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How to attach a turnout remote?

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  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 343 posts
How to attach a turnout remote?
Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Sunday, December 9, 2012 9:29 AM
I am using Bachmann remote turnouts for a passing siding and will be using Atlas remote turnouts for my rail yard. Al the remotes, toggle switches and one of my 2 power packs will be fastened to what i am calling a control board. The control board will be a repurposed wooden box with a hinged metal top. The power pack has holes that machine screws go through and the toggle switch will fasten to the metal box lid.

But i cannot figure put how to fatten the turnout remotes to the control panel. There are no holes to put machine screws through. What do i use? Double sided tape? Do i drill holes through the remotes? Or is there a way to replace the existing turnout remotes, still use DC, NOT dcc, and wire a different control device to operate the turnouts remotely from the control panel?
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Posted by southeastroads on Sunday, December 9, 2012 9:49 AM

A little clarification here can help.  What kind of remotes for the switch machines will you be using?

You could use any momentary contact, double pole remote switch for your switch machines. Radio Shack comes to mind. They have a variety of sizes and methods of attaching them. Some have a threaded barrel that holds the switch. It passes thru a hold in the control board and the supplied nut holds it in place. And they will work with the current from you accessory connections on you DC power paks. Just a few thoughts here

Ray

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, December 9, 2012 10:47 AM

LION has been know to attach things with silicone caulk. It works fine for permanent installations such as instally Tortoise Switch Machines, and I also use it to attach Switches and LEDs to the control panel. And the really great thing is when you want to move something, you just pull it off, peel off the old caulk and stick it in its new location.

The Tortoise switch machines on the LION'S layout have been incarnated the three layouts previously, and have been moved about my current layout with abandon. It is much easier to install a Tortoise with silicone than it is with screws.

As for not having holes in a thing. This is no big deal, the LION has an electric drill and can put holes wherever he wants them.

ROAR

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Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Sunday, December 9, 2012 11:07 AM
If at all possible i would like to use the existing remotes that came with the switch machines.
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Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, December 9, 2012 12:34 PM

SUX V R40 Rider
If at all possible i would like to use the existing remotes that came with the switch machines.

By "remotes" I thought he was speaking of what kind of controls, switches buttons etc. Of course twin coil machines can only tolerate momentary contact. LION *could* build a self limiting arrangement that would allow the use of toggles but him would not bother when tortoi are so much better.

ROAR

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Posted by UPinCT on Sunday, December 9, 2012 2:40 PM

I have an old pic to share from when I was in DC.  I can at least help with the Atlas products, you'll have to provide a link to the Bachman stuff.

If you have these Atlas remotes they do have holes for and come with screws for attaching the remotes.

If you look closely at the row that has the number ten you will see holes for mounting.  The screw right next to the number 10 is a mounting screw.

Photobucket

if this isn't what you have, provide some links then I think its easier to get some advice

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Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Sunday, December 9, 2012 2:42 PM
Can someone please provide a straight answer in plain English and NOT speak in the third person?

Seriously, what is up with that? Is he trying to impress me? If anything it is confusing and aggravating. Please knock it off and give a straight answer to a straight question.
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Posted by Soo Line fan on Sunday, December 9, 2012 3:18 PM

Jim

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, December 9, 2012 3:26 PM

I do not think that I would talk to one of my cats line that...

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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, December 9, 2012 3:38 PM

 As pointed out, the Atlas control boxes DO have mounting screw holes. But if they didn't, Lion's suggestion of a dab of caulk is quite a useful solution. Of if you don;t want to drill out holes for screws in the panel. Caulk will work great.

            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Sunday, December 9, 2012 6:04 PM

rrinker
Lion's suggestion of a dab of caulk is quite a useful solution.

Agreed, It certainly did not warrant the OPs nasty Dunce comment.

Jim

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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, December 9, 2012 6:46 PM

 He's relatively new, the rest of us have long realized The Lion is just a bit off, but appreciate his posts nonetheless.

 My theory is it's all the time underground in the subways. Laugh

             --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Sunday, December 9, 2012 7:14 PM

Anyone who gets that close to a tiger and is bitten or attacked has it coming. I don't care if it was raised from a cub in captivity, it is still a wild, powerful animal and that fact should always be respected.

That said the Bachmann turnout remotes do not have screw holes for mounting. If caulk would work I imagine using a hot glue gun would work a lot better because the glue is not as an aggressive of an adhesive as silicon is. When the time comes for the remote to be repositioned or relocated on the control panel and I need to remove the glue it will be easier and not cause damage to the remote or the surface it is glued to.

