Flying along when suddenly

[Anonymous]

I am laying out my yard and steam facility and I do not beleive I have ever seen this covered in any how-to book. When building benchwork do you design around your below the table switch machines? I will have a couple of problems unless I move turnouts so a support member isnot in the way of my tortoise machine. Who makes the really good hand throws?
thinking I might just use manual ones in this area.

[Fergmiester]

I've run into this problem and have had to chisel out 2x4s as well as cut them out and put them in parallel with the existing support. not the best scenario but.....

[cacole]

Been there, done that. My solution was to use a drill bit long enough to go all the way through the support and use a long piece of piano wire and a SwitchMaster stall motor instead of a Tortoise. The SwitchMaster is a rotating stall motor switch machine that uses a small diameter piano wire inside a piece of brass tubing instead of requiring a large hole for sideways movement like the Tortoise. The biggest problem is locating SwitchMaster machines -- I know of only two companies that sell them under the brand names "SwitchMaster" or "TorqueMaster." Both companies are located in Ohio and the motors are exactly the same -- possibly military surplus servo-motors. You also must plan ahead and have your hole drilled in the proper location, or remove the turnout while you drill.

[Anonymous]

Internettrains.com still sells the switchmaster motors. I have a handful but a freind of mine says they are bad and swears by the tortoise so I bought a few of those. I have wired and used the switchmasters before but never the tortoises.
So I am a little apprehensive about them.

[Fergmiester]

I have yet to here anything bad about "Tortoise". I myself use Peco and though there is a loud "klunk" sound have ad no problems.

[Anonymous]

Good Evening:

Tortise makes a "Remote Tortoise Mount" kit, part # 800-8100. This kit gives you about a 3" lee-way in mounting the switch machine.

Have a blessed day
Bob

[rexhea]

I know what you mean. Several times!
When I designed my layout I took in consideration the placement of turnouts in relation to the table joist. Well, this was good for awhile, but then there were new ideas and adjustments and etc. Somehow I managed to forget about the joist. Some turnouts were located without problems. Others---Well[banghead]

All of the ideas above are very good. Most of the time I just changed to hand throws. For those I didn't, I did the same as Fergie and chiseled or sawed the blocking part of the joist or brace out then reframed around it. It's not that hard to do. Just a pain in the___. [:)]

[krump]

is piano wire the way to go? I've heard about this several times. where can it be purchased?

cheers,

[Pruitt]

I've always used Caboose Hobbies' ground throws. Easy to install and work well.

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by krump

is piano wire the way to go? I've heard about this several times. where can it be purchased?

cheers,

Threaded push rods for RC Aircraft is another way to go. As for the ground throws. I've used them but I will have to go under the table with my rail yard due to the spacing between tracks being too tight.

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by krump

is piano wire the way to go? I've heard about this several times. where can it be purchased?

cheers,

use the spring steel instead...I use .039 spring steel...(it comes in a long plastic tube with caps on the ends to package the steel rods and a good hobby shop should have them in stock)....you will have to drill out the hole in the tortoise travel lever with a .040 bit before inserting the rod...Chuck[:D]

[Fergmiester]

Funny how I read this a few days ago and then "Guess What" rears it's ugly head. I had the turntable well dug into 2" of foam and then I realized I needed 2.5 inches. Out comes the jig saw and out goes two 2x4's. and a 15" disc of plywood.

The good thing is I now have a floating base, which allows me to adjust the height. The 2x4's will have to be replaced. However I've added strength to the area by use of shelving brackets. Realizing that other switches will need to be fitted but I've been putting it off because I hate having to use the Jig Saw, then watching things sag. Shelving brackets are an option to replace sections of 2x4's that get in the way.