could I use a capacitor discharge unit and ATLAS turnout controllers (the little black boxes) with these? I’m in N scale.
I suppose. Are the units the same ones that are used for HO, or are they smaller? In HO, the Peco spring means that you need a lot of “kick” to throw them over, so you really need the capacitive discharge circuit. If the N-gauge turnouts are similar, then you should use a CD circuit there, too. It won’t hurt in any case, and will always give you better turnout operation for any twin-coil machine.
Atlas controllers will work. They are single-pole, double-throw momentary-contact switches, which is just what the doctor ordered for twin-coil machines. And, like everything the doctor orders these days, they come with side effects and a hefty price tag. They are really large for what they do, and they don’t work well on a “schematic” control panel with a track diagram, on which you’d place the buttons where the turnout appears on the picture. They do act as turnout position indicators, because the slide stays put even after you release the button. Their big problem, though, is that they are unreliable. In particular, they sometimes “stick” in the closed position. Under normal circumstances, if you don’t notice it and you leave it this way for a few minutes, you will smell and see smoke, and your switch machine will be history. A capacitive discharge circuit, because it limits total steady-state current through the system, will usually protect your machines.
Just be very careful with those Atlas turnout controllers – they are notorious for sticking and burning up turnout motors.
I’ve heard that the springs should be removed, but that may just be for slow-motion switch machines.
That’s right. You need the spring if you’re going to use Peco twin-coil machines. These machines will not hold the points against the rails by themselves. That’s why you can’t use Peco machines with other manufacturers’ turnouts.
well, I’ve been using them for testing my turnouts (want to see if they encounter any problems before I solder them to the rest of the track, and the motors are buried in the layout surface) and I’ve never had that happen.
The Atlas turnout controllers are just as weak and flimsy as the Snapswitches they come with.They may be trustable with the low power requirements of the Snapswitches,but I certainly wouldn’t trust them handling the power of the Peco coils/CDU combination.That would be asking for trouble,but then…it’s only my opinion.