Before I started ordering the different pieces parts I would need in order to start my N-scale layout (and a return to the hobby after several years) and after researching boards like this one I decided to go with Atlas code 55 track.
But instead of going with Tortoise machines I thought, "Well these Atlas undertable swith machines are meant to work with the Atlas switches-- How hard can they be to install?"
And this was after I read several posts on forums basically equating Atlas undertables with the "anti-Christ".
Boy, how stoopid was I for not taking the advice in those posts!
I couldn't imagine anything being more difficult in this hobby than installing those &^% switch machines.
The first one took me about 3 hours. And if the time thing wasn't bad enough, the constant "get under the table/adjust the switch machine/get out from under the table" was enough to make every joint in my body hurt over the next two-days.
Yeah, I know the whole, "You have to make sure the points are centered/and the switch is in the centered position" line--- I did it more freaking times than I could count! And to make matters worse, I had to take off my glasses every freaking time in order to see through the little hole in the bottom of the table, to the point where the wire arm of the switch machine intersected with the throw arm of the switch. Words can't describe how tedious the whole thing was. But I got one to work! Wha-whoo I thought! The next one ought to be a friggin snap!
Snap my ***. The next one was about 2 1/2 hours. You would think I could mimic the exact way I had installed the first machine and the thing would have worked right outta the gate-- no way!
After attempting to do the third one, which was at a slight angle, I gave up. I sold off 9 of the remaining switch machines at a loss in order to just be rid of them.
I don't know if my issues were due to the thickness of my table/roadbed, 1.25", but the instructions that came with the switch machines clearly states that 1.625" is the maximum thickness these machines could handle so I don't think that was the issue.
The other reason I decided to ditch these machines now is the fact that I'm in my mid 40's now... I couldn't imagine being in my 50's & older and having to go through the physical girations I would need to go through in order to replace those machines if/when something goes wrong.
I dunno, I'm not sure what Atlas is thinking when it comes to those under table switch machines.
I've got one of them. It's fine so far, but after putting it in as an experiment, it's not my favorite option. I'm in HO, by the way.
These have a vertical bar that is about an inch long. If you've got 1/4 inch of roadbed and 1/2 inch of plywood under your turnout, fine. But, I've got 2 inches of pink foam. So, I chose instead to mount the machine directly under the turnout with glue, and embed the whole thing in the roadbed. Like I said, so far, so good, but if it ever fails I'll have to rip up the turnout and surrounding trackwork to fix it.
More recently, I've been building "scenic covers" out of plaster cloth, Gypsolite and other scenic stuff to hide the Atlas machines. For the past year or so, though, I've been buying nothing but Peco turnouts, with their rock-solid under-track machines.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Welcome to the forum Michael
Excuse me, I'm not laughing AT you but WITH you. I bought 8 of those things. Almost made me leave the hobby and go do something easier. like shingle roof houses in August in the south.
Yes they are the work of satan, the most miserable little contraptions man has ever devised. Your tough though, I only lasted about an hour. They were put on Ebay and dumped off at 1/2 price. (still hoping the buyer doesn't come looking for me).
I went with the standard Code 83 switch machines, they will be painted and carefully sceniced, they look fine to me.
Hang in there!!!
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Hello Guys
I looked at Atlas under table motors and didn't like what I saw so I bought the above table Atlas motors flipped them and put them under the table. I came across an idea for a throw rod that allowed me to do this. The only draw back to the atlas motors is that you have to build a capacitor discharge circut to keep someone from leaning on the electrical switch and burning the motors up. I have a dozen installed and they work like a charm. Cheep too. If any one is interested I can probably figure out how to post a picture.I posted a photo on the under table adapter on some time ago.
Lee
I hear you!
