I’m ready to move to the next level in my model railroading career : starting to get rid of the atlas switch machines that sit on top of the table, next to the switch.
I built a small, industrial switching layout generally based on a track plan out of an Atlas book, using Atlas track, with my sons. I have all Atlas Customline switches, mostly #6’s with a few #4’s. No natural scenery, just a flat industrial setting with some buildings and details.
We built benchwork like you see in the Sievers’ (sp) ads in ModelRailroader magazine. I don’t know what you guys call that type of benchwork, its like a ladder with beams 2ft apart and a rung every 2ft. Over that is 1/2" of nice plywood. Over that is homasote.
I use DCC, and eventually will wire it so switch position is indicated on trackside dwarf signals.
Is the Tortoise machine everyone’s favorite? Is it the easiest to install, and I guess adjust? Any problems mating it to the Atlas Customline’s? Should I start thinking about replacing the Atlas switches with something else as I buy a new switch machine?
Thanks for any thoughts. I know alot of people use ground throws, or in some other way manually throw the switch, and I have some of those too, as it is prototypical to do so. But in our very small layout (space is tight in my house), “hands off” operation has become one of the fun parts of the layout, as we have no long runs, with big engines, and long trains, through beautiful mountains or deserts and such.
I don’t find them to be a pain at all. And once installed, I’ve never seen one fail. They work fine with Atlas turnouts. And the slow gentle motion keeps from tearing up the switch points, too. Plus the contacts are there for powering the frog and signalling. Sure they’re expensive, but I think they are well worth the cost.
I jumped up to the tortoise last year. Best move I have made. They all operate smoothly and have been dependable. Use both Peco and Atlas switches. The only pain in the *** I had was in installing them after the fact. It is quite a feat keeping a drill bit from grabbing and pushing up through the switch when making the hole. Only lost one switch though.
I have mine wired into a lighted switch panel and use dpdt toggles to run them. I dont run them through DCC. Mine are powered by an old power pack that is set at about half power to keep the machines slow and steady.
Installation is not a big problem,but much easier if you are young and flexable or get someone to help.I operate my tortoise off a bi-polar power supply.the power to the tortoises has been “on” continuesly since 1985…with no problems.
Hi Pennsy,
I’ve found that a way to keep from destroying a turnout when drilling upwards through the table after the fact is to slip a piece of sheet metal under the turnout before starting. Usually there will be no adhesive nor ballast at that part of the turnout so getting the sheet metal under is no real problem. When drilling the new access hole, watch for the appearance of the cork roadbed amongst the sawdust. Press hard enough to get through the table but not enough to penetrate the thin sheet metal.
This is the method I’ll use when I replace the Atlas under table controllers with Tortoises next year or the year after.
I’ve always found Tortoises easy to use and feel that they are one of the better values for the money. Circuitron even sells a line of parts to make them easy to use in animation projects, such as working semaphores and crossing gates.
Having said that, I’ve had a couple of projects where the requirements made it more cost-effective to buy bare Hankscraft motors and fashion my own moutning brackets out of wood, since the project required a large number of turnouts and didn’t require the electrical switching features of the Tortoise.
I really like the tortoise UTTSM…it’s easy to install and they last forever using very little power to operate them (about 50 machines using a 12 volt DC supply)…the benchwork you described is “L” girder which I use exclusively…here is my website to show you how to mount the tortoise…click the right arrow button and the next ten pictures explains how to mount the tortoise machine with explanation remarks under the pictures…chuck http://community.webshots.com/photo/137793353/245295018tpquTj
You can also use a “drill stop” which is a collar that fits over the drill bit. You adjust it so the exposed length of the bit is exactly the depth of the hole you want to drill. When you get down to the collar (or up to the collar, since you’re drilling from underneath) then the tip of the drill is right where you want it.
You could also just put a piece of masking tape around the bit, and stop when the tape gets to the surface you’re drilling through. Not quite as safe, but you can’t beat the price.
You’re welcome Pennsy
Always glad to help a fellow Quaker Stater [8D]
Mister B…great point re the drill stop. Just getting ready to do a chore like this and my Teflon mind let that thought slip away. Thanks!![:D]
I wondered the same thing. If you do a search on this forum for “tortoise” I think you’ll find, as I did, that these things last forever, are totally dependable and made by a company that stands by its products. I was originally put off by the cost, but after reading several dozen posts here I have realized that with the tortoise the old saying “you get what you pay for” is very true!!
Dave
you know, Circuitron should just put the URL’s of the tortoise discussions on it’s ads in the magazines . . . bet they’d sell a bunch more!!
Installation Idea! You may think this is mickey mouse, but it works and it sure saves the back. [^]
After drilling your hole for the Tortoise actuator wire, stick the hook side of a 2x2 piece of industrial Velcro beside the hole placed for the proper alignment of the Tortoise machine.
Since you are sticking to raw plywood, put a couple of staples in for extra strength.
Stick the fuzz side of the Velcro on the Tortoise machine bottom.
With the actuator wire at full length and installed in the machine, align the wire from the bottom up and into the hole of the turnout keeping the Velcro seperated with fingers.
When satisfied with the alignment stick the Velcro together. If more adjustment is needed, just seperate the Velcro.
If your nervous about the Velcro, you can install a couple of mounting screws very easily.
Time: about 2-3 minutes
Advantage: time, easy installation, can be removed for repair/adjustment. VERY strong (you can’t knock it loose)
As for the drilling… I’ve had a few cases where the throw bar on the switch had creeped away from the original hole that I had drilled for the tortoise actuating wire so I had to enlarge the hole.
ROTO-ZIP to the rescue (wear goggles!!) You can accurately set the depth and the bit acts like a router to enlarge the hole so the wire can move freely…
An added bonus with the Tortoise is the easy way you can put a bi-color LED in series with the motor leads for turnout indication… no resistors, just test the orientation of the cathode-anode before you permanently wire it. Use the 2 lead LEDs.
I have some tortoises wired with a second “reverser” switch (dpdt) so I can throw the switch from 2 locations!
My layout has about 50 machines and I’ve never had a bad one!
Nooooo! They already have trouble keeping up with demand. My LHS always has a hard time getting any from Walthers OR either of their other 2 distributors. And another not as close hobby shop says THEY have trouble getting them too.
Once I’ve stocked up enough to build for a while - THEN they can advertise more [:D]