Point operation on O gauge garden layout

[Ray H]

My colleague has a large part of his O gauge layout in the garden. The points are servo operated with the servos mounted in buildings on plastic to keep them out of the weather. Several servos can be in a single building with the consequence that the points each servo operates can be some distance away from the building.

 

We started by using Nickel Silver wire in plastic tubes to keep the wire fairly rigid. However, we are finding that the small amount of Nickel wire that is exposed at each end of the tubes is too flexible with the result that the servos don't always throw properly.

 

We have used some short lengths of steel/piano wire but they have gone rusty quite quickly.

 

Brass rod might be an option but I believe the maximum lengths for something like 0.8mm - 1mm diameter is around 30cms. We have a couple of points that are around double that distance from the servo.

 

Are there any other suggestions for operating remote points outside?

 

Many thanks.

[Miss Prism]

A spring on one side of the tiebar, leaving the servo on the other side just needing to pull?

 

[GWR57xx]

1 hour ago, Ray H said:

 

Are there any other suggestions for operating remote points outside?

 

Many thanks.

 

Carbon fibre rod?

Commonly used for servo control rods in r/c planes & helicopters.

Will never corrode. Immensely strong in tension and compression, just don't try to bend it because it won't bend and will eventually just snap if you apply enough force.

[cypherman]

Hi,

When I helped build and run a 32mm narrow gauge garden railway belonging to a friend of mine we used N gauge rail. The rodding was run through small pieces of wood and staples as a guide. You can see them in the first picture on the bottom left  running along the slate wall. Brass plate was cut and used for the cranks. Here are some pictures of it showing the rodding. Sorry the rodding is a bit hard to see. The signals and points were all interlocked.

Edited April 24, 2021 by cypherman

[D6775]

My plan for the garden only involves three points all being well for access/egress from the fiddle yard and they will all be easily accessible. A friend of mine however used stripped down rail from old 00 track as rodding on his 32mm narrow gauge layout, may be worth investigating.

[doilum]

Not sure where you would find it but, back when cars had chokes some choke cables used a solid galvanized wire that wouldn't fray. If kept  well greased it was totally trouble free and could be easily adjusted with a suitable nipple or clamp. (Hope those two words in the same sentence don't trigger trouble!!).

It should be possible to source the wire on the roll and run it through bicycle cable or automotive brake line tubing. Both will take modest careful bending.

Talking of brakes, can anyone else remember a Blue Peter feature from the late '60s on a railway that used medical sriynges and plastic tubes to create hydraulic point control. The points were, I think, Triang series 3.

Garden centres sell plastic wrapped galvanized wire on the roll.

Edited April 25, 2021 by doilum
Additional information

[kitpw]

Stainless steel music wire?....available here https://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/materials/metals/stainless-steel.  Should work OK and be pretty corrosion resistant, certainly better than 'ordinary' music wire.

 

Kit PW

A 1920s 7mm terminus layout: Swan Hill - https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/blog/2502-swan-hill/

[smokebox]

Stainless steel mig wire?

[Ray H]

I think my colleague has some N gauge rail in stock so we'll give that a try to start with.

 

Thanks for all the other responses.