Once again I need some advice. I have some N-scale Peco turnouts that I would like to drive with Tortoise motors. I have removed the springs, leaving a little notch in the throw bar. How should I connect the rod from the motor to the turnout? The notch is too small for the wire. Do I drill out the notch to accommodate the wire? Do I drill out a new hole in the throw bar? Is there even enough room to drill a new hole? Help!
Hi Richard; You must drill a hole under the throw bar in the underlayment at either end of the throw bar you chose and use the hole already provided in the throw bar for the Tortoise spring wire to go through. The spring in the Peco turnout can usually stay if you use a heavier Tortoise wire than provided. Removing the Peco springs is ok too as the Tortoise keeps preasure on the points for good contact.
None of this is a big deal, just set the turnout where you want it, mark where you want to drill the hole, remove the turnout, drill it, line up the turnout and anchor it in place and complete your Tortoise work. Don’t try and drill a hole under the turnout bar with the turnout already anchored. Chances are you will ruin it. Doug
I am still a little confused. I have cut the enlongated hole in the roadbed and the underlayment, so I am good there. The challenge is with placement of the switch motor rod into the bar. Here is a picture of the Peco N-Scale turnout. If you zoom in, you will see that there is no hole for the spring. On the N-Scale turnout, the spring sits in a small notch in the bar. Unfortunately, the notch is a tad smaller than the rod that came with motor. I could bore out the notch a little bigger, but it would still be a notch, not a hole. I could drill a new hole, but I am concerned there is not enough room above the notch without compromising the integrity of the bar. Another option would be to place the hole off center. I am a confused novice.
It’s OK to drill the hole off-center. It will still work fine. We modelers usually do whatever it takes to get it done.
From the picture, it looks like there’s a long oval throwbar with holes in each end. I would use one of those holes. There is no requirement to mount the Tortoise at the center. It will work fine from the ends of the throwbar.
Just so we know, what are you using for roadbed and subroadbed? If you’re using 2-inch foam, you will need a longer piece of wire for the Tortoise. For longer wire, you should probably also go with something heavier than what’ provided.
Again Richard; use the hole at either end of the throw bar as I mentioned above. The Tortoise does not have to be under center, just set up under center of the hole you are going to use in each end (which ever) of the throw bar. I am wondering if you have already drilled a hole and have the turnout installed. I would remove the turnout and drill a hole at either end of the throw bar you chose and re-install the turnout. With Peco the Tortoise accuating wire goes through the hole at either end of the throw bar. Doug
I may but old, but I’m slow. Now I understand. The bad news is that I have already drilled the hole in the roadbed and the underlayment in the center of the track; the good news is that I have not mounted the turnout. Thanks all for the help and patience.
Ok Richard, Just fill the hole you have with caulk or something. Put a couple of tooth picks on each side of the point rails to center them, drill a small hole through the hole on the side of the throw bar you want to install the Tortoise straight down. Remove the turnout and drill your large hole centered on the small bit mark. Set the turnout in possition and anchor it. Install the Tortoise as directed.
Remember, when marking the Tortoise mounting screws, hold the machine with accuating wire centered on the machine and slide the wire up through the hole in the throw bar and mark the mounting screw possitions. Then remove the toothpicks from the points. After everything tests ok snip off the remaining accuating wire to just a sixteenth of an inch or so above the throw bar.
You will find that once you have done this it is really quite simple and works great. Doug
DO NOT use your good rail cutters for cutting the tortoise accuating wire or you will ruin them.