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MR contributing editor Tony Koester now has all the essential components of the handlaid trackwork installed. In this video, David Popp takes up the effort to add a Blue Point switch control, cut gaps in the rail to isolate the frog, and then finally wire and test the new turnout for MRVP’s HO scale Winston-Salem Southbound layout.
David,
Success! First of the Blue Points have been installed/wired to power the frog with your step-by-step process in this video as well as the Rice Harbor. Next is figuring out wiring a signal head to show alignment of the turnout. Appreciate your guidance for this project.
Hi David, When you adjust the Fulcrum, this affects the centre-line height of the plastic tubes from the top of the Baseboard and thus the position of the recessed hole for the Flower-pot. There must be a nominal dimension to drill the hole, working from the T.O. Baseboard, that works within the range of the range of the Fulcrum adjustment?
Hey David,
Getting ready to install 3 of these on my layout this winter and I’m reviewing both videos you made concerning Blue Point. I’ve had them for almost a year and I’m getting the courage to install them soon. Thanks for showing how to wire them too. Couldn’t the other side of the double pole be used to connect a signal head to visually show the direction the switch is aligned? Could you demo that sometime in a future update to the Blue Point and Tortoise Switch Machines? Your guidance is very helpful.
I am really enjoying this series, but where can we find the B&O turnout diagrams that Tony used?
Better than any book or set of instructions for how to hand lay track, install feeder wires, and install choke cable turnout control. Great instruction on how to solder, too. Lots of good tips on what tools to use. Excellent!
P. J. Mattson, MMR from NJ
Dave why are you cutting the gaps in the point rails. You now depend on the points touching the main rails to conduct the electric. I find this can be unreliable. If you leave it uncut you now get the electric from your blue point making a better connection.
The series on hand laying track has convinced me to do the same. I will be modeling the evansville area. The question I have is, Tony used a plastic rail joiner between the two turnouts in the third episode but, never explains why or how to wire that part. Can you help. Thank you.
I currently have 17 turnouts on my 12×8 HO layout, all controlled by Tortoise switch motors. Soon, I'll be adding another 4 turnouts and plan to use Tortoise motors to control them as well. As far as I can see, the BluePoint machines take about the same amount of work/labor to install. Once you add in the wiring for live frog polarity, I see little advantage to the Bluepoint other than a minimal price difference.
The Tortoise, because I use CAT 5 wiring is a lot more flexible, no kinking the cable. It would also appear that mounting a BluePoint on a narrow raised section of track could be quite difficult.
I enjoyed the 6 parts and learned much. I can see me attempting to hand lay track, but I'm hesitant about attempting a turnout. Still fuzzy on the wiring (as that is not my strong point), so I need to see how all the wiring is done again (although I think I may know). Love the bluepoint, that has just solved 2 turnouts on my layout, the remainder can be handled by simple spring loaded ground throws. Thanks David and Tony!!!!
The entire 6 parts were extremely informative. I can see myself hand laying track, but still somewhat hesitant about attempting a turnout.
Hi David,
Your videos are great and I am always learning a lot with them. I love the final parts!
Is there any chance that you show us how did you connect the green wire to the frog?
Thanks,
Alejandro
Hi Michael,
Yup, turnout feeders can get a bit confusing because there are so many. In the end, there are two feeder wires for the point rails (one for each rail). Also, both turnout stock rails and and the two diverging route rails get feeders. By the time you are done, you should have a total of 6 feeders to the various turnout rails, plus don't forget the one that connects the frog from the Blue Point. I tried to keep it simple, but obviously, I didn't do a very good job.
Thanks for the question!
David
How do you solder the green wire to the frog?
Hey James,
Sorry if I glossed over something. The green wire connects the frog of the turnout to the center pole on the DPDT switch. I attached the frog wire the same way I did the other feeder wires. Hope that helps!
David
David, ya make so easy and fun to wire up the turnout to the 'blue point". After the 'bell wire' is flat on the end you can trim it a little bit with a rail cutter to make the head a little shorter and squared up on the end. I know I've read that somewhere in a how-to book on feeder wires. Probably in a Model Railroader mag. Thanks always for the great MR Plus video's. Well worth the little extra money.
Uh, where did you connect the green frog feeder to?
Even though I don't plan to hand lay, the information will definitely help me with my existing turnouts. Thanks David!
You seem to have 4 feeders but the video only shows 2. A bit confusing.
OK David you've convinced me to install two Blue
Point switch machines to turnouts that are hard to throw by hand. I like the idea of using the drill to insert the threaded rod (that is what that thing is called) into the choke cable end, nice. Thanks.