Manual Turnout Throw

Here is a method I cooked up to create a cheap, discreet pseudo Peco turnout throw. I've been using it on my hand laid turnouts so I have no Idea how well the method will work with commercial turnouts. Here are a couple of schematics of my method.

The idea here is do drill a hole in the center of the throw bar and then drill a hole through the road bed and plywood to hold the wire.   You need to make sure that the holes are centered on the throw bar and between the rails.   Once you bend the wire make sure that the wire extends slightly beyond the hole in the throw bar.    Once you force the wire into the throw bar hole the points will want to snap to either side because of the tension from the wire.   Here are a couple of shots of the a turnout on my layout.

Now all I need to do is throw the points with my finger just like a Peco Turnout

Here's the good and the bad of this method.

The Good:

No large Caboose or other ground throws.

Functions just like a Peco

Cheap, Cheap Cheap

The Bad.

If you're not careful you can put too much tension on the throw bar and break the throw bar.

It doesn't seem work as well on larger #8 or curved turnouts. The tension can warp the rails out of guage.

I don't know how well this method will work on commercial turnouts.