The current ones are split ring. All you have to do is jumper the mainline to the turntable track power as shown in the Atlas instructions. You cna either tap off the main, or just run a second pair of wires to the SAME side of the Twin that powers the mainline. This goes to the two terminals on either side of th emotr housing on the turntable - the turntable track power connections. The second switch on the Twin gets connected to the turntable motor wires on the side of the motor housing. That is all you should have to do. Put the mainline side of the Twin to the center off positon, and put the turntable side of the Twin either up or down and turn on the power. The turntable will turn but the train won't move. If it is, you have one of these wires wrong. Do not overthink it, it really is as simple as it looks, there is nothing 'hidden' that only an electrical expert would be able to know.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
trainguy700 So on the wiring diagram instead of connecting the wires to the mainline I connec them to the turntable track power leads. Correct? Thanks trainguy700
So on the wiring diagram instead of connecting the wires to the mainline I connec them to the turntable track power leads. Correct?
Thanks
trainguy700
If the ONLY way you are feeding power to the tracks on the rest of your layout is through the outputs of the Atlas twin switch you are using for turntable track power, then you can leave the twin connected to the mainline and connect the turntable track power to the mainline. If you are feeding your layout through other feeders NOT done through turntable track outputs on the twin, then do not connect the twin to your mainline, but to the turntable track only. The key is using the center off position of the twin to kill power to the turntable tracks so you can use your power pack to rotate the turntable without the locomotive running off of it.
Mike
trainguy700Just to clarify the Atlas Twin is a pair of DPDT switches connected together with a center off position. It sounds like I need to add a separate power supply for the tunrtable motor and run it throught the twin. Correct?
It sounds like I need to add a separate power supply for the tunrtable motor and run it throught the twin. Correct?
No, you can't do that. As you noted, the Twin is a pair of DPDT toggles, but they are not wired independently, as I recall. The same pair of inputs feeds the center contacts of both toggles, so you can only connect one power supply as input.
If you are using a power pack and you use the reversing switch on the power pack to reverse trains on the rest of your layout, the same switch will also reverse the direction of both the turntable track and the turntable rotation motor.
I have one of these. I use a separate power supply and panel toggle for the turntable motor. I use DCC so the turntable track is wired to the track bus. As long as you're careful about how you place the lead tracks with respect to the A and B polarity tracks from the turntable, that's all yo need to do with DCC. For DC, you need to get your track power and run it through a DPDT, and then be conscious of polarity all the time.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
^ what he said. It's the exact diagram in the Atlas instruction sheet. Frank linked the PDF from the Atlas web site a few posts back in case you lost the ones that came with it.
Trainguy,
You do not need a separate power supply for the turntable motor. Connect the power pack you are using to run your train to the twin at either the left or right side contacts (screws). Connect one of the switches to the turntable motor. Connect the other switch to the turntable track power. To use, have the switch for the motor in the center off position and the switch for the track power in the appropriate position to allow you to drive the engine onto the turntable without it shorting. Then, move the track power switch to the center off, and the turntable motor switch into either the up or down position and crank up your power pack to rotate the turntable. Once it is in the desire position, move the turntable motor switch back to the center off position, and move the track power switch to the appropriate position to drive it off without shorting, and be on your way.
Hi Everybody,
Just to clarify the Atlas Twin is a pair of DPDT switches connected together with a center off position.
Is sounds like I need to add a sperarate power supply for the tunrtable motor and run it throught the twin. Correct?
Any suggestions for types? brands?
Also, do I need to do any special wiring for the new power supply or can I just reconnect the power wires from the power pack to the new power supply
Thanks everybody for tuning in!
Hey trainguy700. Figure it out?
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe zstripe Lone Wolf & Santa Fe's diagram won't work either....there is no provision for reversing the TT motor. um, most electric train transformers have a built in direction switch.
zstripe Lone Wolf & Santa Fe's diagram won't work either....there is no provision for reversing the TT motor.
um, most electric train transformers have a built in direction switch.
Interesting.........I was wondering if You would catch that!.....LOL
Take Care!
Frank
zstripeLone Wolf & Santa Fe's diagram won't work either....there is no provision for reversing the TT motor.
zstripeI just would like to say that I'm not doubting Your word
Water Level Route,
I just would like to say that I'm not doubting Your word.....I have used many Atlas controls back in the 50's on a couple layouts with common rail wiring, but I never had any need for the twin..had no TT and no reversing loops, which are reasons for the twin's use. What I find hard to believe is that they do not state that in the packaging, that although it is a pair of DPDT switches, there is no mention of a center-off. In looking at the switch in a pic', it does appear that the slide has enough room to be a center-off......I really hope it is for the OP's sake. I would also be curious to see what the instructions show on the back side of the pkg, that they say are there on how to wire it.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/atlas-twin-electrical-control-model-train-track-accessory-210
Zstripe,
The only way it isn't a center-off is if they changed it in the last 30 years! Entirely possible, but not sure why they would. If I remember right it isn't entirely obvious, but you can feel that center section on the twin so you don't have to be staring at it to tell. I think I've still got them tucked away somewhere. I can check when I get home to verify.
