Instructions for Model GRW Solenoid Mechanism for Wood Tracks

Note for Piantedosi Classic plywood track owners: The peg bar supplied with this track is too large and heavy to use with our solenoid gates, either the GRW shown here, or the GLW. You will need to make or purchase a lighter weight peg bar such as the one pictured below, which is made from 1x2 standard dimensional lumber. Additionally, the rear pylon of this track is very close to the peg slots, which will require modification to the pylon.

Aluminum angle makes a great gate that is easy to work with. Please call to discuss.

Installing on common Pinewood gate made from a hinged 1x2.

The arrow shows the direction of car travel.

Step 1. Locate the GRW module about 1 inch uphill from the peg bar hinge. Locate it left-right so the the brass crank is slightly outside of the peg bar. Secure with four #6 x 3/8" screws included. An ice pick is a good way to make pilot holes.

Step 2. Locate the position of the pull rod axle on the end grain of the peg bar 7/16 inch from the hinge side, and centered as shown. Make a pilot hole.

Identify the #6 x 1/2" screw and washers. Trap the brass pull rod between the washers as shown, and drive the screw into the pilot hole. Drive the screw in almost all the way, but leave the brass rod free to rotate.

Step 3. Pass the brass rod through the hole in the crank. Carefully form the wire so that it operates freely and does not strike the wood. Form the loop at the crank so that there is no tendency to hang up.
Step 4. Drill a small pilot hole near the downhill edge of the peg bar and install the eyehook. Attach one end of the spring from the eyehook to a screw driven in the underside of the track at a point downhill. The spring must be stretched appropriately and the amount of stretching is best determined by experiment. The cars actually help the gate to open. You want to put enough tension in the spring to hold back three cars, with a little extra so that accidently hitting a peg when placing a car will not tend to open the gate. But don't use excess spring tension, it only slows down the action and makes unnecessary work for the solenoid.

Step 5. Operate the crank manually, rotating it through 45 degrees. Make sure the action is smooth and secure, making adjustments as necessary. You can also fine tune the action by loosening the crank from the shaft with an Allen wrench and adjusting initial crank position. The pegs should just clear the track surface, it is not desireable to have more rotation than necessary. Once you are satisfied with the action, you may dyke off excess brass.

The brass alloy allows for a lot of bending and rebending, it will not fatigue or break.

You are now ready to test by plugging it in 120 VAC, and adding the Light Tree.