Shopping for track

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hello all, I just purchased my new Walthers catalog and i’m starting to look for my track list.

I am going to model the Jerome & southwestern with my own twist to it. I have noticed there are a lot

of turnouts without those big ugly switch machines on the side. is there any way to make those remote

operated. I just dont think the ones with the machine are very realistic looking.

thanks in advance for your input,Joe

2

Joe,

Yep, virtually any switch machine can be adapted to a turnout. The question is which one works best for your circumstances? I use Tortoise electrical switch machines. The Bluepoint is similar, but smaller and operated by hand via a linkage. And there are many more. I tend to prefer the stall motor operation that the Tortoise provides as it’s gentle on the turnout.

3

Thanks Mike, just found them in the catalog gonna go to the website for a closer look!

4

I like the Tortoise for my turnouts. It has aux contacts that can be used if desired to powet isolated frogs such as Walthers code 83.

5

CAN YOU USE THEM ON COOKIE CUTTER BENCHWORK? HOW DO THEY MOUNT?

6

Sure. There are whole threads here in MR and You Tube videos on mounting Tortoise machines. A recent post talked about using two sided tape to mount them. The good thing about cookie cutter bench work is that except where the tracks cross each other, clearance is usually not a problem. While you can do some relatively ingenious things to mount them, in most cases they hang down below the bench work.

Lefty