Manufacturer: Del-Aire Products, 321 North 40th Street, Allentown, PA 18104. Price: 2 motor kit including 2 cylinders, 1 toggle switch, reducing adapter, barbed tee, barbed connector, and 50 feet of tubing $25.00; 4 motor kit $59.00. For information phone or FAX (215) 391-0412.

Pneumatics have been around for a long, long time. They operate hoists, lifts, and even animated characters at your favorite amusement park or restaurant. Model railroad manufacturers first began using them in the 1950s and tried again in the '60s but met with limited success because they lacked marketing skills. Del-Aire Products now has the patents and know-how.

In order to understand the benefits of pneumatics over electronics, it is best to see them in action. Until Outdoor Railroader comes out in video, I'll have to try my best using words.

Just as the with electric version of a switch machine, something must feed a pneumatic. The something is air. Usually, a nine gallon canister will hold an air supply large enough to operate a simple switching railroad for approximately thirty hours. In practical terms, that is about three months' worth of train operating. I have seen the system operate at railroad conventions for hours using only a two liter plastic soft drink bottle with appropriate fittings. Del-Aire has connectors and fittings to use Badger 9 ounce and 15 ounce airbrush propellant cans. You may find such cans locally or through Del-Aire. Ideally, the system would use a maximum of 40 pounds and a minimum of 20 pounds pressure at the source. 1/16-inch inside diameter tubing hooks together all the pieces.

From there, a regulator and gauges control and measure the air. You may obtain that hardware from Del-Aire or from your local building supply outlet. The air then goes to an actuator, or switch. You may locate it on your control panel, at trackside, or anywhere else you find convenient. At that point you may include a slow motion device to retard the action of the switch points to your liking. (I set one so slowly I threw the switch, went to dinner, and watched Picket Fences; when I returned, the points were still only half closed!) You then run tubing from the switch/slow motion bleeder to an air cylinder at the turnout.

The cylinder at the turnout produces three pounds of pressure in both directions so the points will rest firmly against the stock rails. That minimizes the possibility of a derailment due to split switch points.

Now the system's pros and cons:

First, price. It is a little expensive to set up initially. With a tank, regulator, fittings, gauge, and four cylinder kit, it will cost about $120.00 to throw your first four turnouts. After that the expense is minimal. For example, a second four cylinder kit including manifold, cylinders, adapters, fifty feet of tubing, assorted connectors, and the actuator or toggle switch costs $59.00. You may buy each part separately; all are in Del-Aire's catalog and price list.

Next, ease of installation and operation. No more common wire feeds or wondering what wire is at fault when something fails to work. A single line of tubing runs from your air supply to the switches, then another single line runs to each turnout. The factory claims the tubing will last in Southern California's weather for no less than five years. I have some tubing to operate the pneumatic switches on my spa and it needs replacing every four years. Maybe Del-Aire's tubing is better than what I get at my local spa supply.

Does the air pressure drop over a long distance? Yes. But the pressure drop is well below what would cause problems in tests I ran using 200 feet of tubing.

Must I discard my LGB 1600 switch machines? Yes. LGB 1600 series turnouts come with electric switch machines. They would be superfluous. Del-Aire's cylinders are much less noticeable and you may mount them between the ties. Will Del-Aire machines work with my homemade turnouts? Yes. The length of cylinder travel is half an inch in the "G scale" version and you may adjust it using Plastruct tubing inside the cylinder. The company provides advice, information and service to all customers.

May I include separate micro switches to route power? Sure. Just make them trip when the turnout throw bar hits them.

May I use Del-Aire's system to throw a three position semaphore? No. I have been unable to make a cylinder stop halfway. It's either one way or the other and either fast or slow.

May I use a compressor to power the system? Yes, provided the regulator has a cutoff switch to prevent your overcharging the system.

I do have a slight problem with the instruction sheets and product listings. Maybe that is because of my profession (art direction, computer assisted graphics, and communications). It is possible my wife is correct about my simply being dense (after all, I look up to Lars, the intellectually impaired mastermind of my model railroad's switching operations [see OR, April/May 1992]). Still, there should be a simpler diagram to show the use and purpose of each item in the line. If you take your time, play with the pieces, and follow a logical path from the air source to the cylinder, you should have no trouble.

The bottom line? I have always envied indoor railroaders with slow motion switch machines. Del-Aire's system now allows us outdoor folks to achieve a more prototypical look, feel, and action in our track as well as our models. The pneumatic system is simpler to install and operate and, as far as I can tell, it is virtually maintenance free, especially if you bury the tubing. The quality and craftsmanship of the components is absolutely tops so the real question is whether the system itself appeals to you.

Just keep in mind it is unnecessary to change over all of your turnouts and animation at one time. I would advise trying an initial setup before taking the whole plunge. I have, and my layout will use the Del-Aire system.-Larry Larsen