The most common problem I've had with PC tie throwbars is breaking in the middle because the hole makes things weak. I've also had the wire pull out of the hole because the throwbar is so shallow.

I've taken to supergluing a 1/4" long piece of 1/8" styrene to the center of the throwbar underneath. Then I drill through that with the pin vise. Since I drill a half-inch hole underneath the throwbar area, this bit of styrene doesn't hurt anything and it strengthens the throwbar as well as makes it a lot harder for the wire to pull lose out of the hole.

With continuous points, you need to make sure to not anchor the point-closure rails very close to the throwbar - about 2/3rds of the point-closure rails need to be free, with only the last third soldered to the turnout PC ties.

Adding this extra piece of plastic works best if I add it after the turnout is done but before I install it. Or drill a half-inch hole in the board I'm building the turnout on in the throwbar area (which I may also try).

Hope that helps. 

But's it's difficult to put all my reasons in one short post.  Maybe Joe will let me do a "Reverse Throwbar-ing" controversial article one off for the mag?

But one obvious question I've always had is:

Why operate the throwbar from under its dead center? - instead of somewhere under where the switch stand would be?.  Is it just that commonly used spline road bed doesn't have a easy way support a switch motor on the side?

Having the wire sticking up in the middle of the throw bar automatically makes it impossible to make the throw bar look realistic.

But I thought you were supposed to control the turnout from where the stand would be....??
I just figured that's the way the prototype did so that is good enough.
2c

I hate to say it, but I agree with Andy

For the whole four + years I've been in the hobby, I'm trying to figure out why no one makes a screw mechanism that would change the points AND move the switch target at the same time, all from a small vertical single hole under the switch stand (instead of the larger ones we need for the center throw. 

Imagine how much more pleasurable that would be to install.

Any one? Andy?  Tim?

Thanks Joe and Andy.  In my case I do have my wire off to the side, since I'm using your turnout details, Andy.  That is where I broke my PC throwbar of course.  I'm considering, since most of the throw is there and it's still a usable switch, of soldering a matching-width but longer piece of thin brass to the underside, then solder another PC tie over that to replace the missing section, thus lengthening and strengthening it, as opposed to Joe's suggestion of gluing styrene.  Anytime I glue something to metal, including rail to CV ties, makes me worry about the future holding-power. Hence using Joe's method of PC ties here and there, so it's his idea kinda.

I could even use brass rod soldered across the underside, then bend that down to use as my throw wire.  I'd have to house it inside a tight brass or aluminum tube for extra rigidity after the down-bend though, depending on the 'give' of the rod probably.

Joe your point about soldering the closure rail 2/3 is a good one.  Mine is, but this is a curved turnout which made it a challenge- it was also my first hand-made turnout, btw.

Andy:

If you want to do a Reverse Running on throwbars, send it in. It will need to be one page in Word using 10-point type.

I'm trying to figure out why no one makes a screw mechanism that would change the points AND move the switch target at the same time, all from a small vertical single hole under the switch stand

As I understand it, the basic problem is that we do not use exact scaled down track standards.  There is not enough room between the ties for a 1/4 turn mechanism (to turn the target properly) which has enough throw for our model point gaps.  Either the gap has to narrow to prototypical dimensions, or the ties have to be spaced wider, or the mechanism has to work under the ties.

Or... (I just cooked this up, and have no idea if it would work well)

Make the actuating rod, which rotates beneath the switch stand, a hollow tube.  The throw bar is sprung to pull it away from the switch stand, and a wire is run from it to and around the tube.  Thus as the tube rotates, it winds up the wire and pulls the throwbar toward it.  Reverse rotation causes it to throw in the opposite direction, pulled by the spring.  The tube can be quite small in diameter, and rotate multiple times if needed.

The second half is a rod which runs through the tube and holds the target.  That rod needs to turn 90 degrees, and can be connected by gears (a simple planetary gear or something along those lines seems like a good idea to me) to the outer tube so that both can rotate by the required amounts.  As an alternative to a gear, it might be simpler to have a mechanism whereby the last 1/4 turn of the tube also turns the target - pins working in a slot, or something similar.  For example, if the target rod were bent over at the bottom and a pin soldered to the throwbar tube, it would take almost 1 1/4 turns of the tube to get a 1/4 turn of the target.

. . . When Throwing the turnout.

But unless you do some kit bashing, you do have to use their throw bar system, which is all plastic. It is not strong enough to work in reverse and allow one to twist the indicator to throw the turnout.

I already have an all steel prototype substitute for the plastic parts in the CV stand, but I messed up up making it work as "snap action" on the first go around. But it's on the to do list.

Andy, will the CV stand or your replacement work on any commercial turnout?  I have nothing against Proto:87, but it's not something I'm willing to tackle at this point in time.

I don't see the CV stand as a separate sale, so that rules that option out. Andy, I'm looking for a good couple dozen in the near future.  Any ETA on yours?