Anyone have any tips and tricks for aligning extended-pin Peco turnout motors under the table?
I anticipate the movable actuator rod and spring-loaded points will made alignment difficult.
Thanks.
Rick Krall
I extended the pin with stiff wire, making it longer than necessary. Then I had a helper guiding me from above while I poked the pin up and through the hole in the throwbar. The hardest part was getting the point motor at a right angle to the track. I had my helper push the points back and forth with the both of us feeling for sideways pressure. Once I was satisfied with the alignment, I screwed the bracket to the underside of the layout and cut off the excess wire protruding above the layout. It was not an easy job by any means. Hopefully, someone will have an easier method to offer.
Amen to that. At this point, I’ve used shirt cardboard cut to the dimensions of the bottom of the point motor with hole dead center through which I’ll insert and stabilize the actuator rod in the center of its travel. I’ll shim and center the points as well. Inserting the centered actuator rod in the centered throwbar hole at least gets me in the ballpark. I’ve used this method as Step 1 in mounting Tortoises and it works well.
As to alignment, I intend to extend a line from each end of the throwbar to the edges of the subroadbed and then work from underneath to connect those (2) points. Assuming that line bisects the actuator hole, I’ll have the centerline to orient the point motor.
If it doesn’t bisect the actuator hole, I shall shoot myself.
I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks for your reply.
Rick Krall
Rick, I tend to get these wild, far-out ideas sometimes, and your idea to extend a line from each end of the throwbar spawned this wild idea. Extend a line straight out from each end of the throwbar. Drill a 1/16" hole through the layout a couple of inches from each end of the turnout on that line. Hang a piece of wire down through the holes. Go underneath and draw a line between the two hanging wires. That should put a line on the bottom of the layout exactly under the throwbar. Use that line to align the point motor with the turnout. The holes can easily be covered with scenery material afterwards. Just a thought.
And a great thought,Seamonster! In fact, to build on your build, I have a package of baseplates, so I’ll use an extra one as a template, position and mark it, and then replace it with the plate with the motor affixed. I have no illusions of “painless,” but it makes good sense to me.
Rick Krall
To close the loop on this thread–Peco turnout motor alignment and installation under the subroadbed complete and successful but no day at the beach. What I’ve learned to make it easier next time/for others:
-
Make sure the motor is attached securely to the mounting plate by bending the tabs down firmly. I didn’t the first time around and, in combination with misalignment, the force of the throw dislodged the motor from the mounting plate. The result–thoughts of suicide followed by complete re-installation.
-
Motor alignment is critical. The Peco is not as flexible as the Tortoise. I secured the actuator rod with mini-ViceGrips and let the motor float while my wife moved the points slowly. In addition to the line (see previous posts in this thread), that gave me initial position. I then secured the motor from underneath while she removed the pliers and watched carefully for binding and good clearance for the actuator wire to finalize the position.
-
Even when you pre-drill each mounting hole with a pin vice, the weakest points of the Peco system remain the mounting (“fixing”) screws. They’re tiny, slotted and positioned with minimum clearance from the motor. I was in cramped quarters, against a wall, and reaching up to 50" with a jeweler’s screwdriver trying to see, let alone drive, these incredibly, and I mean incredibly, small screws with slotted heads. As my hands moistened and the screwdriver kept slipping out, the blood trail made orientation easier, but driving (3) of these was still unbelievably maddening. The advice: Substitute Phillips-head replacement screws from your local hardware store and use a #1 long-shank screwdriver to insert them. A blinding flash of the obvious perhaps, but I didn’t think of it until too late–but I’m ready for the next time.
-
Don’t ask your wife to assist you unless you have an incredibly strong marriage and she’s unarmed.
I’ve used both Peco and Atlas undermount switch machines but I use the same technique for both. I use flat toothpicks turned on their sides to use as spacers for holding the point rails in the centered position while I allign the turnout motor. I then run the actuator rod through the throwbar and then position it to the center position in order to line it up. When using Atlas switch machines, I use blue painters tape on either side of the nub to hold the slide in the center position while I allign the machine. With the Pecos, I just eyeball it to get the switch machine centered. Since adoptinging this technique, I’ve never ended up with a switch machine out of allignment.
Better than Phillips screws, I much prefer to use Robertson screws. That’s the ones with the square head. Stick a Robertson screw on the end of the screwdriver and it will stay there no matter what position you hold it in. They come in 5 different sizes (that is size of the square hole in the head) and there are 5 different sizes of screwdrivers to match the screws. The screwdrivers are colour-coded to match the screws–black, red, green, yellow, orange (or is it orange then yellow?) from largest to smallest. I find the green size the most versatile. I use mostly the green size. The screws in each colour group come in different sizes. (No, the screws aren’t coloured, only the handles of the screwdrivers!) Once you use Robertson screws you’ll never go back. I had to use some slotted screws to attach something yesterday and after much unprintable expletives and much slipping of the screwdriver and gouging of the wood, my belief that slotted screws should be outlawed was firmly reinforced!
Great advice, guys; thanks. I’d never heard of Robertson screws, but I’ll definitely look into them. And I welcome any advice on alignment, which I’ve always found challenging.
Rick Krall