I thought about why Circutron selling under the table switch machines we all know and love… why havent they sold complete switches with the motors built in?
Maybe because they’re in the electronics business and not in the track business.?
They do what they do well. Why go into a field in which they have no experience or expertise.
Roger is probably very close to the truth if not 100% correct. But this raises the question, “Why hasn’t a track manufacturer ventured into making a fully functional hidden switch loaded turn out?” I know Atlas makes a snap switch turn out, but the big ole snap switch on the side of the track isn’t very realistic. Maybe someone has made one and I don’t know about it. That would be interesting to know as well. All the same, circuitron makes nice slow motion switch machines.
Trevor
Actually, there are turnouts with hidden motors being made. S Helper has them for S scale, Bachmann and others for HO. Check the ones with roadbed.
Enjoy
Paul
They do indeed exist - Kato have switches with motors buried in the roadbed, and I think Roco do as well. Roco also have very neat switch decoders that mount in the roadbed and just need to be connected to the tracks to function.
Prototype power switches have the machine above ground, why shouldn’t your model? The real ones are pretty big as well. Atlas may not be that far off…
The Atlas machine would be way over scale size - besides most switches do not have a motor(manual control)…
Jim Bernier
Maybe we’re waiting to see another generation of above ground switch machines, made with micro motors.