Motorized Crossover Points
by Mark J E Bellis June 2008

1. Remove the Switch Rails and modify the springs.
Take care in removal - you do it at your own risk.
I used a screwdriver under the switch rail next to its pivot.
A small scratch on the crossover may not be noticed as it is under the switch rail.
Gradually and carefully bend the ends of the spring in order to alter the default
position of each switch rail relative to the slider lug that is underneath it.
Remember to bend left and right switch rail springs in opposite directions!
They should be in mirror image positions when you have finished.
With springs in correct positions, both switch rails will be half way between the
two end positions when the crossover slider is in the middle of its travel.
In this position a train will go down the straight path from the toe end of the point.
It is possible to test the spring position before clicking the pivot back into place.
Do not remove a switch rail too many times or you might damage the
pivot catch that holds it in place.
When you have finished, trains will go down the straight paths on both sides of
the crossover when the slider is in the middle.

2. Remove the lever frame.
Take care in removal - you do it at your own risk.
I used a thin modelling saw to begin the cuts, a Stanley knife to complete them and
needle files to smooth the remaining part of the lever frame.
Be careful not to scratch other parts of the crossover.
Be careful to avoid cutting the slider lugs (that the lever usually moves).
When removed successfully, the middle should be flat apart from the 2 slider lugs.

3. A 3M axle and 2 toggle joints will be used to move the slider.
The middle of the axle moves the slider.

4. Pneumatic cylinders will move each end of the actuating axle.
I used only the bottom nozzles because the top ones sometimes leak.
Better to have reliability for long-term use at public exhibitions.
Therefore I used 8 pneumatic cylinders.
This design is best where the track is raised up and built into modules.
You will need 8 plates height below the rail pieces to mount your crossover.

5. On the real railway, both ends of a crossover are usually actuated together.
UK signal box levers and diagrams show evidence of this.
Therefore, connect up the pneumatic hoses to just 2 valve switches with T-junctions.
Arrange the hoses so that the crossover is straight with both switches away from you.
This means one set of pneumatics up and one down at each end of the crossover.
When the left lever is moved down, the crossover should move to bottom left to top right.
The crossover should return to staight when the left lever is moved up again.
When the right lever is moved down, the crossover should move to top left to bottom right.
The crossover should return to staight when the left lever is moved up again.
If both levers are moved down, the crossover will be straight, but this is not proper practice!
Therefore you may wish to use levers to block such action on your control panel.

6. Place suitable parts around the motorized crossover to ballast it for your layout.
The crossover has fewer studs than the 9V points, so you can use clip parts to vary the colours.
I chose black for sleepers and black/dark grey mix for the ballast.
This is because on my layout the crossover will be in the yard, where more ash and oil are dropped.
You might like to use lighter grey ballast if your crossover is on the main line.
I kept some of the dark bley crossover colour in the ballast where it was convenient.
I surrounded the actuation lever with ballast to the same height.
The height of the ballast allows any rail vehicle of any scale to go over the crossover because
the height is limited to 1 stud height (1.6mm) above the rail.

Have fun!
Mark