# Peco turnouts



## adaboy (Apr 24, 2014)

What is the throw on peco turnouts? Thinking of using ground throws for accessable turnouts.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

adaboy said:


> What is the throw on peco turnouts? Thinking of using ground throws for accessable turnouts.


There is a little plastic bar that connects to the points and is accessible from either side. The only ground throws I am familiar with are those made by Caboose industries and they will come with what you need to attach the throw to the bar. I have purchased one, the 220S with contacts and it seems to be very good quality. I have decided to go with them on all my manually operated turnouts.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Caboose Industries ground throws*



adaboy said:


> What is the throw on peco turnouts? Thinking of using ground throws for accessable turnouts.


 adaboy;

The caboose Industries ground throws should have no problem operating Peco turnouts. Pecos don't require a long throw. They also have a built-in spring that will push the points against the stock rail, helping things along. You may or may not want to keep the spring, which is easily removed. Try one ground throw on a Peco turnout and see if it works well with the spring. If so, I'd just leave the spring in place. 

have fun;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> adaboy;
> 
> The caboose Industries ground throws should have no problem operating Peco turnouts. Pecos don't require a long throw. They also have a built-in spring that will push the points against the stock rail, helping things along. You may or may not want to keep the spring, which is easily removed. Try one ground throw on a Peco turnout and see if it works well with the spring. If so, I'd just leave the spring in place.
> 
> ...


Once you do, you are hooked. Nice little setup for manual operation. I was impressed and if purchased smart, the ones with the contacts can be had for under 5 bucks a pop. That is not bad for what they do. I also think they look great, maybe a titch big for N Scale but not a deal breaker for me.


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## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

I use them with my peco turnouts and they work great!! I use the Caboose 5218S throws and they come in a 5pk so you can save some money on them.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

I use the Caboose Industries 206S N Ground Throw with my n-scale insulfrog Peco turnouts. I cut the side with the pins off and use a short piece of wire to extend the throw out away from the turnout. I also leave the spring in the turnout. This has worked great for over 25 years.


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## dd1228 (Jan 26, 2015)

With spring loaded points on the Peco turnouts why even use throws, unless you want the contacts. Looks more prototype without the oversized throws.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

adaboy said:


> What is the throw on peco turnouts? Thinking of using ground throws for accessable turnouts.


It sounds like you mean in mm or parts of an inch......yes?


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

dd1228 said:


> With spring loaded points on the Peco turnouts why even use throws, unless you want the contacts. Looks more prototype without the oversized throws.


If you have a train sitting real close to a switch it very hard to throw the switch without derailing a couple cars. A ground throw makes it so much easier.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Why would you be throwing a turnout with a train sitting on it?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

rrjim1 said:


> If you have a train sitting real close to a switch it very hard to throw the switch without derailing a couple cars. A ground throw makes it so much easier.


An uncoupling pick, or even a pencil, works just fine for that.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> An uncoupling pick, or even a pencil, works just fine for that.


No, not really, a n-scale pick is to weak and a pencil on some of my switches would need to come in at a angle. Throws work so much better and you can extend them out with a short piece of wire.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

dd1228 said:


> With spring loaded points on the Peco turnouts* why even use throws, **unless you want the contacts.* Looks more prototype without the oversized throws.


Yep, #1 reason right there. They are a bit oversize but that bugs some folks more then others. Everyone's little pet peeves are different. Case in point, the slinky effect with MT couplers bugs the peetooters out of me to no end, my friend says he does not even notice it and says I am too anal. Go figure, eh?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*We are overscale*



CV-62 said:


> Yep, #1 reason right there. They are a bit oversize but that bugs some folks more then others. Everyone's little pet peeves are different. Case in point, the slinky effect with MT couplers bugs the peetooters out of me to no end, my friend says he does not even notice it and says I am too anal. Go figure, eh?




CV-62; 

Caboose Industries makes their ground throws way oversize for a good practical reason. The fingers that need to grab those ground throw levers are 48 times bigger than O-scale, 87 times bigger than HO-scale, and 160 times bigger than N-scale. If the ground throws were made scale size, we wouldn't be able to operate them without tweezers and a magnifying glass!

have fun;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

PS. How's the new track plan coming along?


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> CV-62;
> 
> Caboose Industries makes their ground throws way oversize for a good practical reason. The fingers that need to grab those ground throw levers are 48 times bigger than O-scale, 87 times bigger than HO-scale, and 160 times bigger than N-scale. If the ground throws were made scale size, we wouldn't be able to operate them without tweezers and a magnifying glass!
> 
> ...


Slow. Thank you for asking.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

rrjim1 said:


> No, not really, a n-scale pick is to weak and a pencil on some of my switches would need to come in at a angle. Throws work so much better and you can extend them out with a short piece of wire.


What are these picks made out of? My homemade picks are made of a bamboo skewer. Unless you've installed a garage door spring on the turnout, that will work fine. I can easily flip an HO turnout with a pencil without breaking the point; I find it hard to believe that the N scale ones are so much tougher to throw.

I'm not saying don't use ground throws. The point is that it's much easier to get a long, thin object in there to flip the points than it is to get your hand in, even with a ground throw. Personally, I'd vote for some kind of remote operator if it really is that hard to reach them. You can make one with a length of throttle cable and a bell crank.


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