Simon 1966 is going to bring over his boys this month for some Rail Roading fun. I been getting the beach up to snuff. Got power to all the spurs, and adding feeders as needed.
I have had some Atlas Switch Machines and controllers for years, never wired them up. I know that you push the button over then push down to throw the switch and you cannot hold it down or it will cook the motor.
Machines have 3 screw, guessing center 1 is either a + or -, and the other 2 are the same polarity to throw the switch. Does the + or - go to the center?
I all so have 4 Cheap Life Like transformers that run the lights on the bench, lights are ran off the variable DC side. Each one powers around 20 lights. Should I be OK using the fixed power terminals for power? For wiring, I want to use 3 wire telephone wire. Looking for cheap, is door bell wire have 3 wires?
Latter I want DCC controlled motors.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
On the switch motor, the center screw is common. Plus and minus don't matter. It can even be AC.
You can use the Atlas switches, which are fairly fragile but work if you don't abuse them, or you can use two normally open push buttons, or you can use a momentary contact, center off, SPDT switch. I use Digitrax DS64s. Some people use a board with some kind of contact, usually a bolt head, and a wand wired to the power supply, just touching the wand to the contact controling the switch they wish to throw.
Door bell wire is usually 2 conductor, but thermostat or intercom wire comes in multiple conductor. Since you only have to switch one side of the circuit, you can just daisy chain the commons from turnout to turnout. The common does not need to go back to the electrical switches.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Best thing to do is try one. You will typically only use one switch at a time or 2 max, so you should be ok. If not you can get a larger plug in transformer from radio shack cheap. The gauge of wire shouldn't matter too much if it's kept under 20 feet or so. Once again give it a trial run. It doens't have to be neat for the test.
Good Luck
Springfield PA
I use 2-line (4-conductor) telephone wire from Home Depot. The wires are color coded, so it's easy to make sure the wires go to the right place. This stuff is cheaper than ordering 3-conductor wire online, and works fine.
Seriously consider a capacitive discharge system for any twin-coils. It gives you a much more solid throw, and will help with longer wire runs, too. It also protects your switch machines when a pushbutton hangs up in the ON position.
And if you use those Atlas controllers, sooner or later, one of them will hang up in the ON position.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
While I have never had an Atlas electrical switch fail, I sure couldn't take issue with Mr. B's statement. One has only to operate one for a few throws to feel how fragile they are.
Capacitive discharge is also a good idea. It gives you more voltage but for a guaranteed very short duration. It gives you a good solid snap. Almost all of my switches are controlled by Digitrax DS64s. They do have capacitive discharge built in.
Telephone wire is heavy enough for CD and snap type switch motors, but if you have plans to upgrade to stall motors like Tortise in the future, I would consider something a little heavier.
Phoebe Vet While I have never had an Atlas electrical switch fail, I sure couldn't take issue with Mr. B's statement. One has only to operate one for a few throws to feel how fragile they are. Capacitive discharge is also a good idea. It gives you more voltage but for a guaranteed very short duration. It gives you a good solid snap. Almost all of my switches are controlled by Digitrax DS64s. They do have capacitive discharge built in. Telephone wire is heavy enough for CD and snap type switch motors, but if you have plans to upgrade to stall motors like Tortise in the future, I would consider something a little heavier.
I've had 3 fail and melted the switch's in 3 years. I have replaced most with tortoise, but a few are still push button. Last week I melted my last one but it also took out an Atlas Snap Relay with it. I have the few remaining push button and have to leave them. Almost impossible to replace as they are in a mountain tunnel area, I could replace them but with a lot of difficulty. Here is the CPU unit I ordered, comments welcome.
http://www.fshobby.com/800-5303.html
Other way around. Phone wire is fine for Tortoises, they draw like 15ma stalled (actually this just came up on one of the Yahoo groups so Dick Bronson of RR-CirKits tested some and posted the results - 15ma stalled, about 6ma running). Solenoid machines on the other hand need a lot of current, but for a short time. You need soemthing a bit heavier than phoen wire to get that pulse of power to the switch machine.
