I remember a long time ago there was a thread comparing Atlas table-top and Tortoise machines. I commented that one thing you could easily do with the Atlas was have controls both near the switch and at the control panel. Someone corrected me saying you can do that with a Tortoise too.
How would you wire toggles so that you could control a Tortoise from either of two places?
Thanks for the help!
When I need to control a Tortise from more than one location, I use the NCE Switch-It.
This allows almost unlimited points of control plus the Switch-It can also be controlled via DCC cab.
The Switch-It also controls two different Tortise and cost about $12.00.
You can do it with 2 DPDT toggles. It will be sort of like a three way light switch setup, in that you can’t tell the position of the turnout based on looking at only one switch. Here is a description, I may try to make a picture later…
To give us a chance, I’ll names the contacts and switches. S1 and S2 are the switches. Each switch has commons, C1 and C2, and switched contacts A1, B1, A2, B2. (1 references on half pole, and 2 the other).
So, hook one side of the power supply to S1A1 and S1B2, and the other to S1A2, and S1B1. Hook S1C1 to S2A1 and S2B2. Hook S1C2 to S2B1 and S2A2. Hook S2C1 and S2C2 to the two side of the Tortoise.
Unless I have confused myself, you are done. Throwing either switch changes the position of the turnout.
A picture is worth a few hundred words:
The dual dpdt switch setup will work fine. The idea is to install a standard single switch and make a provision to swap the two tortoise leads between that switch and the machine.
To complicate matters, there is a more rare item called a crossover (or 4-way switch) that can also be used, It has only 4 contacts and can occasionally be found on the surplus market. Probably not worth worrying about.
If you are using a split supply, the circuit changes a bit. Common lead to the machine, split supply to outside contacts of a single pole dt switch, center toward machine. Then dpdt (as shown above) at the other end swapping the common and “hot”.
Yes, you can add a third, fourth, any number of switches by setting them each up to selectively swap the two leads to the machine. Very cool.
Oh yes, all switches need to be on-on types not momentary and preferably not center off.
Enjoy,
Karl
I had to read that a couple times…right. It’s really just the same thing twice, using the output of the first switch as the input to the second.
YES! I do Free-mo modules and turnouts have to be operable from either side of a module. But I have gone them one better! Remembering the old time"Ahem" reversing block switches form the good old DC days. I have the two DPDT-CO switches in series, plus on the side hot to Tortoise I have also installed 2 bi-color (red/green) LED’s in series to the Tortoise. I mount the switches in PVC pipe plug (hollow) fittings and glue them flush with the module sides, and right above them I drill 1/4" holes and set the LED’s in clear silicone caulk. The switches and LED’s are on each side of the module, fairly in line with the points of the turnout. With two LED’s and the Tortoise in series I find I do not need a resistor.
That really depends on how you have powered the turnout to begin with. I see one answer for DCC control, and one if you have used the dual wire “reversing” switch method. If one is using the +/- VDC or AC with a common return system, a remote swich can be added by inserting a (or many) DPDT in series on the power side of the primary switch. This would be after the diodes in an AC system.
At our club we are trying a unique system just for this reason. In our main yard the turnouts get exercised so frequently we aren’t going to use constant power. We are using a half wave AC system with only momentary contact. That way each remote switch for the turnout just has one wire running to it. Simple. The only time we have an issue is if two people are trying to throw the turnout the the opposite direction at the same time - that causes a short circuit. The only issue is if the turnout sits for a month or two without being switched, it relaxes enough to cause problems. We are solving this by fixing the LED indicators so that if a direction indicator isn’t lit, it has relaxed and needs to be zapped again until the LED comes back on.
Hello,
I recommend the below diagram from www.wiringfordcc.com I use it on my layout and I love it… can walk around OR sit at a control panel. Plus, you can put indicators at BOTH spots. Good luck…
Brian
The problem with the shown circuit is that the LEDs will show how the power is being sent to the turnout motors, not necessarily how they are thrown. I use one set of contacts in the tortoise to send the indication back to the LEDs. That truely shows which way the turnout is pointing. Even better, if you are using turnouts with hot frogs, and the frog gets its power from the points use the track power off the frog to light the LEDs so they truely show if the turnout is thrown all the way.
That is true, Texas, yours indicates the true switch position and mine only the switch voltage polarity, but this does work for me, since the diagram requires little extraneous wiring… Of note, I do hotwire the frogs… gotta love that, so simple with the Tortises.
Brian
I’ll have to put in a “works for me” on this one too. I use bicolor LEDs but otherwise the diagram shown above from wiringfordcc.com. I mount the LED’s with their polarity in opposite directions (i.e. one is always green when the other is red and vice-versa). Then I mount the LED’s in the panel one indicating main, one indicating diverging track. So while technically it only indicates the polarity, not actual turnout position, the two have so far proved identical on my layout…
Once I get the tortoise wired and the LED’s properly positioned, the green LED is always the selected route through the turnout. In a two-toggles, one motor setup, it is, in fact, the toggle switch itself, whether flipped "up"or “down,” that definitely doesn’t indicate anything.
You can also add more tortoises in parallel to have two-toggles-X-tortoises I find this useful for crossovers, double-slips, etc.: run all tortoises off one set of switches to ensure everything is set right all the time.
Kchronister,
Yeah, that is EXACTLY what I do too… it keeps it simple if you use bicolor led’s and put them on a diagram for each route… red=stop, green=go… even my kindergartner gets it! As for the in parallel, I am about to wire my first double crossover, so I will let you know…
One quick caution…make sure you put in parallel (the tortises in second picture), not in series… if in series = more current = fried LED’s…don’t ask how I know…
Brian