Hello! Lovin’ life with my change to DCC and I’m now hoping to get rid of the unrealistic switch machines for the Atlas switches on my layout…what are the suggestions from the experts out there as to the best way to proceed…Tortoise machines get great reviews…can they work with the Atlas…what about other types of ‘manual’ machines-rigid or sprung-looking for more great advice! Thanks!
I am a Tortoise guy. The only downside is the occassional issue where you have challenges fitting them under the turnout. I was careful to avoid that situation when I built my layout. But I’ll swear by them and don’t think you could go wrong with them.
I’m using Atlas customline code 83 turnouts and Caboose Industries sprung ground throws. These are manual levers installed along side the turnouts. They are a little too big if you’re looking for a scale-look, but they work well.
Jim
Of course they can.
There are many manual machines out there. I think the most common is the “caboose ground throw”.
The first question you should really answer is what you are trying to accomplish. Is the most important thing looks? Then do you want manual throws, or remote? Is the desired trait the slow throwing action, do you need the contacts available in the tortoise? There are many other brands of stall motors available.
You can not use Peco switch machines with Atlas turnouts. Pecos are designed to be use with Peco turnouts. The turnouts themselves are spring-loaded, so the points hold solidly against the rails from the spring tension, not from the switch machine. Atlas machines are themselves sort-of spring-loaded, so they are designed for use with non-spring turnouts like Atlas or pretty much all the others.
Atlas makes an under-layout machine, but the activating linkage is only an inch long. This makes it impossible to mount under 2-inch foam, which I and many others use. I did take one of these and glue it to the underside of the turnout, and mounted it on a hollowed-out section of roadbed. It works OK, but if it ever fails I’ll have to rip up track to replace it.
I’ve been constructing covers for my own Atlas above-table mount machines. I’m using a plaster-cloth base with Gypsolite on top, and then scenic materials above that. A couple of them look pretty good, but I’ve got to do some more work hiding the edges of the others.
I have several Tortoise machines on my layout. Several years on, they’ve been extremely reliable. These machines tend to go on forever–I’ve never heard of one failing. It can be a pain to install them though. I found a way around it. Since my track isn’t ballasted (and probably never will be), I can pop up a piece or two, and drill the large hole from above. I think it’s easier (and less stressful, since I don’t have to worry about the bit attacking the switch rod) than drilling from below. Once the holes for the machine are drilled, it’s a simple matter of screwing it to the layout, aligning the throw rod, then dropping the turnout into place. The only drawback I can see with the Tortoise, is that they sometimes interfere with layout obstacles. In fact, there’s one place along my main line that I had to shorten one of the table legs for clearance. As if that wasn’t enough, I had to notch the L-girder for access to the machine’s pivot point. (The fulcrum on the machine sometimes works its way loose, and that one would have been impossible to reach without the notch.) So far though, it works great!
Atlas code 83 turnot and Tortoise, a marriage made in heaven. Easiest undertable motor to install, realistic, reliable, and cheaper than a peco turnout and peco solenoid together.
I was scared to death about trying to install them, reading all the warnings from people about how hard they are to align, set up etc. If you ever installed a Peco with their big honking solenoid and the HUGE hole they require, you would NEVER, EVER tell anyone to worry about a tortoise installation. Just don’t expect to install one easily if you have a joist running under or near the throw bar. Duh, That makes it difficult for ANY brand of undertable installation.
My [2c]
Joe Daddy