If the Twin is truly a center-off switch instead of a DPDT switch as they describe, then there is no reason why it won't work. They don't mention any where that it is center-off on any of the packaging.
Randy,
Yeah...I'll say they have some splaining to do. The only way to get that to work with that Twin switch is to add a SPST switch, toggle or slide, to one wire on the output side of the twin or replace the twin with two DPDT center off toggles/slide switches. You need to be able to reverse direction of the motor for clockwise/counter clockwise operation of the TT bridge.
Lone Wolf & Santa Fe's diagram won't work either....there is no provision for reversing the TT motor. Simple just to use a separate transformer for the TT motor controlled by a DPDT center off switch.
I believe that they had it set up that way so You can control the speed of the TT with the variable DC throttle...but didn't show You about the extra switches You need to turn one or the other off, when not being used.
A 6-8 VDC Transformer for the TT motor thru a DPDT center off switch to the motor would give You about the right speed for the TT movement....12 volt would be pretty fast.
The twin is a center off DPDT. It will work just fine provided it is hooked up according to the instructions (worth a double check to ensure nothing got mixed up). One switch is wired to the tracks, one to the motor for rotating. The switch powering the rails is moved to the center position prior to rotating the turntable or you will get the exact problem you are describing. I had this set-up years ago and it worked just fine for me, so we should be able to solve your dilema.
Hmm, so it is. Don't see why they then suggest that in the manual as a way of both reversing and turning off the power. But it's right there. I only ever used Selectors and Connectors back in the day, maybe there's a center off position. A Selector would work, those are DPST. Atlas has some 'splaining to do about their instruction sheet.
rrinkerFrank - the diagram with the Twin is shown in the very Atlas instruction sheet you linked and would work fine - if the wires are all hooked up properly. The Twin is a pair of DPST switches. As shown in the instruction, the one on the left turns power on and off to the track - ALL track, and the one on the right turns power on and off to the turntable motor.
It has always been My understanding that the Twin was a pair of DPDT switches used for reversing polarity and it says that on the diagram, that the left is used to reverse polarity on the bridge for loco and the right to reverse direction of the motor for the turntable, there is no off position. The Atlas connector is three parallel DPST switches that can be turned on/off. If they were DPDT center-off switches then it would work perfect using the variable DC output of the transformer. I'll stand corrected...if I am wrong, but I don't believe so. Havn't used Atlas components since the 50's.
That way would work also.
Frank - the diagram with the Twin is shown in the very Atlas instruction sheet you linked and would work fine - if the wires are all hooked up properly. The Twin is a pair of DPST switches. As shown in the instruction, the one on the left turns power on and off to the track - ALL track, and the one on the right turns power on and off to the turntable motor.
I used to own that turntable but sold it a long time ago. I used 215 cab selectors for my blocks and never had any problems becuase I could turn off any track. Here is a wiring diogram I found that might help you. It sounds like you wired your switch wrong. Using this wiring the power is either sent to the motor or the track, not both.
trainguy700My problem is when an engine is on the turntable and I turn on the turntable the locomotive begins moving off of the turntable. The locomotive than proceeds to crash as the truntable continues to move.
Trainguy700,
To The Forums.
In reply to your question.....the simple only way to solve Your problem is to use a separate power supply for the turntable drive. Unfortunately the #210 is a DPDT switch which will always be powered....if the switch was a DPDT Center off for both devices then it would work perfect. You can add a SPST switch to one of each output wires, one for turntable bridge power and one for turntable motor power, but that requires more wiring. Simple with just a separate power supply for the motor. Or use it manually with the crank.
http://www.atlasrr.com/pdf/HOTurntable.pdf
I will continue to follow this thread if You need more help or I'm sure You will get more help from others here.
The only way this could happen is if you have the track powered other than through the Twin. The diagram shows the power pack going to the Twin, then one switch of the Twin connected to the rails and the other side connected to the two terminals on the motor housing of the turntable. Plus a set of jumpers from the track to the track terminals on the turntable, which are the screws on the table on either side of the motor housing. Wired as shown in the instructions, if you set the left hand side of the Twin to off and turn on the right side, only the turntable will spin, the trains will not move. Once at the desired stall, turn off the right side switch and turn the left one back on, and now the train will move.
Hello Everyone,
This is my first post so here we go!
I have a problem with my HO scale turntable. I instaleed it according to the directions and follwed the wirng diagram exactly as it says. I used the Atlas 210 Twin to control the turntable. My Layout is DC controled
My problem is when an engine is on the turntable and I turn on the turntable the locomotive begins moving off of the turntable. The locomotive than proceeds to crash as the truntable continues to move.
Solutions? Ideas?
I can you all the help I can get.
Trainguy700