Hiding the electric switch throw wires for later use. Safely drill the holes under the track after marking where the track and wire goes and allowing for space for the connector to pass through.
Very interesting and informative. I plan on using switch machines on my own HO scale Unitrack layout, and was advised to drop the wires below the surface so that I wouldn't need to rip up scenery every time there was a wiring/electrical issue. As the plugs/adapters for the Kato switch machines are rather large, I initially thought I'd have to cut them off and then splice them back together after dropping the wires, but this method saves me from having to do so.
I also have the KATO HO Black River Junction track set and have modified it somewhat without the 6' x 2' staging yard. On my first attempt I drilled holes beneath the turnouts to accommodate the KATO #4, 850 & 851 and KATO #6 860 & 861 turnout terminations. This method requires a 7/16" drill bit which can tear the surface of plywood and leaves little room for error.. A neater way, which requires more work but gives a much smaller and easier to conceal hole. Remove the bottom cover of the 850/851 turnouts and disconnect (unscrew) the red and black leads (be careful not to disturb the coil and not lose any of the screws) . Then drill a 3/16" hole, under and close to the edge of the ballasted turnout and pass these leads through the bottom of your layout, reconnect leads and carefully reassemble the switch. On newer #6, 860 & 861 turnouts, the red & black power leads connect into a port on the side ballast via a small, 2-pin plug. It is easy to separate the halves of the plug, (using a small screwdriver). Simply remove the crimp-connected red and black leads, as mentioned before, pass them through the hole drilled in your layout base from the bottom, insert them back into the black plug, snap the two pieces back together and re-insert into the #6 switch. KATO should make all its turnouts like the #6 860/861's and unlike the 850/851's they are DCC Friendly.
Tried this with my N-Scale UniTrak. In the video he says to use an 11/32 drill bit. I used a 3/8 bit (that's 12/32, so it should work...) but the holes are TOO SMALL, and the plugs won't fit through. Going to need 7/16 or 1/2...
This was a great 7 minute video showing me how to clear some space and drill a hole. Will anyone please just show how to wire the magnetic coil of these things? I have just bought some with no instructions, and have no idea what to do with them. I'm not worried about DCC, I'm not worried about power routing. I can figure all that out. But where do I attach the wires? Do I connect them to the screws for curved and straight sides? How do you do that? What is the frog screw for? Are these screws just there to act as option selectors, kind of like trip switches on a circuit board? I have not yet seen a video or an image of the underside of these things with the selector wires attached. All wiring videos seem to be talking about power routing, but none explain the basics of how to power the point motor. Can anyone please help?
That's a great idea. Thank you. Much greetings from Switzerland
Very interesting and informative. I plan on using switch machines on my own HO scale Unitrack layout, and was advised to drop the wires below the surface so that I wouldn't need to rip up scenery every time there was a wiring/electrical issue. As the plugs/adapters for the Kato switch machines are rather large, I initially thought I'd have to cut them off and then splice them back together after dropping the wires, but this method saves me from having to do so.
napoleon dynamite has a train layout. thats awesome and i enjoy your movies.
nice work, something i will need to do to my N scale layout as well, using Kato Unitrack.
I also have the KATO HO Black River Junction track set and have modified it somewhat without the 6' x 2' staging yard. On my first attempt I drilled holes beneath the turnouts to accommodate the KATO #4, 850 & 851 and KATO #6 860 & 861 turnout terminations. This method requires a 7/16" drill bit which can tear the surface of plywood and leaves little room for error.. A neater way, which requires more work but gives a much smaller and easier to conceal hole. Remove the bottom cover of the 850/851 turnouts and disconnect (unscrew) the red and black leads (be careful not to disturb the coil and not lose any of the screws) . Then drill a 3/16" hole, under and close to the edge of the ballasted turnout and pass these leads through the bottom of your layout, reconnect leads and carefully reassemble the switch. On newer #6, 860 & 861 turnouts, the red & black power leads connect into a port on the side ballast via a small, 2-pin plug. It is easy to separate the halves of the plug, (using a small screwdriver). Simply remove the crimp-connected red and black leads, as mentioned before, pass them through the hole drilled in your layout base from the bottom, insert them back into the black plug, snap the two pieces back together and re-insert into the #6 switch. KATO should make all its turnouts like the #6 860/861's and unlike the 850/851's they are DCC Friendly.
this is a great idea. will be using this on my kato layout. thank you
Tried this with my N-Scale UniTrak. In the video he says to use an 11/32 drill bit. I used a 3/8 bit (that's 12/32, so it should work...) but the holes are TOO SMALL, and the plugs won't fit through. Going to need 7/16 or 1/2...
I cut my connectors off as I will be using decoders to control the switches.
I know how to drill holes ....and what fingers look like!
Great effort but next time, watch the hands. :)
This was a great 7 minute video showing me how to clear some space and drill a hole. Will anyone please just show how to wire the magnetic coil of these things? I have just bought some with no instructions, and have no idea what to do with them. I'm not worried about DCC, I'm not worried about power routing. I can figure all that out. But where do I attach the wires? Do I connect them to the screws for curved and straight sides? How do you do that? What is the frog screw for? Are these screws just there to act as option selectors, kind of like trip switches on a circuit board? I have not yet seen a video or an image of the underside of these things with the selector wires attached. All wiring videos seem to be talking about power routing, but none explain the basics of how to power the point motor. Can anyone please help?
Get your hand out of the way so we can see what you're doing. Jeez!
keep your fingers out ofeo the vid
Can’t see thru your fingers…