Having followed the supplied instructions there was a slight problem with the
actuator wire for the signal arm catching against the fine moulding on the underside
of the cap at the top of the pole. This would sometimes cause the actuator wire
to bow outwards if the operating lever was kept moving. Two things were done
to alleviate this: First the wire was bent at about 45 degrees rather than 90
as per the instructions; Second the fine moulding lines were scrapped flat (the
casting being soft whitemetal this was quite easy to do).
Almost all the operating levers in the base had a problem with the lug through
which the actuator wire passed catching on the inside of the tube fitted over
the base (not show here). This was resolved by lightly sanding the lug to as
small as was felt safe and using a round file to make a corresponding groove
on the inside of the tube. Be very careful because the plastic from which the
lug is made is very soft so only make a few strokes with the sandpaper at a
time and keep checking how things are progressing.
Some of the operating levers had too much lateral free play such that they would
slip over the built in stop. This would cause the arm to be raised to high.
This was solved simply by sticking a little more plastic on so as to make this
stop wider.
Using the built in stop to set the maximum height to which the arm was raised
there was still a problem in that the operating lever had too much travel so
that the arm lowered to below horizontal. As the signals are to be operated
using Hoffman turnout motors it was necessary to limit this tavel. The simplest
and most effective solution was to glue a piece of copper wire into a pair of
grooves filed into the tube that fits over the base. One advantage of this solution
was that if the grooves weren't in exactly the right place the wire could be
bent to alter the limit of travel and hence get the arm to stop at horizontal
when lowered.
The Hoffman motors are simply screwed to the underside of the baseboard with
the movement of the armature aligned to that of the Ratio operating lever. Fortunately
with Wartime there is plenty of space, although the motor was placed as near
the base of the signal as possible in order to keep the linkage short. The link
wire is just one of the two that come with the Hoffman bent into an appropriate
shape. An Omega loop is fashioned in this to help absorb the greater travel
of the Hoffman armature compared to the Ratio operating lever. Make this loop
as generous as possible
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