# AMS track switches



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I bought two of these over last weekend, and as I was playing with them yesterday, it occured to me: Is it possible to move the switchstand to the opposite side? I wanted to add a left switch to the diverging side of a right switch, but that put the switchstand right in the middle of the track! I gave them a cursory examination, and it looks like pretty major surgery to move them over to the other side. This kind of makes my track plan a bit harder to accomplish, without straight fillers and putting the switchstand between the tracks, a rather unprototypical solution, safety wise. Might be a tad dangerous for my Switchman as well...

Robert


----------



## parkdesigner (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi Robert, 

I have the exact same problem you do... I'd like a left switch coming off from a right one. I picked up a pair in December, and at the time made the assumption AMS would have planned for this. I guess not! If you come up wiht a plan please share it here - I've spent many hours studying the switches and, as you say, major surgery seems to be required.


----------



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

The only thing that is possible is to cut off the entire assembly, and turn it around and reassemble it. The points are rivited to the throwbar, so they would have to be replaced, and to be correct, we would have to have both a left and right switch and swap the assemblies between them. The handle of the throwbar should always point towards the frog to be prototypically correct... 

Robert


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey guys,

This is ONE of the reasons I bought Sunset Valley Railroad switches (mine are NG #6's). These are custom-made switches to YOUR order. When ordering, you can designate which side you want to mount the switchstand









BTW, SSV switches are about the same price when you include the cost of the Sunset Valley switch-stand ($114 for the switch and $23.50 for the stand-all bronze casrings). Your one problem might be that the SSV switches are aluminum, stainless steel or nickel silver- NOT BRASS. ALL code 250 though. I bought stainless steel for my layout.


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree with Gary. I buy all my track and switches from Llagas Creek. American made, switches made to order here in America, and about the same price. 

Larry


----------



## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

I sell both Sunset Vally and Llagas Creek. Gary, Sunset Valley does make brass switches, it's Llagas Creek that doesn't. Both will put the switch stand on either side, you decide.


----------



## parkdesigner (Jan 5, 2008)

Hey Robert, 

I came to the same conclusion... the throwbar is the point I gave up hope. 


Ok, Gary, Larry, and Dan... 

So now that I'm two AMS switches in.... who's custom switches look the closest to the AMS ones so that my "yard" appears to be built with the same track? 

Josh


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Josh,

I ONLY have the Sunset Valley turnout in front of me right now. It's aluminum. Here's the SV, #6. narrow-gauge switch in BRASS. This switch is 26 inches long with a 90" radius.










I really like them. I don't know if they are EXACTLY th same as AMS. Hope they work for you!


----------



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

While I agree, they're very nice, but I have already invested in the AMS switches, and I really can't afford to start over again, so it really doesn't solve my immediate problem. I like them, because they match the AMS flex track, which I've already purchased also. 

Honestly, I had at one time thought of handlaying my own track and turnouts, since I've done it in HO, but it's hard to find supplies, and the idea of cutting a few thousand individual ties didn't really appeal to me. That and the fact that when I went to buy rail my LHS was completely out, and ordering rail cost almost as much as track. 

I'm thinking it should be possible to swap the ties out to get where I want to go, or I can simply change the track plan to keep them on the outside. It's pretty hard to make a crossover though, without the long ties and switchstands on the straight side of te switch. 

Thanks for the suggestion, though! 

Robert


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert,

I wasn't really sure if you were using NG switches. If you are using AMS track, then I guess you could be standard gauge. Anyway I am posting a picture of SV's STANDARD gauge #6 switch. The ties are closer together and a different length. Maybe the comparison will help you decide.


----------



## Mike Paterson (Dec 27, 2007)

Robert, 
I will attempt to reach Accucraft on Monday for an answer. They are local. 
Mike


----------



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm thinking the answer will be to simply remove the ties and throwbar and points, cut the wires for the frog, and then swap out a left and a right, reassemble, and resolder the wire. It might not be nearly as bad as I'm thinking it will be. Realistically,since the points screw onto the ends of the rails that lead to the frog, and one of them is curved, and one of them is straight, if you just swapped them by reversing the throwbar/tie assembly, they wouldn't work correctly, because the curved point would curve the wrong direction. So, the only other choice is to remove the rivets, and just swap out the tie/throwbar assembly and resolder the one wire for the frog. Pretty simple, except you'd need replacement rivets for the points. Or, you could use nut/bolt/washers and leave them slightly loose. I'd have to look to see if it's possible to salvage the rivets, althought I hate to reuse anything not intended to be reusable... 

Thanks, Robert


----------

