I was looking online and found some small solenoids for $3-$4 that look like they would look great for turnout controls. I know I’d have to rig up a mount and pin set up, but that would be cheap and EZ. I don’t care about slow motion. Has anyone ever tried this? What are the pros and cons?
The question I would ask is, “How well do they hold their position once you’ve removed the power?” The two I’m most familiar with, Peco and Atlas, have different philosophies about this. The Atlas uses a slightly flexible wire, and the switch machine drives the wire well beyond where it needs to go. It’s the springiness of the wire that holds the points against the stock rail. Peco, on the other hand, uses the spring in the turnout itself to hold the points. All the switch machine needs to do is get the turnout past the midpoint, and then the spring takes over.
I tried using a Peco machine on an old brass Shinohara turnout. It wouldn’t hold the points well enough to prevent derailments, let alone provide power-routing. Also, when I came into the trainroom at the end of the day, I had to deliberately throw these turnouts, because the “dead time” when I wasn’t running the trains always let the points “migrate” off the stock rails. The solution was to toss the Shinohara and replace it with a Peco. (Anybody want an old brass Shinohara 3-way turnout?)
I’m just using Atlas so the force doesn’t have to be that great. I was concerned about the cycle time but many of these show an infinate cycle time at 100% power. I think I’ll call their engineer today and see what he recommends.
Solenoids usually are not spring loaded and do nothing more than what an Atlas switch machine on their Snap Track turnouts does – slam from one positiion to the other, and burn out if you try to apply constant power to hold them in position.
IMHO, you’re going to waste more money than you save, and you may actually damage your turnouts.
Since the Atlas under-table switch machines are available on-line for less than six bucks, what are you really going to save after you’ve added all the bits and engineering to make the solenoids work?
Just thinking out loud. The company I was looking at makes spring loaded ones with infinite latching time and million cycle ratings. They even sell miniature slow motion ones. I guess a type of linear motor with adjustable rate. Might be some new technology.
I’ve just heard a lot of people complain about the Atlas burning out.
While it might be possible to find a solenoid that can stand continuous power, what would that do to your power consumption??? If it has enough oomph to throw the points it might also need a continuous 12 watts of power (1 amp at 12 volts) OTOH, many relays draw far less - but don’t provide enough mechanical energy to move and hold points reliably.
Then there’s the matter of having electrical contacts driven by the point actuator. Granted, Atlas doesn’t have any (which is why I don’t use them.) By the time you add a microswitch to the mix, you’re almost up to the price of a RIX machine bought on sale - and that’s a (double) solenoid that’s designed to move turnout points and hold them securely.
[For the record, I have no commercial interest in RIX switch machines. I’ve just been using them to supplement my dwindling stock of ancient KTM double-solenoid (with 3pdt contacts) machines.]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck-Are those Rix any good? Are they slow mo? I see Walthers has them on sale for $9.
I used Rix machines on my last layout and they worked just fine (even with my less than precise mounting!). The first ones I mounted right to the underside of my plywood subroadbed, later, I started using the Rix Rack mount for them.
They are not slo-mo. They can be a bit noisy, but I didn’t mind that - at least I knew they were working.
(I, too, have no financial interest in Rix products [:D] )
George
“Slow-mo solenoid machine,” is an oxymoron - any brand. The only way to slow a solenoid is to incorporate an oil-filled dashpot or surge absorber into the mechanical linkage, and that makes it both a lot more expensive and a lot more maintenance intensive than most model railroaders would be willing to put up with.
I have no problem with fast-motion switchpoints (or semaphore blades, but that’s another story) so the Rix machine (with built-in DPDT contacts) meets most of my needs. Initially, I wasn’t thrilled by the brass contacts, but they ‘make’ with a wiping action and so far I haven’t had any continuity problems.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Walthers sale. I need another half-dozen or so!
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork and solenoid switch machines)
Loathar,
I am looking for some small solenoids myself for another application. Could you point me towards your online source? Thanks.