I cannot agree more with using a CD power supply. Back when I was doing N scale and burnign out Atlas switch motors left and right, it was the best investment I ever made.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
RangeroverI've had 3 fail and melted the switch's in 3 years. I have replaced most with tortoise, but a few are still push button. Last week I melted my last one but it also took out an Atlas Snap Relay with it. I have the few remaining push button and have to leave them. Almost impossible to replace as they are in a mountain tunnel area, I could replace them but with a lot of difficulty.
It's not the switch machines that fail, it's the Atlas pushbutton units, those square black boxes with the blue slide switches. Electrically, they are a momentary single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) toggle switch, and you can buy those for a buck or so. Unfortunately, the spontaneous failure of the pushbutton can cause a switch machine to melt down.
I have a number of really old Atlas switch machines on my layout. Some must be over 50 years old. They haven't been in service all that time, but they do nevertheless have a lot of years operating, too.
MisterBeasley RangeroverI've had 3 fail and melted the switch's in 3 years. I have replaced most with tortoise, but a few are still push button. Last week I melted my last one but it also took out an Atlas Snap Relay with it. I have the few remaining push button and have to leave them. Almost impossible to replace as they are in a mountain tunnel area, I could replace them but with a lot of difficulty. It's not the switch machines that fail, it's the Atlas pushbutton units, those square black boxes with the blue slide switches. Electrically, they are a momentary single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) toggle switch, and you can buy those for a buck or so. Unfortunately, the spontaneous failure of the pushbutton can cause a switch machine to melt down. I have a number of really old Atlas switch machines on my layout. Some must be over 50 years old. They haven't been in service all that time, but they do nevertheless have a lot of years operating, too.
Yeah I know that and some of mine are 40 years old. Some of the the atlas push buttons I replaced with new ones, because they were sticking. I am considering pulling the few atlas slide push buttons off and replacing with toggles and a more reliable separate push button if I can't find an easy way to install tortoise, even if I have to use linkage.
I also have 6 curved Peco turnouts with the twin switch motors, I sure don't want that Atlas slide switch to stick with them. But I do believe the CPU will give me some peace of mind and better performance, cheap insurance!
Rnagerover, Jim! Have you got my PM's and the site cleaned out my in box so your number is MIA.
Ken
Ken I did PM you once and email today! I got your phone number how about I call you tomorrow! I've had a long day, I just want to shower, let the dogs out, get a snack and go to bed! Apparently you don't get my messages, I sent pictures too of my layout. I got yours though! Nice pics. Your friend Jim
Ken,
i have used these things for 40 plus years and perhaps had 1 fail. The undertable units are cool too but a little more tempermental to mount. My old layout was DC and I had 50ish of these things. All had a control at the console and and aux control near the switch on the facia to minimize legwork. What i REALLY liked was i could ALWAYS tell point posistion from slider position provided the aux box was returned after use. I also used single control boxes to push multiple switch motors in crossovers. Atlas has been one company that has NEVER> NEVER let me down.
Good Luck Man! Love your Posts!
Doug
All of my turnouts are operated with Atlas switch machines and slide switches. I have had only one failure of a machine and that was due to my grandson leaning on the slide switch. I only have 8-9 remote turnouts on my layout so I power them from one of two MRC 1300 power packs which seem to be adequate for my needs.
I converted all of my surface mount switch machines to undertable machines to gain more space on the table top, make landscaping easier and to hide the unsightly machines. Although the switch machines have holes for screw mounting them, all of mine are mounted with double-backed foam tape. (I haven't had one come loose yet).
The methodology for converting the surface mount Atlas switch machine to undertable machines is on my website. Once on site push the How'd You Do That button and scroll down to the thumbnail of the switch machine.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/