# Switches on overhead layout?



## KDarling (Feb 16, 2008)

Have any of you installed switches on an indoor overhead layout? Successful, or nightmare?? 

What would you recommend to control said switches from the ground? Air is probably not a viable option. 

Thanks!


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, You may have seen them. Before it became a storage track they were operated by the LGB 1700 reed switch and the thing on the back of the switch motor. We had trains running in opposite direction and passing on sidings. Thus it also reversed the polarity at each end of the curved track. I am not sure how we would do it with what is available today.


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## jrobnett (May 17, 2008)

My sister and brother in law have an overhead layout through their kitchen and living room 
with a pair of switches for a second loop and two others for sidings. He rigged up little 
green/red spots on the throw to tell how they're set since it's not all that obvious from below. 
Green for mainline open, red for closed. The switches themselves are manually thrown. 

It works pretty well though one night after a few too many beers his nearly brand new 
C-16 took a dive from 7 feet when we weren't paying attention ... It bounced off a few 
panicked hands and a counter before hitting the ground but wasn't too much the worse for 
it. 

James


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

hehe 

Careful about drinking and driving there


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

One suggestion, make sure the switches work very well before putting them up overhead. Even high end switches can need some tweaking.


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## KDarling (Feb 16, 2008)

These will be about 105" off the floor, so manually throwing them (even in the most sober of dispositions!) won't work too well.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Why wouldn't you just use the LGB turnout motors? They are extremely reliable when not subject to continual exposure to the outdoor elements.


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

I've got a dozen or so on my overhead layout. Overhead layout


I've been running without problem for almost ten years. All are LGB R3 (#16000) turnouts with switch motors. In order to simplify wiring, I control them with switch decoders, however they could also be actuated using traditional controllers.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I have 3 LGB 16000 series switches on my overhead layout that I run just like any of my other LGB electric turnouts - with no problems. 

I have run trains for uncounted hundreds of hours on the layout without any problems. One factor that may help is that my trains approach all turnouts from the wide (split) side so there is little chance of a problem with a mis-thrown switch or split switch. The LGB locos would simply push an incorrect switch into the right direction. 

If possible I would suggest that you might want to lay your switches in the same direction so that a split or incorrect switch is not likely to cause a derailment resulting in the possibility of a loco/train falling to the floor. 

My nightmare was trying to find a way to suspend 3 sidings and the mainline from the ceiling. Once that was sorted out laying the track and turnouts was no different from any other layout. 

In my case access to the trains on the sidings is more difficult because there is only 9" clearance between the base of the ties and the ceiling above. 

Jerry


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

I used Aristo's ART-5475 Switch Track Control System to throw the LGB Switches on the Children's Hospital overhead layout. This is a double tracked oval with two sidings, which are used to periodically change out the 4 trains. These have worked flawlessly for over 3 years.


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## cubythewater (Jan 14, 2008)

My switches work great. 

They operate on this layout, and are DCC controlled.


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## Schlosser (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, I just cannot believe you can have _all_ trains approaching _all_ switches frog-end first. Somewhere along the line, they have to encounter a switch, points-first, and be subject to a 'split-switch' possibility. But you are not alone in mentioning this 'impossible' situation. Others have stated it's always best to have switches approached this way. 

On a single tracked railroad, a passing siding must logically have two switches at the end of a passing track and one of them will always be approached points first; no way around it. 


Art


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Schlosser on 11/09/2008 3:51 PM
Jerry, I just cannot believe you can have _all_ trains approaching _all_ switches frog-end first. Somewhere along the line, they have to encounter a switch, points-first, and be subject to a 'split-switch' possibility. But you are not alone in mentioning this 'impossible' situation. Others have stated it's always best to have switches approached this way. 

On a single tracked railroad, a passing siding must logically have two switches at the end of a passing track and one of them will always be approached points first; no way around it. 


Art 



Hi Art,

OK you caught me.

The truth is that all my OFFICE (wall mounted) layout switches are approached frog-end first but in reality that is not correct because every siding switch must be approached from the opposite direction when backing INTO the siding.

In the case of the office layout since the track is high above a carpet over concrete floor I wanted to minimize the risk of derailments causing trains to fall so I set it up so trains enter into the frog when running but back into the sidings in such a way that if they derail they will be being pushed TOWARD the wall.

Additionally I installed Bachmann telephone poles as a sort of guard rail to prevent trains from falling from the layout (possibly on my head as I sleep).

Jerry


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