Hey,
Anybody notice the price increases on tortoise switches in this months MRR? youch [:0] I still have another 10 turnouts to install!
Oh well. I guess that’s the hazards of inflation.
BTW: Happy 4th All!
~D
Walthers still shows it at $16.95. What is the new price?
I know at my LHS they are the most stolen item. They actually moved them up front so they can watch them. I guess eventually they will be like cigarettes and placed behind the counter.
$18.95 is going to be the newest MSRP. This will be effective 8/01/05 THe add is on Page 101 of the August 2005 MR.
Noah
What are the alternatives to tortoise that offer slow motion and constant contact pressure?
Tortoises can still be found on ebay for between $11.00 and $12.00. Got some a few months ago for about $11.50 a piece.
Who needs Ebay? Tim at Empire Northern Models sells them for $10.95.
Tell’em I sent you.
note: I have no connection with Tim other than being a satisified customer
I WILL be stocking up before the price increase. Don’t need any more at the moment, but now that I have a plan mostly done for the rest of the basement, I can see I’ll need a LOT of those turtles.
–Randy
so what is the skinny on these slow motion switche machines is it to be more prototypical???
yeah…they just look cooool as the points gradually move. Kinda lioke running your trains slowwwww
The ad says it’s simply because of inflation - they haven’t raised the price in a few years, and figure it’s about time they did. Kind of unfortunate, though. I just bought 3 Accurail cars online today and thought to myself, “I could almost get two Tortoises for the price I paid for these 3 cars!”
As for a susbstitute, I just got a MicroMark catalog in the mail the other day, and they are advertising their motors for about $16 each ($14 if you buy 10 or more). The model is called “switch tender.” At first glance, it seems like a very similar thing, but only takes one second to cycle, whereas Tortoises take about 3 seconds. I’d be interested to hear any feedback from folks who’ve used these things to see if they’re any good.
Cheers,
There’s an alternative sold under two different names: SwitchMaster and TorqueMaster. Strangely, both of these items are exactly the same thing, come from the same town in Ohio, and cost the same, even though their two street addresses are different.
These motors seem to be military surplus servo motors that two people bought and are selling to hobbiests.
If the Mico-Mark unit was less expensive, I’d consider it. But to get the same as a Tortoise you need to add 2 switches to be triggered by the linkage, add in the cost of the required switches and you’re right back at Tortoise pricing. Same with the other slow-motion machines out there. And I have yet to see one that can be dropped in from the top of a foam surface like a Tortoise, all the others require some sort of screw mount to the underside of the benchwork.
Price increase or not, there’s STILL not another IDENTICAL alternative. Although I don’t buy the marketing spin - it wasn’t so long ago the list price was $14.95. Then $16.95. And now, $18.95. I don’t have some wierd memory, I just never throw away issues of Model Railroader. I see a market opportunity, as I think it is possible to build a unit that functions like a Tortoise and mass produce it for less money. How long left til the patent runs out and we can get clones, like with couplers? [:D]
–Randy
Randy,
Thanks for the heads up on Empire Northern. Got a feeling they’re gonna sell out quick at those prices!
Dave
I have 12 of the tortise machines and a power supply for them i will let go for $160.00, that is with shipping. They have not been installed but the throw wires are not included, and are not in original box. E-mail me if intrested