I’d like to pick the brains of some of you narrow gaugers (especially HOn3) out there.
How do you control your turnouts? Do you use twin coils switch machines, 1 RPM “stall” motors, manual mechanical linkages, surface base "hand throws, or something else?
On my previous layout (HO standard gauge) I used twin coil machines (RIX) and liked them very much. I’m just not sure if they will work as in HOn3 and with DCC.
Thanks in advance,
George
The only difference between a standard gauge turnout and a narrow gauge turnout is the distance between the rails. If you were happy with RIX machines before, then by all means use them again.
While DCC is great for controlling locomotives, it isn’t the best solution for switch machines. Think of trying to remember the proper addresses for all the switches along the line. Also, think about the power RIX machines draw, and the cost of fixed decoders to control them with DCC. It’s a lot easier to use push buttons, and a dedicated power supply, and keep switch control completely separate from locomotive control.
[As for your reference to narrow-gauge modelers, I personally model two gauges, narrow (42") and narrower (30") in 1:80 scale, and use twin-coil switch machines.]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Thanks Chuck,
Aside from the machines themselves, one of my concerns is the controls. I like the idea of pushbuttons. They take up less room in my (all to narrow) asiles than a wooden knob of a push/pull linkage and don’t need to be recessed like a SPDT switch.
Some people don’t like the noise they make, but it never really bothered me. It gave me an audible indication that a switch had been thrown.
1/80th scale? Is that OO?
-George
Howdy, George,
1:80 scale on 16.5mm gauge track is known as HOj, and is rather closer to OO (1:76) than to HO (1:87). It’s only used to model Japanese prototype, as far as I know.
LisaP has a thread about modeling the WP&Y. You two might want to compare notes.
Push buttons are one control answer. Another (the absolutely simplest and cheapest) is to use a hot probe, and studs on your track schematic. I use a large-diameter stereo plug for a probe, which is connected to one pole of my dedicated transformer. The other pole is connected to a common bus which reaches every machine. The panel studs are wired to the coils.
When not in use, the probe resides in a stereo jack on the underside of my panel - where I can find it without fumbling around. The jack locks it in place against gravity.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)