Powering a Double Crossover with Tortoises

[richhotrain]

Does it require 4 Tortoises to power a double crossover?

Or, can it be done with fewer, say one or two Tortoises?

Thanks

Rich

[rrinker]

A crossover only has 2 valid settings - both routes cross over, or both routes go straight. You can do it with one Tortoise and a lot of linkage, or two and a little less. Depends on how mechanically inclined you are to make up the required linakge, and if it's worth your time to save the cost of 2 or 3 extra Tortoises.  With 2 Tortoises, each one operates a pair of diagonally opposite turnouts in the crossover.

                         --Randy

[richhotrain]

rrinker

A crossover only has 2 valid settings - both routes cross over, or both routes go straight. You can do it with one Tortoise and a lot of linkage, or two and a little less. Depends on how mechanically inclined you are to make up the required linakge, and if it's worth your time to save the cost of 2 or 3 extra Tortoises.  With 2 Tortoises, each one operates a pair of diagonally opposite turnouts in the crossover.

                         --Randy

Randy,

Thanks.

I would like to do it with 2 Tortoises to save $30 to $40 in new Tortoise purchases.

Do you, or anyone else, have any information or drawings on what kind of linkage would be required to accomplish this with 2 Tortoises?

Rich

[rrinker]

 Google "tortoise double crossover", there are MANY ways to do it.

http://dixiemtn.com/

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/3480

are a couple.

                     --Randy

 

[Renegade1c]

 

you can see what I did here. I made a linkage similar to how the tortoise works. it mounts like a tortoise and connects directly to the tortoise for movement. I used two tortoises to power the whole thing. i created two of these linkages.

[richhotrain]

Thanks everyone for your help on this issue.

After carefully reviewing the ways to limit the number of Tortoises required to power a double crossover, I have decided to spend the $30 or so to buy two more Tortoises to go with the two Tortoises that I already have available.

I am not mechanically inclined, at least not to the extent necessary to build the necessary linkage to make this work with only two Tortoises.

Rich

[rrinker]

 You can however still wire all 4 up to one DPDT toggle so you only need one switch to set things for straight or crossing over. If one runs the wrong way, just reverse the connections on pins 1 and 8.

                         --Randy

 

[richhotrain]

rrinker

 You can however still wire all 4 up to one DPDT toggle so you only need one switch to set things for straight or crossing over. If one runs the wrong way, just reverse the connections on pins 1 and 8.

                         --Randy

 

Randy,

Good point.  You are right.

I do have a double crossover on my layout already, powered by four Tortoises , and a single DPDT switch controls the movement of the entire double crossover.  As you point out, why not, there is only one passage route at a time on a divergent route on a double crossover.

Rich

[locoworks]

i really like Renegade1c's  'brio' tortoise  

[larak]

Brio Tortoise!      Come to think of it it does look like one.

[Texas Zepher]

It doesn't really take a lot of mechanical ability.   Just the ability to bend piano wire into cranks.  Use a brass tube through the roadbed as the pivot point.

I drew this for someone on the forum a few years back with the same question.

Here is an picture of a different brand of slow motion machine controlling two points simultaneously.  This happens to be both turnouts on one side of a double crossover, but the concept is identical.