# What is this and what does it do.



## Jmhpoolshark (May 26, 2019)

I came across this interesting piece of atlas snap track and am curious to know its exact use. 
My thought is that it's a pressure point for maybe a signal or crossing gate but can't find any info online


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Or it may be a type of decoupler or load operator activator?


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

it looks like the metal piece parallel and between the tracks is bent under the tie with the screw not screwed in fully.

it looks like that metal piece makes contact with the grommet on the right had side that connects to the rightmost terminal on the bottom.

it looks like if that metal piece could be lifted, it might make contact with the bottom of the partially screwed in screw it goes under, making contact with the middle terminal on the bottom.

if any of this is correct, it looks like a SPDT switch.

don't know why the left most end of the metal piece connects to the farther rail

what could make it lift? the weight of something on the track? something near the track levers it up from under the track?


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## cid (Jul 3, 2014)

Does it have an Atlas part number underneath??


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

My guess would be that the tie under the left brass strip is not attached to the rail and floats up and down with the weight of a train passing. The left screw seems to adjust the resting position of contact between the brass strips, and the right screw adjusts how sensitive the whole thing is to a passing car.

Would have loved to of known those existed when I was a kid, I could have had so much fun setting up automated bits!


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## Jmhpoolshark (May 26, 2019)

cid said:


> Does it have an Atlas part number underneath??<img src="http://www.modeltrainforum.com/images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" />


Part number just states it's a 9 snap track but does add the letter b to ties down


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## Jmhpoolshark (May 26, 2019)

This is a pic from the underside


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

It wasn't unknown for 3rd-party manufacturers to "make things" out of Atlas sectional track - I have a ~ 30-year old genuine Micro-Trains N scale "uncoupling track" - it's an uncoupling magnet set in a Atlas 5" N track section. Still works, too.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

maybe is a crude occupancy detector that would be sensitive enough to a heavier locomotive and used to trigger a crossing gate or possibly a signal


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## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

What it looks like is a "Part" from one of the old electronic cattle pens. Remember you use to pull the cattle car up over the contacts then you had a wired button or switch that connected on to the track and it sort of "Vibrated" the cattle off the car. You use to get a section of track with the setup.
Just my thinking. (I have been known to be wrong tho)


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Atlas made a large number of track items for Gilbert that were packaged in Gilbert HO boxes and given Gilbert catalog numbers. This specific track trip was not part of the Gilbert HO line but it appears to have the same function as the Gilbert S gauge 697 track trip. Atlas did provide Gilbert with a slightly different design track trip that functioned the same as the S gauge 696 track trip. The catalog numbers were 631 and 34631.
You can see pictures of all the Atlas track components in the Gilbert HO line at gilbertho.org.


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

It is a single pole,double throw type, momentary on, pressure switch, track piece.
Primarily used as an a/b type circuit for signal lights,etc.
The screws in the center are for adjusting pressure sensitivities.
I had a few back in the day. Not very reliable unless car(s) were well weighted.


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

appears to me to be a signal or accessory activator, when the train crosses it.

Dan


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