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Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Sunday, December 9, 2012 7:24 PM

Soo Line fan

rrinker
Lion's suggestion of a dab of caulk is quite a useful solution.

Agreed, It certainly did not warrant the OPs nasty Dunce comment.

Look when I ask a straight forward question all I want is a straight forward answer. No third person or crap that is confusing or something  like the fictional character the Riddler would post. I was raised with the belief and philosophy if a man asks a straight forward question you give him a straight forward and honest answer, man to man. If you can't do that then don't answer the question. I'm trying to learn here, which is why I'm asking questions. What lion posted is very confusing and is the type of answer and info. I see as a hindrance to me learning about this hobby which could potentially turn me off from it because I'll view it as confusing misinformation.

I already had a bad experience with my initiation into this hobby, read here for more clarification as to why: My initiation into this hobby

I don't need any more bad experiences at the hands of those who confuse and misinform me.

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Posted by floridaflyer on Sunday, December 9, 2012 7:35 PM

I believe it is becoming clear why your initial experience into the hobby was a bad one.

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Sunday, December 9, 2012 8:37 PM

SUX V R40 Rider

Look when I ask a straight forward question all I want is a straight forward answer. No third person or crap that is confusing or something  like the fictional character the Riddler would post. I was raised with the belief and philosophy if a man asks a straight forward question you give him a straight forward and honest answer, man to man. If you can't do that then don't answer the question. I'm trying to learn here, which is why I'm asking questions. What lion posted is very confusing and is the type of answer and info. I see as a hindrance to me learning about this hobby which could potentially turn me off from it because I'll view it as confusing misinformation.

I already had a bad experience with my initiation into this hobby, read here for more clarification as to why: My initiation into this hobby

I don't need any more bad experiences at the hands of those who confuse and misinform me.

Evidently you view much of the information offered here as a hindrance or confusing misinformation. It took Fred, Randy, myself and others 3 pages of replies in an attempt to teach you what a block is in another thread.

Reading comprehension is one thing, being polite and respectful to others should be second nature. 

If you do not like the Lion's or others advice, simply ignore it. Otherwise, I fear more bad experiences await.

Jim

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Posted by fwright on Monday, December 10, 2012 1:15 PM

southeastroads

You could use any momentary contact, double pole remote switch for your switch machines. Radio Shack comes to mind. They have a variety of sizes and methods of attaching them. Some have a threaded barrel that holds the switch. It passes thru a hold in the control board and the supplied nut holds it in place. And they will work with the current from you accessory connections on you DC power paks. Just a few thoughts here

Ray

The more typical method for controlling Bachmann and Atlas switch machines is to use the SPDT (DPDT will work just fine too) momentary center off toggles that Ray suggests instead of the Atlas or Bachmann controllers.  The toggle switches can be mounted directly on a track diagram on your control panel.  That way it's immediately obvious which toggle controls which turnout - a real problem with the Bachmann and Atlas turnout controls.

The same track diagram can be used to mount the block toggles, also making it obvious which toggle controls which block.  Much easier than cross-referencing the diagram with numbers and letters and an Atlas Selector.  Any of the Model Railroader project layouts from the 1960s and 1970s have detailed instructions on how they wired block and turnout toggles into a control panel with a track diagram.  Call Kalmbach, or visit your local train show for the magazine issues.

Given your aversion to redoing Bachmann-supplied wiring as per your previous thread on electrical blocks, the silicon caulk that Lion suggested seems like a great answer to using the Bachmann controller.  I find the caulk easier to peel for future changes than hot glue.

Reading your thread on replacing couplers and trucks on an AHM train set, I think you are a little hung up on using the original train set level equipment, which has its own issues, instead of upgrading to higher quality when it gains you benefits.  Replacing plastic Taglo trucks and horn hooks with Kadee (or similar) trucks and Kadee couplers used to be normal practice to gain more reliable operation and coupling/uncoupling.  Yes, my 1st efforts at drilling and tapping for 2-56 screws were failures (holes not perpendicular, post collapsed, broken tap, etc).  But I chalked it up to learning the hobby, not as somebody trying to mislead or confuse me.  And I still really like my Roundhouse Old Timer cars much better with Kadee sprung arch bar trucks and Kadee #711 Old Timer knuckle couplers than the supplied Roundhouse trucks and horn hook couplers.

as always, my thoughts and your choices

Fred W

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