Layouts and layout building

Hello Everybody.....

I am about ready to start laying track for my new N scale layout....   The last item I need to pin down in the type of switch I am going to use.    I am committed to Atlas for due to price per unit, however I would like to use Tortoise switch mounts.   However 15 bucks for each of them and then another 8 or sow for the switch is alot to do at once.  I was thinking about using the snap switches and the slowly convert them over to the Tortoise over a period of a year or two.    Are the switch machines removable off of the switch or is it a one piece unit and I would have to replace the entire switch.    I can stand to lose 4 or 5 bucks due to the switch machines I don't want to have to replace the entire switch and loose 12 to 13 buck each.... 

If somebody has an another idea please let me know.... 

 Thanks Everybody!!! 

Those switch machines come right off with two screws, no problem.  The two screws hold the cover on and sandwich the top and bottom plates to the turnout.  The bottom plate snaps on, so you might want to float the turnout a little to give yourself some wiggle room when it comes time to remove them. 

You can see the two screws in this pic.

PCaroll....

Great.... Thanks for the help, another question, the manual version, do they have the ability to be wired up as well?  and they just come with out the wires and the slide switches?  Or do I have to buy the version that has the wires and the switch and just throw the switch away?

Thanks

Ryan

The 'manual' snap switches have no electronics.

David B

You can get the manual turnouts either with the switch machine and no electronics (you probably want the #6)......

Standard line

& #6 (same as the electric one only no electronics)

or without the switch machine (if you want to slap a tortise on that puppy right away)......

Take note though, the "#6" & "custom line" turnouts and they are a bit finer in detail and are a larger # frog too (means a gentler curve....thats a good thing, though it does take a little more room).

regross99 wrote:

PCaroll.... Great.... Thanks for the help, another question, the manual version, do they have the ability to be wired up as well?  and they just come with out the wires and the slide switches?  Or do I have to buy the version that has the wires and the switch and just throw the switch away? Thanks Ryan

You can buy just the electrical part by itself later on and swap out the manual actuator for it if you wish.  I've done that when my LHS didn't have the electrical version in stock when I needed one.