Instructions, tips and tricks
The Radio Control Switch Tower was quite the rage in its day. Advertisements showed a boy remotely-controlling his train by shouting orders into the tower. Wow! Nifty! Peachy! Neato! Keen! Hey, it was the days when Radio was all there was. It looked like radio control. Actually, the device was much simpler. There was a simple receiver of sorts. The right sound at close range caused a break in the current, thus triggering the train's E unit and changing direction.
The Circuit Breaker was essential in days before safe transformers. Few companies had built-in circuit breakers. True to Marx, the same metal shell was used to make a rudimentary crossing flasher. It also served as the stand for the Searchlight!
The idea for both the Radio Tower and Circuit Breaker was to interrupt the flow of electricity to the track. Thus, they are wired in series, as shown below.
What happens when you have both of these accessories together? It's simple. Both are wired in series, from the same terminal of the transformer. The circuit breaker, being a safety device, is closest to the transformer. This way, operation of the radio tower is protected. Once again, they are wired in series. ("C" is the Circuit breaker, "RT" is the Radio Tower.)
Just for the record: the same tower was sold as a Yard Tower or Switch Tower, without the radio control. Most were non-operating, non-lighted accessories.
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