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 Whodunnit?! The Tyco-Matic Switch...
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GoingInCirclez
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 Posted - March 11 2009 :  11:28:22 PM Link directly to this topic  Show Profile  Add GoingInCirclez to Buddylist
OK after seeing those things on the back of hundreds of brown-boxes, and getting snipe-blasted on scarce auction after auction after auction... *finally* managed to get one (and paid the least I've ever seen one go for, imagine that).

For an accessory that was so heavily promoted, and actually seemed nice, it doesn't appear these were a success or made in much quantity.

I mainly wanted one just to compare to the box art. And then examine the workings of it. The operating semaphores looked like a neat feature. But I know that most everyone else used some rebranding of Atlas switches (even most of Tyco's were this way) and I was curious if the semaphore apparatus could be added to those...

Well, much to my surprise, the Tyco-Matic-Swich is 100% unique, and like NOTHING I have ever seen before. The way the rails diverge is truly ingenious... and so is the lighted controller.

This was an expensive item to produce!

Which leads me to suspect that Tyco did not actually make it. Or they bought the rights to exclusively rebrand and sell someone else's tooling at the time. Just like the building kits, and just like the light-ups.

The switch and semaphore mechanism is fully integrated to the track; it cannot be removed or made to work on any other turnout track.

So has anyone seen these before, and used them, and know (if) how else they were sold?

And given that it does seem like an awesome piece... why has it never been seen since?


I'll have pictures tomorrow, hopefully.

Edited by - GoingInCirclez on March 12 2009 09:58:42 AM
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Ray Marinaccio
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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  02:40:14 AM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Ray Marinaccio to Buddylist
I had one on an earlier layout.
I thought it was a neat design.
The only problem I had with it was the derailments when running back through the turnout if the points (and frog) weren't lined up. Other than that I liked it.
I haven't seen any other manufacturer (in HO) that made one like it.
Marx uses a similar point/ frog design in O gauge and Rapido did in N scale.

Ray
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GoingInCirclez
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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  10:39:16 AM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add GoingInCirclez to Buddylist
Heh, the derailments-in-reverse thing can still happen even with Atlas turnouts. Or even just from using cars with Talgo trucks.

Playing with it, the semaphore seemed to interfere with the setting of the track. The semaphore's actuating rod kept getting bound in the slot at its base, which interfered with the slide-rod it connected to in the solenoid. Once I trimmed the slot a bit, it worked fine. Unfortunately I promptly lost the pin for the signal head.

I forgot all about the O-scale versions, but yes that frog/point design is familiar. Haven't seen it in N-scale. Still a complex design from a production standpoint.

The base is stamped "Made by Tyco in Hong Kong" using the redbox stencil logo. Looks clean enough but I still have a hard time giving credit to Tyco for it... or if they were serious, it's a last-gasp enigma like the Riv 630.

Was disappointed that the base can't be removed. I'd use the whole thing in the expanded STC, but that crappy brass track even oxidized inside the package! Which is the best proof I've yet found as to why brass track just sucks.

Edited by - GoingInCirclez on March 12 2009 10:40:05 AM
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romcat
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LondonPortStanley

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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  12:01:06 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add romcat to Buddylist
Hey Gic-er:

Got a pic of the expnaded "Ducky"?

-Gareth
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GoingInCirclez
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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  12:23:22 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add GoingInCirclez to Buddylist
Oh no, that's a long way off. I meant that more from the "plan to, eventually" sense.
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romcat
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LondonPortStanley

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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  2:39:28 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add romcat to Buddylist
Oh, ok. Using that measure my model railroad is running great! (In my head or dreams or whatevers left undamaged up there, which t`aint much!

-Gareth

Edited by - romcat on March 12 2009 3:33:29 PM
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GoingInCirclez
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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  10:20:11 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add GoingInCirclez to Buddylist
As promised, pics... although they are not too great, my camera is almost dead after 6 years...

Straight - note semaphore position...

Diverged....

Inner workings. The plastic clip is a lock to hold the feed wires in place.

So as you can see, the frog/points system on this unit is completely unlike the standard HO turnout! Because the inner rails are bridged (soldered) together, this is how the "automatic blocking" was achieved. There's a bit of wiring running in the ties under the switch, that carry current to each rail past the frog.

Another nice feature is the stepped ties - a prototypical feature that wasn't too common on commercial turnouts until nearly 20 years later.

The controller is sheer simple genius. A clear white bulb is constantly lit. But that bulb is painted green on one side, and red on the other. When you push a button, it rotates the bulb so the green side shines through that button.



