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Earl R Eshleman's, thru-deck, turnout linkages Track and electrical/DCC
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Prolific poster 8,717 posts railandsail Prolific poster 8,717 posts
railandsail

Sometime ago I purchased a small number of these brass turnout links. I did not know what I really had until recently while doing an google image search I ran into a few links on ebay that were selling some. These are very nicely made, and look more versatile than I first imagined. 

11225-1.jpeg 

 

11300-2.jpeg 

 

Does anyone on this forum have some history of these items, and/or personal experiences with them??

 

 

Brian

1) First Ideas: Help Designing Dbl-Deck Plan in Dedicated Shed
2) Next Idea: Another Interesting Trackplan to Consider
3) Final Plan: Trans-Continental Connector
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Ted Becker rail.bird Regular poster 362 posts
Ted Becker rail.bird

I used a couple.

Way back, early 70's I used a couple.  I thought the throw arm was a little unsightly.  If I were to do it again I would mount them to the side at the end of the throw bar instead of between the rails.

The slip-on spring retainer did not hold all that well.  A dab of hot glue would be my choice now, not available back then.

The Kemtron twin coil switch machines hammered the devil out of them.  The set screw setting would eventually slip and have to be reset.

The ease of Tortoise mounting wiped them out.

These days they could come in handy for connecting to servos.

I may have a couple buried in a box of miscellany*.

 

*Polite phrase for junk box.


Ted Becker

Granite Falls, WA
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railandsail Prolific poster 8,717 posts
railandsail

Interesting observations Ted,

Interesting observations Ted, thanks. I am thinking of using them (have something like 8-9 of them) in a manual turnout operation, so some of your negatives may not be applicable.

If you have some unused ones I might be interested.

 

 

Brian

1) First Ideas: Help Designing Dbl-Deck Plan in Dedicated Shed
2) Next Idea: Another Interesting Trackplan to Consider
3) Final Plan: Trans-Continental Connector
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railandsail Prolific poster 8,717 posts
railandsail

My Collection

These are the ones I got with my purchase some 6 months ago,..I believe it was


05747-1.jpeg 

 

05824-2.jpeg 

Brian

1) First Ideas: Help Designing Dbl-Deck Plan in Dedicated Shed
2) Next Idea: Another Interesting Trackplan to Consider
3) Final Plan: Trans-Continental Connector
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railandsail Prolific poster 8,717 posts
railandsail

Old Technology

Please excuse my bringing up this 'old technology' on the forum, but it was new to me, and I had not seen it discussed to much in the past,...even while it appears to have been used by a number of modelers. So please bear with me while I explore a little of this history, and any methods that might be employed to update the original ideas.

BTW, I am already convinced that a more simple method to accomplish the same task is likely the way I will proceed,.. just a double bent music wire affair,...
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/pushpull-cable-control-of-turnouts-12216122

 

 

Quote:

I used a couple way back, early 70's I used a couple.  I thought the throw arm was a little unsightly.
Ted

I suppose you are referring to this ...

32423-1.jpeg 

I agree it is not a pretty picture. Seems as though he had several other ideas/versions that he experimented with including a piano wire versions, and another version where he 'recessed'  that flat plate throw bar under the turnout,.
32837-2.jpeg 

Brian

1) First Ideas: Help Designing Dbl-Deck Plan in Dedicated Shed
2) Next Idea: Another Interesting Trackplan to Consider
3) Final Plan: Trans-Continental Connector
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railandsail Prolific poster 8,717 posts
railandsail

Linkage Modifications

A gentleman in a private email was kind enough to supply this info...

Quote:
I also have some information for you if you want linkages like them.
 
A friend, Dick McEvoy wrote an article in RMC  August 1996 on how to make one very similar to them. His mechanism was used with a Tortoise motor but I have used the mechanism for hand-thrown switches and even used them to trip micro switches for powering frogs and position detection. Dick passed a few years ago but I have permission to reprint his article . I have attached it to this email for your use if you want . I have literally used it to throw 2 and 4 switch crossovers at one time.

Close Clearance Mounting for Tortoise Switch Machines
(mounting the Tortoise horizontally on a block of wood and using the linkage to transmit rotary motion to the turnout)

The advantage is that using the square brass rod, you can customize the length and even the torque, depending on the length of the arm. Brass tube and rod is very cheap and you can make a lot of them for a few bucks. The adjustable linkage is pretty stout and is easy to make. 
 

So I'll just include a few illustrations and observations,...

13153-1.jpeg 

 

I like this idea of a square rod inside that vertical tube rather than a round rod:
a) plenty of clearance between the two that might prevent any eventual binding
b) square surface is easier to drill very small hole for music wire attachment(s)
c) music wire attachment at top location rather than that ugly flat plate
d) tube might be plastic rather than metal

I also like that double level installation,... that I will be able to use in a few locations on my layout.

 

Pivot Arm Connections to Various Throwbars
14546-2.jpeg 

 

There are a few locations where I will use such an arrangement for my Peco turnouts.

 

 

Brian

1) First Ideas: Help Designing Dbl-Deck Plan in Dedicated Shed
2) Next Idea: Another Interesting Trackplan to Consider
3) Final Plan: Trans-Continental Connector
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