Hi from Belgium,
There are three big brand of slow motion switch motors, TORTOISE, SWITCHMASTER, MICROMARK
For you beside the price, because they are all an around 15$ which is the best?
I use both Tortoise and Switchmaster but I prefer the Switchmaster because they are so easy to place and powerful.
I didnt place them following the instruction but on an aluminium bracket with the fulcrum perpendicular of the trowbar.
And the winner is…
Marc
I’ve used both Tortoise and SwitchMaster on an HO scale club layout and on my home HO layout, and have had equally satisfactory results. Tortoise seem to be easier to mount than SwitchMaster, but operationally I have noticed no significant difference in reliability.
I’ve never tried the Micro-Mark motor, but Tony’s Train Exchange reviewed it a couple of years ago and said it was not as reliable as a Tortoise.
Here’s the link to Tony’s comments: http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/mmark-switch-tender.htm
I use the Tortoise - I like the Switchmaster, but availability is spotty. The MicroMark motor just draws way too much current(they even include a resistor), making in-line LED’s not an option. And I can buy the Tortoise at a discount that matches the MicroMark price point.
Jim
Switchmaster (eleven of them) again for ease and power
I have only used the Tortoise (16 on my current layout) and can’t imagine using anything else.
Dave [banghead]
And my winner is: Not a switch motor!
Instead I use RC servos controlled from a ESU SwitchPilot. Then I can adjust the time for the switch, and adjust endpoints. It´s a wonderful value for the money, cost for 4 servos and the controller is a mere $50 and then it is both pushbutton and DCC controlled! Where else can you buy slowmotion turnout motors with DCC decoders under $12.50 each?
Marc,
You built the aluminum plate, bought and mounted the micro switches and terminal blocks, then put it on the layout?
I’ll just stay with the Tortoise with all those features built in and ready to install. And as mentioned allready, good shopping will find the Tortoise at good prices.
Sheldon
Switchmasters around 50 of them. Bottom fed on Ebay average price well under $10.00. Easy to install and wire. Using a bipolar power supply (two wall warts wired to produce 12 vdc+, 12 vdc- and a common ground) a single dpdt will give you frog polarity and throw with a speaker wire (pair of wires) hook up to the switch motor and frog. Lots of torque and very reliable. The only drawback is the crank showing in the center of the switch. Harder to spot when painted a weathered.
Underneath installation:
From above:
Most of the guys I know use switchmasters (must be a geographical thing). I install stops to keep the motors from tweaking the points.
Guy
Hi again,
Yes you have somewhere right, but a few years ago I bought micro switch in industrial surplus for 50cent euros the “kilogramme” of switch.
In fact I bought 10kg of them to be sure to have enough to the end of the construction of my layout…and it cost my only 5 euros.(3.5 US$).
By the way I am today the furnisher of all my friend for these switchs…[8D]
About the aluminium plate, I have acces to aluminium by my job.
I am a craftsman in wrought iron and I have acces to a press for bending my plate.
And years ago when an article appears in MR I beleive in the 80’s about the use of the Handkraft display motors I made a try and was very impressed by them. At this time I placed an order of 50 of them. They are still working on my layout, none of them were ever replaced. I have still a few in stock.
It’s reported that George Sellios use them on his FSM RR for example.
Marc
Marc,
Then I would agree for you its a good choice, but for most of us that would be a lot of additional work and expense.
Sheldon
I have five American Limited switch motors installed at a tower junction on the shelf type layout. What I like about them is they don’t hang down under the shelf with only two inches of space inside the frame. They have been working for about eight years now without a problem.
I prefer the hands-on approach. Once the basic supplies are bought in bulk. The cost of building the turnout controls is under two dollars each. It just takes time to build them.
On this web page I give the basic construction of a type of turnout control I plan to use on my next layout http://johnnny.reb49a.googlepages.com/turnoutcontrolswithbenefits I have however not shown the linkage to the layout edge as it is simply a ball or bead on the end of the actuator rod itself.
I like the old mannmade, but their outa business.
Hi from the arrogant U.S, of A – at least according to our fearless leader, B.O.
You left out my favorite, the DO-IT-YOURSELF manufactured by POTEET INDUSTRIES doing business out in THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST.
Some years ago I stumbled into a bargain in an electronics supply store in Phoenix, Ariztucky: a case of 100 24VAC 30RPM motors for the exhorbitant price of $4.95; with tax, dearly beloved, that comes to a shade over a nickel a motor. With my layouts being small I have generally used throttle cable linkage for my switches; if my plans come to frution my next layout is going to be considerably larget than I have ever constructed before with considerably more switches and powered switches are going to be a necessity.
Shortly after acquiring these motors I experimented with seeing how these things could be used for (track) switch control; using a 10:40 worm/spur gear I have reduced the effective speed of these motors to 7.5RPM. I have a double-ended rod soldered to that spur gear: one end of this rod moves a bell crank which in turn moves the bar on the (track) switch; the other end weights two microswitches; the circuit is activated by a momentary contact push-button (electronic) switch – the kind which remains in contact as long as it is depressed – which sets the motor in motion in one direction or the other. It remains in rotating until iturned off by contact with one of the microswitchs which also reverses the contacts on the motor. The next time the switch is depressed the motor runs in the opposite direction throwing the switch in the opposite direction.
All together I figure these switches cost me about ten bucks apiece although I suspect that they will be somewhat more expensive fabri