Many web sites have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. On the MODRATEC Answers page, we give answers relating to our Lever Frame Kits and WIT (wire-in-tube) Products, but we cannot honestly say that all of the questions are frequently asked. We do, however, believe that these questions and important and that our answers are informative and helpful.

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Helpful Answers

KEY WORDS:

3-position semaphores
conditional interlocking
connecting to points & signals
guest lounge
lever spacing
lever throw (travel)
making modifications
spacing
speed signalling
stall-motor
supplied with kit
three-position semaphores
throw
time to build
tools required
tortoise
travel

Who can use the Guest Lounge?: ¤ The Guest Lounge is an open discussion forum where anyone is welcome to browse. You'll find helpful announcements and articles about MODRATEC, its products, and its interests. You can add your own thoughts and experience to help others. You can ask specific questions about using SigScribe4 or about building MODRATEC Lever Frames. We encourage people to register a user name (these can be quite imaginative).
¤ In order to prevent 'spam' appearing in the Guest Lounge, only registered users who have been authenticated by logging in are allowed to write messages or replies. Registration is a simple process. It is recommended that you do not expose your email address to public view where it might be harvested by spammers. In the registration questionnaire, there is an option 'Always show my e-mail address: yes/no'. By default, 'no' is selected. We recommend that you leave it that way.
What is the spacing between levers on a MODRATEC Lever Frame?: ¤ Levers are arranged in groups of 6. We call each group a Bay. Within each bay, the lever pitch is 9.7mm - for example, the centre of Lever 1 to the centre of Lever 2 is 9.7mm. The bay pitch is 65.2mm - for example, the centre of Lever 1 to the centre of Lever 7 is 65.2mm.
What will you supply in my MODRATEC Lever Frame Kit?: ¤ All necessary components are supplied cut precisely to length, machined as necessary, and pre-drilled and tapped.
¤ For Lever Frames with interlocking, parts are provided to allow the mounting of a signal diagram. However, we do not supply the diagram. There are so many variations in how people will want their signal diagram to look, that it would be totally impractical for us to provide one. See this topic in the Guest Lounge for some helpful advice about signal diagrams.
How long will it take to build my MODRATEC Lever Frame?: ¤ For a Lever Frame with an average amount of Interlocking, we suggest about one hour per Lever for a Premium Kit, or two hours per Lever for a standard Kit—for example, for a 12-lever frame with interlocking, allow approximately 12 hours (Premium) or 24 hours (standard) of work. Naturally, it will vary according to your level of skill and the types of tools available to you.
What tools will I need to build my MODRATEC Lever Frame?: ¤ You'll find a list of tools on the Construction page. You will notice that some of the drill bits are of sizes that may not be easily obtained from retail outlets, so you can order these from MODRATEC when ordering your Kit. We can also supply a special fine-point permanent marker pen which is recommended for marking out interlocking components.
How can I connect my MODRATEC Lever Frame to points and signals?: ¤ You can connect devices to levers mechanically using the 'wire-in-tube' method. We offer a range of WIT (wire-in-tube) components to help you in this area.
¤ By using the optional Auxiliary Switches, you can also connect devices electrically. For the operation of double-solenoid point motors, see this article in our Useful Data section. To connect to stall-motor switch machines, e.g. Tortoise, you may use our type TA or TD Auxiliary Switch Units (The MODRATEC Shop).
How can I operate 3-position semaphore signals?: ¤ Three-position semaphores need to be operated by two levers - one associated with the particular signal, and the other associated with the next (following) signal along the line. The action of these two levers can be mechanically combined using our 2-input Slot-wit. See the WS2 Data Sheet for detail of how to set this up.
How much travel (throw) does a MODRATEC Lever provide for mechanical operation?: ¤ The standard drilling of Levers provides for a 4mm or 8mm throw which can be either pull or push.
What about conditional interlocking?: ¤ As of version 1.1.11 of SigScribe4, it is possible to design and simulate frames requiring conditional locking. This typically applies to frames controlling speed signalling and also to frames controlling shunt signals permitting access to multiple routes. Conditional interlocking is available for Premium Lever Frame Kits.
Can I modify a MODRATEC Lever Frame when my layout changes?: ¤ Yes, although it's not necessarily a simple process. See this topic in the Guest Lounge for advice about how to prepare for future growth.