Hey everyone,
Through a series of events I found myself in possession of a single tortoise switch machine.
I have no plans to wire more switches to a tortoise, and I want something more interesting.
I’ve dug up an old issue of mmr (titled “Workshop Tips”) and found instructions to make a chain fence entrance, and while that is a very exiting idea, its not fit for a layout such as my own. That got me thinking, what other fun uses could a single tortoise automate?
I‘d love to see what you guys think up this time.
Crossing gates.
Semaphore block signal or train order signal.
Sliding or roll up door on a structure.
Log carriage in a sawmill.
Exit gate for a parking lot.
Get an HO scale junk yard dog. Need one dog and one doghouse. Dogs in the house when the switch is thrown one direction and throw the switch the other way and the dog comes out of his house, he has the throw rod stuck in his belly close to a leg and a slot in the ground. You may want to have a leash on him tied to his house.
Operating sliding door on a warehouse.
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-Kevin
Living the dream.
Hi Alexander:
Tell us more about your layout. I don't understand quite what you mean by saying that a chain link fence and gate is "not fit" for your layout. If your era predates chain link fencing how about modelling a moving water tower spout or a semaphore signal?
I like the dog in a doghouse idea but I'd want to crank the Tortoise speed up so that the dog 'charges' out of its house instead of coming out slowly, if that's possible.
Another idea might be to have some kids pushing over an outhouse.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Crank thge voltage up on a Tortoise so the dog lunges out faster, and you won't have to worry about adding a sound unit for the growling.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Crank thge voltage up on a Tortoise so the dog lunges out faster, and you won't have to worry about adding a sound unit for the growling. --Randy
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
In the oil patch, we have things called dunkin' donkeys. I think the technical name is walking beam pump jacks. Up-and-down all day every day.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
ROBERT PETRICK In the oil patch, we have things called dunkin' donkeys. I think the technical name is walking beam pump jacks. Up-and-down all day every day. Robert
LION has a few extra torti. Him will use them to add interlocking to the interlocking machine of him.
It switch not aligned to an open track, the signal cannot be cleared.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
hon30critter Hi Alexander: Tell us more about your layout. I don't understand quite what you mean by saying that a chain link fence and gate is "not fit" for your layout. If your era predates chain link fencing how about modelling a moving water tower spout or a semaphore signal?
Well my layout isn’t exactly in a bad part of town...
unless you count the mountain lions!
hon30critterIf your era predates chain link fencing how about modelling a moving water tower spout or a semaphore signal?
I thought Chain Link Fencing became popular in North America in the early 1900's. I don't think many layouts predate WW1.
hon30critter I like the dog in a doghouse idea but I'd want to crank the Tortoise speed up so that the dog 'charges' out of its house instead of coming out slowly, if that's possible. Dave
Here's how to do it. It's tight working and maybe some trial and error...
1- The dog needs to have ears that stick up.
2- Drill a hole to fit .016 music wire (be sure to use proper cutters for music wire) through the dog box from side to side just inside of he door slightly below the tip of the dogs ears when he is positioned in the box.
3- Now throw the switch to have the dog exit the box, but he will not move just yet, the through the box rod holds him in place.
4- Now as the throw rod moves, it will bow ever so slightly (I'm not sure of the throw rod's diameter, but thinner then stock wire) and lower the dogs rear end and tilt his head back which then the ears slip under the music wire and out pops the dog. Now you see why he needs a leash. Two dogs already got away.
Nobody has suggested a crossing gate yet?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
That was the very first suggestion, in the very first reply.
DigitalGriffin rrinker Crank thge voltage up on a Tortoise so the dog lunges out faster, and you won't have to worry about adding a sound unit for the growling. --Randy HaHa That would be a unique sounding dog.You can use it anywhere you need linear actuation (movement in a line). You can even turn it into circular movement. (Rack gear (linear) attached to pinion gear (circular)). You could use it to animate a giant piston with a little circuit work. (Think huge cylinders like in steel mill blower plants) With a little work you can get a bucket on a crane to dump. Or with a little more work get a crane to move left and right, and have the bucket dump at each end using a movement profile trackThe only problem is, as Randy rightly pointed out, tortoises are noisy.
HaHa That would be a unique sounding dog.You can use it anywhere you need linear actuation (movement in a line). You can even turn it into circular movement. (Rack gear (linear) attached to pinion gear (circular)). You could use it to animate a giant piston with a little circuit work. (Think huge cylinders like in steel mill blower plants) With a little work you can get a bucket on a crane to dump. Or with a little more work get a crane to move left and right, and have the bucket dump at each end using a movement profile trackThe only problem is, as Randy rightly pointed out, tortoises are noisy.
Well, if you run them SLOWER with reduced voltage, they get a lot quieter. Could be worse - could be like the old Lionel crossing shanty that literally shot the guy out of the door. We used to have an HO one, I think it was made by Ideal. Compared to the Lionel ones, it was pretty quite. I guess you could say the clunk of the mechanism was the chain pulling the dog up short. Ka-CHUNK..BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT like an old pinball machine if you held the flipper too long.