remote control turnouts...... Help

[crackerpete]

[:)] Greetings from Sunny Warm Florida...

Does anyone have any expierence with air operated turnouts. Anyone have a web address for whoever makes air systems. Does anyone have any expierence with mechanical remote systems. What works best? I don't want to get into electrical operations if I can help it. I recently built (in the past 16 weeks) a G scale layout. (P & S Central Railroad) and am operating the turnouts manually.

Thanks,
Pete Smith
Lake Alfred, FL

[Anonymous]

Try, www.portlines.com and look for Delaire air operated switch machines.

There's also EZair I think.

[crackerpete]

[:)]
Hi Carpenter Matt
Thanks for the reply, I visited the site and it looks promising... Do you have any expierence with that type of system?

Pete
Lake Alfred, FL

[Anonymous]

No, but I believe GR did a product review on Delaire or Ezair a couple of issues ago.

[kstrong]

I've not used them on my own railroad, but I've seen railroads into which they are installed. One fellow uses a 2-litre pop bottle as an air supply, and that supplies ample air pressure for a large railroad for about a week's worth of operation. (Pop bottles can withstand a surprising amount of internal pressure.)

One caveat with any kind of automatic turnout control--you've got to keep any and all debris away from the moving parts of the switch. Ballast, twigs, leaves, and any number of things will find their way into the points and keep the switch from closing all the way. Usually clearing the points with a toothbrush once prior to each run is sufficient to ensure smooth operation for the day, but just know that things have a way of working where you don't want them.

Later,

K