I haven't tried it with Atlas, but did try with Peco under the table mounts. Same disaster! I thought I'd get smart and put an extral long extension on the switch machine so that I wouldn't be trying to get the tip of the wire in that little hole and I could just cut off the excess wire after. I even got someone to help me above the table so I wouldn't have to keep going up and down. We got the wire into the throwbar, but do you think we could get the switch machine aligned so that it would throw nicely from side to side? Not a chance in you-know-where! Anyone want a bunch of Peco under the table mounts cheap? Maybe I can make a flatcar load out of them.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
I won a bunch of Atlas switch machines on eBay. there are a couple of the "under the table" variety in the lot. I was kind of excited to get them, and then it dawned on me that they wouldn't work with the 2" of benchwork and foam...I did a bit of research on the web and came across these sites. They may or may not prove helpful...please keep all the colorful language to yourself!
http://forum.zealot.com/t106040/
http://www.thewoodcrafter.net/HCL/undert.pdf
I haven't yet installed either of the modified switch machines, but I'm leaning toward the first, but using a "normal" switch machine in the inverted position. I am trying to locate some old choke cable to try in place of the brass rod/tube. It may turn out to be too stiff...
The second option looks like it might work well, but looks like it has more room for endless tinkering (and colorful language)...it also took me a while to visualize how the plan comes together in 3-D.
Anyway, I'm hoping for better luck than the OP. I just laid about 75% of my roadbed yeaterday, so the time is quickly approaching.
I use them on my layout, and the only way I was successful was by installing them on my 2' x 4' sections on the workbench, so I could easly access the top and bottom of the layout surface in a comfortable position. I think if I had to repeatedly crawl back and forth under a table, I'd probably have pulled my hair out. I did manage to get them all installed and working properly by attaching the machines to the underside of the layout with one screw, then fine tuning, then installing the second screw.
One major complaint I have about the Atlas switch machines is there's too much slop in the mechanism - there's a good 1/8" lateral wiggle room at the tip of the plastic actuator rod.
Since I started using them, I discovered other methods for switching that I think I like better, like using a standard DPDT slide switch with a pushrod through the front fascia and a piece of music wire sticking up through the turnout tierod. But I went to the trouble to built a capacitance discharge supply and some whiz-bang LED indicator circuits for my Atlas solenoid switches, so I think I'll stick with them for now.
Any future turnouts will use the DPDT switch method I mentioned above.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
Guys
Like I said I have a system that works like a charm using Atlas above table motors, no slop.If anyone is interested I,ll work up some detail? It uses a tube inside a tube a piece of paper clip attached to each end. I made the tubes what ever length I needed. A picture of the adapter is posted on my thread (Atlas under table adapter).
Hi!
I've got 5 or 6 on my double layer 11/15 ho layout which were mostly installed during the earliest construction phase that made sense. I say mostly because I forgot one and had to install it after track/benchwork was complete. That was difficult at best.
My point is that they are fine to use if you install them as soon as its physically possible to do so. This allows - or should allow - the best access to the roadbed, and of course to the turnout itself. I used screws (never brads or nails) and that allowed for an easier installation.
Almost forgot, but I only used these where replacing an above layout machine would be "impossible" - and thankfully there was only the 6 places. Ha, I did have a couple extra ones (new in the box) and sent them to a MR friend for his use.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
yankee flyer wrote: Guys Like I said I have a system that works like a charm using Atlas above table motors, no slop.If anyone is interested I,ll work up some detail? It uses a tube inside a tube a piece of paper clip attached to each end. I made the tubes what ever length I needed. A picture of the adapter is posted on my thread (Atlas under table adapter).Lee
Yes! Please do! I was wondering about doing that myself. You can buy the above table machines REAL cheap.I had 3 of the under table machines on my last layout about 15 years ago. Don't really remember any kind of difficulty mounting them. Used them on a 5/8" table top with HO thickness roadbed. Thinking about using them on my new layout. (unless they've changed them somehow) I have heard of a high failure rate on their deluxe undertable machines with the frog contacts.
Loathar Hi.
Do a search for (under table adapter) and you will come up with my reccomendations. There are several other ways to do it but I like mine. The thing I use, to keep from burning up the motors is a very simple and cheap capicator discharge circuit I made from parts from Radio Shack. It provides 35 volts for a very short time and then will not recharge untill you release the power button. The motors give a very nice snap and stay there until you throw the switch the other way. Now I need to find my schematic and figure out how to post it. Before I built the circuit I burned up several motors. since then I have had no problems.
I used the schematic from( www.awrr.com/cdsupply.html) I only used the power supply. I did not use the optional "ready" circuit
Happy rail roading.