I have some Atlas #66 undertable switch machine and Peco pl-10e but I was wondering which would be the best under table solution for someone who is not very clever with electricity and such.
Which is the best solution for an undertable switch machine that is easy to wire ??? I thought of Tortoise but I got lost at their instruction page!!!
thanks
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/quadservodecoder.html
Browse around the Tam Valley site and look at some of the server control options.
The only switch machines I have installed are the Pecos. They are very easy to wire. Peco also makes a wiring harness which I’d reccomend. Three wires, come with a Peco wiring harness. The green slides on to two posts on one of the motor and a black and red on the other side. The red and black go to a momentary toggle switch, the green goes to the positive terminal on the CDU or the power supply and a wire from the center pole on the toggle goes to the negative pole.
If you want to power an accessory PECO makes a switch for that too which is glued to the underside of the switch motor. It also uses 3 wires as the switch motor.
What may be a problem depending on your layout top is that the switch motor requires a hole about 1" deep. My top has enough foam so making the opening wasn’t a problem. Of course adding the accessory switch will require a deeper hole.
EDIT:
Bob
Do you just want to throw the turn out remotely or use it to power other things?
I use the Atlas motors with my own system.
Lee
Thanks for all your responses.
I want to turn out the switch remotely. I had the previous solenoid type Atlas turnouts, with the motor at the side, but I no longer want to have it placed on the layout because it lacks realism.
So I was wondering which undertable solution could I use which was simple to install and no complicated wiring involved. I heard of servos, for instance, but they told me they were difficult to setup
Honestly, just follow the basic Tortoise wiring diagram until you understand it. It can;t get any simpler than that, DC power spplied to the motor terminals via a reversing switch. No momentary buttons, no extras. Ignore allt he ones about split power and so forth, you want the most basic one with a DC power supply, a DPDT switch, some wire, and the Tortoise. Two wires from the power supply to the switch, two wires from the switch to the Tortoise. There is no simpler wiring that that.
Servos aren’t really difficult to set up, depending on which controller you get, they do a decent job of finding the enpoints all on their own. It IS somewhat critical since servos are NOT stall motors and need to reach a position where htey cna cut off, but that’s all done in the controller. Wiring them is two wires fromt he power supply to the controller, and the 3 pin cab;e from the servo plugs in to the controller. Get it backwards and it just won’t move, no harm done.
–Randy
Here is the way I use the Atlas switches. It requires making some adapters and buy or make a capacitor discharge system. this will protect the Atlas motors and only costs a a few dollars. If you are interested I can post instructions. They work for me, but others may claim better ideas.
Enjoy
Lee
If you dont want to worry about electrical work, go with a manual solution like the Bull Frog.
I use Switch Tenders from Micro Mark. Easy to wire if you just want to throw the points. I use Walthers turnouts.
Paul
If your main objection to the Atlas machines is the appearance, you can hide them. There are 2 hidden Atlas machines in this picture.
One is inside the Swift packing plant, linked by an extended throwbar. The other is hiding beneath a mound of scenery right at the bottom of the picture. For that one, I made a shell of plaster cloth to protect the machine, and then covered it with Gypsolite, ground foam and flocking. The cover is “permanent,” but would be easy to remove if necessary. I’ve got a bunch of these on my layout, and most have been there for 4-5 years without any need to remove them.
Hi everyone and thnx for your support!
@rrinker: what do you need to operate a Tortoise? a continuous DC power? and how do you turn the switch out? with a “buzzer” type button? or a DPDT?
@yankee flyer: please do post your instructions! I am evaluating everything
@nittanyLion: I know about Bullfrog, but I thought they were for toytrains! kind of amateur solution
@pascaff: I am taking a look at their site now, do you need a continuous DC source to operate them too?
@Misterbeasley: I’ve purchased Peco electrofrog switches and I also bought at Handlaidtrack a kit to furnish myself with some curved turnouts, so I own no motor on the side turnout currently
Thanks!!!
Generally I’ve found the wiring for remote turnout motors to be the easy part. Getting the motor installed in the right place to throw the turnout’s points correctly is usually what takes time and patience.
I also use the Switch Tenders from Micro-Mark. I find them easy to install and adjust for proper throw. They just require 2 wires and a toggle switch to reverse the polarity of the DC. MM says to use a regular toggle switch to keep the power applied all the time. They stall after throwing the points but the amount of current they draw when stalled is more than that which the Tortoise draws. I use momentary switches because I found that with my N scale turnouts they will hold the points against the stock rails quite firmly with the power removed. You can also buy a 3 pole toggle switch from MM which will give you an extra contact for powering a frog or an indicator light.
Tortoises uses a DPDT toggle switch. No pushbuttons.
Bullfrog, for toy trains? They’re made by a company known for high precision jigs for handlaying your own turnouts. How did you possibly associate them with toy trains?
–Randy
@wjstix: well, I know not much of wiring, so that’s what scares me a bit. Wiring solenoids was easy
@seamonster:so, if I get you straight you just use a momentary button when you need to throw the switch? I thought servos had to be powered at all times… getting lost
@rrinker: well, I know about them but I considered, may be wrong of course, that pulling wires was somehow “prehistorical” and more suitable for toy trains
Kokomo
If you don’t want to run wires or want a drop and play, my system is not for you. It’s for us cheepos who bought Atlas turnouts with the motors and are unwilling to spend more.
Enjoy the process.
Lee
Well, it won’t hurt Lee… I want something easy to do and not that complicated in wiring…
cheers[Y]
Yes, normally you would supply continuous power via a simple DPDT switch. However, it seems that the MM switch-tenders are “sturdy” enough for N scale (i.e. won’t move) that he can wire a momentary contact switch between the DPDT and the switch-tender so as to cut off their power after they’ve stalled.
e.g.
====\
=====\====== <–turnout thrown to the siding
(set DPDT switch to allow the points to be set for the main, then push momentary contact switch)
====\
============ <–turnout thrown to the main
(release momentary contact switch)
KoKomo,
I use an old wall transformer to power my Switch Tenders. It is connected to buss wires that are a different color from the DCC buss wires. Very easy to install and adjust. They are controlled by DPDT switches I had from my old DC block layout. They do need constant power as I am in HO and use Walthers turnouts.
Paul
The Atlas Under The Table Switch mashines are very easy to install and cost much less than all the other switch machines at around $7 a piece. I am investigating into a new control motor out of Englad I saw online. Looks nice for Peco turnouts.