I’ll do the best I can to explain this. My benchwork frame is made of 2 x 4’s. I have a 1/2" plywood base with 3/4" foam on top of it. Now, here is where my problem starts. I have 2 #6 turnouts at the very edge of the layout at one end. The center point of the turnout where the tortoise wire goes through is a half inch from the frame. I cant move the track away from the edge because it will screw up all the other tracks. How can I mount the tortoise to make it work? Any and all ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Investigate the Tortoise Remote Mount. I picked one up to use as a model because you can DIY the same thing for less money, but I wanted one to base a design off of. I plan to operate all of my turnouts in a similar fashion - the big plus is you don;t have to put the Tortoise motor precisely underneath the throwbar of the turnout. It’s still not super easy even when the turnout is in a completely open area under the benchwork. Basically you have an upside down J shaped wire in the throwbar hole (either in the center or off to the side) which goes down under the benchwork, and you put a 90 degree bend in that and push-pull on that which rotates the vertical wire and moves the throwbar. You can run off in any direction underneath, even parallel to the track, a push pull will still move the throwbar left-right.
–Randy
Circuitron makes the Remote Tortoise Mount, which is shown on their web site. This will probably fit into the location you are having a problem with.
Another reason using risers in benchwork is a good idea.
Another reason 2x4’s for benchwork is not.
Extend the throwbar away from the switch.
Use a pivoting linkage to between the switch and the Tortoise.
I’ve mounted my Tortois in this way, du to clearance problems:
You find more at my Westport site, scroll down.
Wolfgang
Now that Willy6’s questions have been answered, I’d like to know why people place layers of foam over plywood to support track on a large (not talking about creating mountains here), expansive tabletop, and then use risers to create elevated track. This wastes a lot of material, frustrates access directly under elevated track, makes under-track switch machine installation problematic, and probably other negatives I can’t now imagine. Placing plywood only under track and structure areas (using cookie-cutter and other methods), employing risers connected to an open supporting framework for raising track above the base level, and either thin cork, foam, or homasote to create the roadbed avoids those problems. I believe techniques developed for small (smaller than 4x8), portable modules have been mistakenly carried over to larger layouts.
Mark
You could simply notch the 2x4 and do this:
It worked fine for me. Naturally I had one TO directly over the only 2x4 support under the layout.
Much less expensive than a remote mount but not as versatile.
Karl