. No shorts at all. Link to comment
katoftw Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 They seem to work just fine as spring switches with the power routing set as they came out of the packaging. No shorts at all. Did the train/trams slow down a bit. Yesterday I tried it with a #4 turnout. And it worked in the straight direction, but not from the turn direction. But there was some slowing while crossing. Kato powerpack was at 50%. Link to comment
Ken Ford Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Not that I noticed. Link to comment
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