I am building a U shaped, single track layout with several turnouts. I have Tortise switch machines and thought it would be simplest to do turnouts in DC. Trains will have the Bachmann EZ command.
I am having great difficulty finding information on how to design the turnout control panel and more importantly, what devices to use to activate the turnouts. I'm looking for easy to understand and implement.
Thanks for your help.
The easiest solution would be to follow the suggestions that come with the Tortoise machines. Use a 9 to 12 VDC power source (a wall wart will do) and a DPDT switch wired according to the scheme with the Tortoise. You can add a bipolar led in series with one of the leads to the Tortoise (either position 1 or 8) to give an indication of which way the Tortoise is thrown.
Joe
Here is how I do mine. The controls switchs in your case would be Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) switches instead of push buttons (on website, not image below). See diagram below. The arrow things in case you are wondering are LED's to indicate switch position.
https://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/construction/block-detection-and-signaling/control-panels
The tortoise switch machines require constant power to keep tension on the switch.
I hope this helps.
Renegade
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
madearingI am having great difficulty finding information on how to design the turnout control panel and more importantly, what devices to use to activate the turnouts.
to the Model Railroader magazine discussion forums. Your first posts are delayed by moderators, but that ends pretty soon.
Is see it took a while for your initial post to get approved. I hope you are still out there and did not go away.
I use Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) toggle switches mounted to alluminum with a laminated printed sheet sheet showing the actual track plan.
My wiring is just like Renegade's, but I do not use the LEDs.
-Kevin
Living the dream.