I’m in the process of building a new N scale layout, actually haven’t bought a thing yet, but I have the plans and material list… I currently have a setup I built with Kato track a few years ago and although it was pretty much foolproof, it is very limited…
Every LHS carries Atlas or Kato so I’m going Atlas this time around…
With my turnouts I want to be able to use standard toggle switches and not the momentary switches like Kato and standard Atlas switches… I also want to be able to wire up LED’s so I can know while looking at my layout what direction the turnouts are going…
What are my options for throwing my turnouts and being able to have the same switch run my lighting??? I was looking at the Micromark slow motion machines and they seem to fit what i want to do. I’d just like some advice from someone who has done what I am contemplating…
There are 2 ways, basically to do it… First, if you use Atlas switch machines, the control MUST BE momentary contact… Otherwise, you’ll fry your solonoids in the switch machines.I would suggest the undertable type if you do use atlas… See below for why…
The above diagram is one I drew quite some time ago. The components are a micro switch, 2 push buttons, the LEDs and resistors (~560 ohm), and of course the switch machine (atlas under table)… I think you can get the idea of what’s going on… If not, ask, and I’ll expand on it…
If you want to just use Toggles, tortise would be a good way to go… They have 2 sets of contacts, one of which can be used to operate panel lights… I would do it that way rather than from the toggle because it’ll give you a positive indication of where the turnout is set. Same is true for the Atlas diagram…
Jeff
[8D]
If you end up using the selenoid machines, you can use momentary contacts on your control panel, but it isn’t easy to install LED’s with the Atlas selenoids unless you also use a relay. By the time you go to all that expense, you might as well use the better machines like Tortoise.
Just my opinion, and you all know what that’s worth!
I have not used Micromark but several other similar brands like Tortoise. There are actually three ways to wire them.
DPDT switches, 12V DC power supply. The switch is wired like a normal reversing switch. Two wires run to the turnout motor. Wire one indicator LED each way (polarity wise) with a resistor in parallel across the motor leads. Disadvantage of this system is the DPDT is more expensive and there are two wires going to each turnout.
SPDT switches, two 12V DC power supplies(bi-polar power). One side of the switch goes to the + side of one of the power supplies. The other side of the switch goes to the - of the other power supply. The center pole of the switch goes to one lead of the turnout motor. The other lead of the motor goes to a common bus which is connected to both the opposite sides of the power supplies. Wire one indicator LED each way in series with the wire going to the motor. Or you can put the LEDs with a resistor going to the common bus in parallel with the motor.
SPDT switches, up to 24V AC power supply. Similar to #2 above except each side of the SPDT is feed from a diode. Each side has a diode in opposite polarity. If you go with one set of diodes for each switch the LEDs can do double duty both indicating the setting and rectifying the power for the turnout.
You don’t have to have 12V for these things to work. I’ve run Tortoise with as low as 11 VAC which gives them 5.5V to the motor. They run slower but still work.
Now having said that… The problem with all three of these circuits is that the LED is not indicating how the turnout is thrown, it is indicating how the power is being sent to the
Ok… I’m not into making up relays to run my lighting so it’s going to be an undertable switch… Besides the micromark what are other good brands to look at? I’m going to need around 20 switches by the time I’m done…
If you use a track schematic on your control panel, you can use the same wires that powers your turnout frogs (metal frogs only) to light an indicator LED or light on the control panel to indicate which way the turnout is thrown. With Atlas switch machines (momentary contact), you’d have to wire in relays. Use the old adage - K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, er, uh, Silly… [:)]
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