Is it possible to operate a Turtoise switch machine from two different places with two DPDT switches?
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
I don't know about two switches, but it is possible with three. The third switch changes between the other two.
Roger Hensley= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html == Railroads of Madison County - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/ =
Guy,
The July 2002 MR has an article on this. Some discussion and illustration in a thead here: http://www.railroad-line.com/discussion/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23114
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Guy Papillon Is it possible to operate a Turtoise switch machine from two different places with two DPDT switches?
Alton Junction
Yes, But...
Doing so fouls up the dpdt switches so that the handle no longer indicates normal and reverse positions.
On a former layout I had a switch on the console that would shift control from the console to the local operator. When I removed that authority from him all of the turnouts would return to their console (hopefully NORMAL) position.
Suppose I had a row of five levers on the console, and the same five levers were also in the local tower. A DPDT switch would move the control bus from the console to the tower. When the Local tower had control, the console could not control the turnouts. When the console canceled the local tower control, the console and not the tower could control the turnouts.
Safety dictates that only one operator have control over a plant. Now if you were to use push button dpdt switches you could do it as there would be no levers displaying the psoiton of the turnouts.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
BroadwayLion Yes, But... Doing so fouls up the dpdt switches so that the handle no longer indicates normal and reverse positions.
Rich
I believe Rich means bi-color LED....bi-polar has two leads, one color...bi-color LED has three leads, two color.
Take Care!
Frank
There are 2 lead bicolor leds. The color can be changed by switching the polarity of the leads. This is what Rich was referring to.
Joe
zstripe I believe Rich means bi-color LED....bi-polar has two leads, one color...bi-color LED has three leads, two color. Take Care! Frank
Thank you all. I figured out how to wire the case looking at the link given by Mike. Although, I will use the internal switches of the tortoise to activate Leds to indicate the position of the switches (2 tortoises for a three tracks staging).
to everyone.
richhotrain BroadwayLion Yes, But... Doing so fouls up the dpdt switches so that the handle no longer indicates normal and reverse positions. Just add a bi-polar LED to indcate the position of the point rails. Rich
Just add a bi-polar LED to indcate the position of the point rails.
Don't bi-polar LEDs need proper medication?
WP Lives
softail86markDon't bi-polar LEDs need proper medication? Stick out tongueTongue Tied
I have a nice Polar Bear in my room, but I surely do not want to meet a bi-polar bear.
Bi-color three lead LED:
Here is my take on the problem. I used a latching DPDT relay from digikey for this problem. It allows you have push button (2 of them) or a SPDT momentary switch to control the tortoise. Input is 12v DC.
The LED's are in series with the Tortoise switch machine.
The latching relay used has two inputs. The first input activates the relay which latches, throwing the switch. The second input unlatches the relay, throwing the switch back the other way. These inputs can have multiple sets on controls hooked up to them.
Below is the wiring diagram.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Several different options can be had for the DPDT Dual Coil Latching relay. The cheapest being about 2.20 a piece. That particular relay would require modification of the drawing above as the relay has a different pin-out than the one above.
Here is the link to my digikey search for the relays.
For the comedians and 3-wire enthusiasts in the crowd, recall that the OP's issue was how to wire two DPDT switches to control a single Tortoise.
Since the DPDT switch is being used to reverse polarity to throw the point rails, the "bi-polar" LED is just that - - a device to change colors (red/green) when the polarity is reversed.
The beauty of the 2-leg LED is that it can be connected directly to the DPDT switch on the control panel, or it can be directly connected to the remote Tortoise. There is no need for a 3-leg LED with its extra wiring. Apparently, some missed that point.
LIONS like LEVERS!
Oh well, I guess that was