You can't use the flags and semaphore at the same time, as the interfere with each other.





The biggest issue with this item, as sold, is that Tyco did not include insulated rail joiners. Rather, they included a short 1.5" piece of insulated track, with a split rail. You could certainly use insulated joiners. However, insulation is required for the blocking feature... but if you were to use that short piece of track included for the purpose, it would throw off the alignment of all the other sectional tracks in a layout.

So anyway, there it is. I'd wanted to see one of these for years. It's too bad it's brass, because I'd have no hesitation with using it in a modern layout. As it is, I'd have to hack that mechanism to work with a modern turnout, or relegate it to an off-main branch line. Which wouldn't likely have had semaphores in the first place... sigh.

Edited by - GoingInCirclez on March 12 2009 10:21:21 PM
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Brianstyco
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Mint Silver Streak

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 Posted - March 12 2009 :  11:34:11 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Brianstyco to Buddylist
Tony--too bad this was produced before the invention of Tyco Tru Steel track--would have been a little better than the brass maybe. I always thought this was a cool accessory. The track in your pictures looks like Atlas could have made it for Tyco. Some of my Tyco Operatiing Virginian hoppers sets mint in sealed plastic i opened has Atlas sectional brass track in them and the ties look identical.
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Ray Marinaccio
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 Posted - March 13 2009 :  01:36:02 AM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Ray Marinaccio to Buddylist
That brings back memories.
Thanks Tony.

Ray
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Srenchin
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 Posted - August 31 2016 :  4:48:39 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Srenchin to Buddylist
I just found these Mint In Box "Tyco-Matic Switches" at my local hobby shop! Knowing how rare they are I picked them up for eventual re-sale on eBay....









As you can see, these switches represent two different production runs of this product. The right hand switch includes the special track section with the insulating gap while the left hand switch has two plastic rail joiners. Also note the different sizes of the packaging.

Introduced in 1971 and discontinued in 1974, this accessory is an unusual foot note in HO model railroading history

Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on August 31 2016 4:54:56 PM
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microbusss
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tiger

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 Posted - August 31 2016 :  7:40:11 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add microbusss to Buddylist
I want 2 of them for the really cool signal
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AMC_Gremlin_GT
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GremlinBL2

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 Posted - August 31 2016 :  10:03:00 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT an AOL message  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT a Yahoo! Message  Add AMC_Gremlin_GT to Buddylist
I think I have one of these switches...minus the Semphore and other pieces, just the switch and brown plastic "ground" attached. I'll keep an eye out for them at my shop.

Jerry

" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Srenchin
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 Posted - September 07 2016 :  5:53:01 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Srenchin to Buddylist
Hello All,

In an attempt to explore Tycomatic Switch more thoroughly without opening my mint examples I decided to purchase a used version to examine, test, and photograph. Here are my photographs and findings....

Lined for the straight route:





Lined for the diverging route:



(Note that I was able to get my switch to work with both the targets and semaphore).



The semaphore is activated by this linkage between the semaphore and the switch machine...


The wire slides through the diagonal slot which moves the semaphore blade up and down...


Note: I found that lubricating the moving parts for the semaphore with POWDERED GRAPHITE improves operation!!!

Now a few observations...

First, I noted a design flaw with my example of this switch which will cause derailments. When my switch is lined for the straight route as shown here...



the switch point makes positive contact with both the stock rail and frog point.

But when lined for the diverging route...



the switch fails to line properly, leaving a gap between the stock rail and the point.

To work properly, this switch design needs to be adjusted so that both ends of the point come into contact with the frog and stock rail simultaneously. Adjusting this particular switch to work properly when lined for the diverging route would require the removal of about 1/32 of an inch of excess material on the frog end of the point. Since this particular switch is the only one of its kind that I have worked with, I do not know how common this particular problem is with this item. However knowing how much quality control can vary with Tyco's other products it would not surprise me to discover that this is a common defect.

Second, I discovered an additional problem while operating the switch with power. Despite getting full voltage from a Model Rectifier Corporation Tech II power supply, the solenoid's throw was too weak to properly drive the mechanism. One possible solution may be to use a higher voltage power supply but then you risk burning out the solenoid entirely.

Bottom line, this accessory looks neat but its design is vulnerable to all kinds of gremlins, operators beware!

Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on September 08 2016 12:55:10 PM
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microbusss
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tiger

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 Posted - September 07 2016 :  6:28:54 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add microbusss to Buddylist
neat!
what'd be super cool is to LIGHT the signal
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