Custom tortoise linkage

[BNGreen1970]

I am building a staging yard and for the sake of maintenace would like to mount tortoise switch machine above the deck similiar to what Tony Koester did (MRP 2012 p 61) Does anyone know how he did the llinkage between the tortoise and the turnout?

[CharlieM]

I don't know how Tony did it but I have used topside mounting in staging areas where space below the subroad was inaccessible. This description is not going to be easy since this forum does not host images but a few hints may help.

1. The Tortoise can be mounted directlly on the subroad in a vertical orientation.
2. Linkage can be made from 0.025" or 0.032" music wire available from K&S metals and at many hardware stores.
3. For short runs where the Tortoise is within 1 or 2 track widths of the desired turnout the linkange can be a simple bend at the base of the Tortoise, allowing the wire to run parallel to the subroad. The wire ends with a right angle bend upward and through the hole in the turnout throw rod.
4. Use the holes in the side extension of the throw rod, not the center hole. This allows the linkage wire to protrude upward sufficiently and avoids any interference with trains.
5. Be sure to slip the tubing, discussed below, onto the wire before making The final 90 degree bend.
6. Use a short piece of small tubing to route the wire from Tortoise to turnout. The tubing can be any small diameter material such as a cocktail straw or small shrink tubing. The tubing can be gluded to the subroad with CA glue.
7. The tubing can be routed under an adjacent track if necessary with no problem. This may be necessary in congested locations near the yard throat. This is easy if the staging track is up on cork roadbed. If not it may require some creativity and cutting of a clearence channel in the subroad.
8. This assumes all Tortoises can be positioned perpendicular to and with a straight shot to the corresponding turnout. If an offset is required such that a horizontal bend in the linkage wire is required the stiffer wire will be necessary and even more creativity required.
9. Good luck, have fun and please report back.

Charlie - Northern Colorado

[MisterBeasley]

I installed a pair of crossing gates at a grade crossing.  There were no turnouts there, but the gates are driven by a single Tortoise.  Circuitron makes a gadget that seems designed for this, and it works just great.  It uses thin wires in plastic sleeves, and splits the Tortoise output in two.  Mine is mounted below the layout, but it could just as easily be above.

[PennsyLou]

I had a similar situation for my staging area and used a linkage similar to what is described above.  The Tortoises are mounted on a piece of plywood such that the activation lever is basically just below the level of the track.  The music wire is just push/pull through the brass tube.  The turnouts are Peco 83 with the spring removed - I used the center hole as it is more robust though I had to take care to trim the activation wire to not interfere with the undercarriages.

[ndbprr]

Why use a tortise in a staging yard? An old school solenoid will do as well for much less money.

[SeeYou190]

This is how I do it.

I hope the drawing makes sense. The linkage is made from 0.032" steel "music" wire.

-Kevin

[PennsyLou]

ndbprr

Why use a tortoise in a staging yard? An old school solenoid will do as well for much less money.

 

Because I had a box of Tortoises from the old layout to use and no "old school solenoids" available.

[BATMAN]

You can get plastic tubing of various types at an R/C aircraft shop. I change my guitar strings several times a year and keep the old ones for hobby uses. In the past, I have run very thin guitar strings through very small diametre plastic tubing to the turnout. This gives you a lot of latitude as to where the actuator of choice can go, it doesn't have to be a straight line. It works well.