Anyone out there done an evaluation of HO scale switch stands?

Have you looked at the Railway Engineering ones? That or look at N scale stands which may be more HO than N scale. Finally, you may want to make up your own. I'll note that the brass casting companies are always interested in good parts ideas and your making up of a master (contact them first to find out how big to build them) may end up being a good idea.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

I might be worth it to get a couple of NJ's and use them as an example to make your own. Here are some directions on how to make some,

Central Valley has switch stands in packages or six for $5.95. Don't know if they operate but if they don't it would be easy enough to make them work. Brass wire soldered to a small tab at the bottom and a wire for the rod to the points should do it. At least the frames and details would already finished for about a buck a piece. Go here and scroll down. If you ever go back to find them from the CV main page they are logically listed under the "fences and ladder" section. For some reason they don't want anyone to find the stands except by accident.

Bruce

This depends what era you're modeling. In the CTC era [last sixty years] there are a lot of remote controlled switch machine which resemble a oblong box about a foot high and several wide and long.

Try looking at the walthers website.

or the Details West website.

Eric

Those are easy ones to make! Just put a wire with a bellcrank arm at the bottom (either bend or solder a piece of brass to the bottom of the wire) and run it through the box. I'll note that making rubber molds for Cerrobend castings is easy to do.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

Wow! Thanks Bruce. You have given me an idea. These instructions and a change of materials and methods may be just the ticket.

As you can see, I got some good feedback from others as well, which is very helpful. Unfortunately, much of what is offered is either dummy or really out of scale. In fact I've had to discontinue installing the rix stands for two reasons.

First, the union was demanding alpine equipment for all brakeman so they could climb the mounting ties to get to the throw. Now I'm having to deal with a 40% rise in lost time because brakeman keep getting hernias from throwing the four foot long lever arms. :)

What the heck, I'm spending all this time to build the turnouts to save money so why not extend the project a bit further. This should keep me busy for a few weeks.

Thanks again to you and the others for the help.