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Reply to "Need help with this layout for five year old"

Maybe the plastic sections on the O-42 track are wheel guides because the O-42 turn is sharper than their other switches?  I'll try calling Gargraves tomorrow and ask them.  If I can reach them I will post their answer here.

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I looked in the basement and I actually have three different Atlas slide switch controls.  Blew the dust off of them and two say Atlas Connector and one says Atlas Selector (The one hat looks exactly like the #215).  It's actually pretty heavy for what it is.  Lots of options.  Thanks for the suggestion or I would never have thought about those.

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"using all steel pins and cutting the center rail on the straight instead may make the physical track connections more solid."

I will have extra Gargraves regular track so I think this may be the best option to try.

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If you decide to independently wire the spurs as isolated blocks, insulating pins might be used instead of cutting the center rail near the switches.

Since the spurs are tubular that makes perfect sense.

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C.  Attach a wire to each half of the cut center rail on the transition piece and attach them to a toggle or slide switch.  Maybe.  However, the center rail power to each loop could be connected anywhere on the loop (if not using DCS) and preferably in two or more places, but it doesn't necessarily have to be near the center rail break between the loop crossover switches since the power will run through them as discussed above in 3B.

He has a LionChief Plus set with constant track power and a bluetooth remote control.  Uses tubular connector track for power brick.  It was a Starter set he got last Christmas.

He is getting a Peter Witt Trolley this Christmas with an conventional MRC AC Transformer.  He won't be getting the roadway pictured, but instead will probably run the trolley on the inside loop (for now).  I purchased a Fastrack power track with connectors for a conventional transformer if he wants to use a conventional transformer on the layout.  I made him an adapter for the MRC conventional transformer that has screw terminal connectors on one end and the tubular connector for the tubular Fastrack power track on the other.

Can a five year old (even with supervision) keep it all straight?  I don't know, but if he is told not to mess with the slide switches he won't.

John

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

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