Turnout switches/motors question

[Onewolf]

96% of the turnouts on my layout are Peco.  I have powered the 28 turnouts that are hidden or otherwise hard to reach using NCE Switch-It or Switch-8 controllers and Tortii motors.  Over time I plan to add control/motors for the other 75+ turnouts that are currently manually thrown.  I use front panel toggle switches to control the turnouts and I have bicolor red/green (actually more orange/yellow) LEDs that display the status of the turnouts.  The turnouts can also be controlled by DCC throttle or JMRI from the computer.

[rrinker]

 I switched to servos for my last layout. I used Tam Valley drivers which had both local pushbuttons and were DCC decoders. I only used toe DCC feature to control them from a JMRI panel. I've looked at several different DCC systems and for all of them, it seems like more hassle than it's worth to try and operate turnouts from the same throttle you are running your train with.

 On my current being planned layout, I am sticking with the servos, but I am building my own driver system using Arduinos similar to what Mel is doing. Mine are a bit fancier, at least for mainline turnouts, because I am incorporating dispatcher control along with block detection and signalling using a sort-of CMRI system. But just a cheap Arduino and some servos are actually easy, and super low cost, if just looking for some basic fascia button or toggle control for the turnouts. 

                                   --Randy

[RR_Mel]

I’m a bit different than the rest of the members on the Forum, I originally (1989) went with Atlas under the table switch machines mainly because I used Atlas turnouts.  As things aged I had problems with the Atlas #65 switch machines and tried beefing them up.  That helped but was not the cure.

 

I replaced a pair of Atlas #6 turnouts with Peco curved turnouts using their switch machine to gain a longer siding, much better!!!!

 

Next I built a Mel double crossover using Atlas #6 turnouts and wanted all for turnouts to operate with one switch machine and went with a single Tortoise using bellcranks and push rods, that worked great.

 

As time passed I had a couple of Atlas turnouts fail from old age and I replaced them with new Atlas turnouts but didn’t want to use the #65 switch machines so a Mel Mod was used.  I converted the Atlas turnouts to Peco spring type throw and used Peco switch machines super glued to bottom of the turnout, that worked better than great!!!!.

 

Last summer I ended up with a Atlas #65 switch machine not working very good on a heavily used mainline turnout and decided to try another Mel Mod only this time using a servo driven from an Arduino and it is working very good after a lot of experimenting.  That will be what I go with now for every replacement switch machine.

 

It requires the turnout to be removed, the servo assembly attached to the underside and a 2” hole cut for the servo to drop in.  Not exactly easy but worth every bit of effort needed.

 

A China ripoff UNO and China Tower SG90 servos is the finest switch machine I have now.  I can control the speed and point closures of every servo by tweaking the UNO.  The UNO can control 10 turnouts, a MEGA can control 35.  The overall cost is considerably less than commercial switch machines.  I can build up 10 servo drives for less than the cost of one Tortoise.

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[davidmurray]

A young clever fellow several years ago pointed out to me that a guest can always tell which ground throw operates which points.  If you plan on hosting group ops, then KISS

Dave

 

[mrrdad]

MisterBeasley

I have a combination of Atlas turnouts, both snap switches and Customline powered by Atlas twin coils, a handful of Pecos powered by their twin coils, and more recently I've been using Walthers/Shinohara with Tortiose machines.

I run most of these with toggles from panels.  I did set up a few with DCC stationary decoders.  Personally, I don't like that method of control, so I may upgrade the decoders so I can use both DCC and toggles.

For twin coils, I insist on  a Callapacitive Discharge circuit.  It gives me the extra power for long wire runs and the hungrier Peco machines, and also protects against machine burnout if a toggle sticks.

I really prefer the Tortoise machines for the slow motion point movement and lack of the snap noise.  I make use of the extra contacts for panel indicators and signals, too.

 

 

Thank you so much for your response. This was the exact type of information I was looking for. Like what you are doing, I might look into having switches set up for both manual toggle and DCC.

 

Ed

[MisterBeasley]

I have a combination of Atlas turnouts, both snap switches and Customline powered by Atlas twin coils, a handful of Pecos powered by their twin coils, and more recently I've been using Walthers/Shinohara with Tortiose machines.

I run most of these with toggles from panels.  I did set up a few with DCC stationary decoders.  Personally, I don't like that method of control, so I may upgrade the decoders so I can use both DCC and toggles.

For twin coils, I insist on  a Callapacitive Discharge circuit.  It gives me the extra power for long wire runs and the hungrier Peco machines, and also protects against machine burnout if a toggle sticks.

I really prefer the Tortoise machines for the slow motion point movement and lack of the snap noise.  I make use of the extra contacts for panel indicators and signals, too.

[mbinsewi]

I think it depends on how big and sprawled out your layout is.  Mine is small, less than 60 sq.ft. of bench top,  "L" shaped loop, and all of the turnouts are within easy reach, about 25 or so?, and I use Caboose Ind. ground throws on all of them.

Mike.

[mrrdad]

What are you using for turnout switches/motors? Also, are you using DCC but still using DPDT switches to control your turnout motors?

I'm really torn on how to do things. Manually or using DCC. I'm thinking I still want to control all the switching manually.

Thanks,

Ed