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Lately I have run across several ads on eBay selling pre 1990 GarGraves #103 and 104 switches and calling them O-100 switches. These pre 1990 #103 - 104 switches are not O-100 switches. They are approximately O-72 but will not fit in the same spot as a Lionel O-72 without some modifications to existing track work. In 1990 GarGraves came out with a switch that is an O-100 switch and chose to use the same item numbers 103 and 104.  See my attached photo to see the two switches side by side. Notice that the O-100 switch has three ties on the end with the swinging points and the O-72 has four ties. The O-100 switches come from GarGraves with a sticker on the bottom which may or may not still be there.  A big difference with the two switches is the area where the arc for the curve begins and ends. The white tape brackets the curved area on both switches in my photo.  When bidding or buying these switches be very careful. Often depending on the photographs it can be very hard to tell by looking and many people selling them do not know the difference.  I have seen this occur here on the forum also.  The pre 1990 103 and 104 make a very abrupt turn in the points and some larger locomotives cannot make the turn without slowing down to a creep. The biggest give away though is the extended ties at the points for mounting a switch motor or stand.                     j

 

103_7319103_7321      j

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Last edited by JohnActon
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The current version is the stamped sheet metal center rail. The first version of the O-100 had bent rail forming the center rail between the points.  I have three of the older version I forgot that some of those do not have the extended ties for mounting the switch machine. one of mine does not but two of them do, go figure.   I think the bent rail version took a bit more labor to built than the stamped sheet metal version.  Another thing that might have been a factor is the sliding shoes of operating cars might have been hanging up on the bent rail version.  I have noticed that on mine a time or two but it is not a serious problem most of the time they pass through with no problem.   I made a spacer out of a shim of plastic and slid it around the top side of the sliding shoe above the sheet metal bracket that holds it, raising the shoe up about a mm and it cured the problem on the cars having a problem           j

Last edited by JohnActon

To me, the biggest giveaway is the sheet metal points on the older type of switch.  I still have a few of the older ones on my layout, but the newer type is much much better than the older type.  Ross makes a direct replacement with the same outline as the old Gargraves.  I bought one a few years ago, but haven’t gotten around to replacing an old Gargraves that occasionally gives me trouble.

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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