CAN I INSTALL THE SWITCH MACHINE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE WALTHERS DCC FRIENDLY SWITCHES SINCE THEY DON’T HAVE A CENTER HOLE ? (SWITCH MACHINES ARE THE TORTOISE)THANKS MARTIN
you might do better to drill a small hole through the center of the throwbar.
You can put them anywhere you like, even many feet away if you don’t mind building linkages. If you have a turnout located directly over a support member for the benchwork, you might have to do some odd mountings off to the side and connect tot he turnout with some sort of linkage. Cenetered under the middle is the most straightforward and probably should be used in all but the special cases where there is no room for the Tortoise.
–Randy
The “hole” at either end of the throwbar on Shinohara made Walthers turnouts is bridged with a little plastic that can be trimmed off with a sharp #11. This will allow the Tortoise actuating wire to project slightly through the hole.
I have replaced many of my older turnouts (non DCC power routing type) that used to have the center hole and just drilled a small hole between the points on the new ones. Use a pin vice so you don’t risk damaging the throw bar. I don’t have any problems with some of the others that I’ve used the rivet eyelet for the actuator wire to pass through either…
ED
I mounted my torts to the side useing the draw bar they work fine!
JIM
Been there done that.
Used .039 piano wire specially bent then hollowed out the support (didn’t take a picture, but finish the hole with a sharp wood chisel to square it off neatly).
The turnout works fine.
I have a brief tutorial here.
Good luck,
Karl