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Why Power Turnouts?

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  • Member since
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Why Power Turnouts?
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 2:29 AM
None of my turnouts are powered, but I have no difficulty operating trains (Switching from track to the next).

So why add power feeder to the turnout?
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
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Posted by Jetrock on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 3:27 AM
Because on some layouts turnouts may not be easily accessible. Before the era of walkaround throttles, it was common for a model railroad to be operated from a single control cab with panel, which contained turnout and block controls. Also, as layouts were often larger with poorer access, it was harder to reach some of them.

In the modern era we aren't as tied to one control point, and since many of us have far less space, small layouts and shelf layouts are increasingly popular. This mobility and better access makes it much easier to throw turnouts by hand. Also, good-looking hand-thrown turnout controls are a fairly recent thing--and I'm not sure if anyone makes them in N scale.

I don't use powered turnouts either--one nice thing about Peco turnouts is that they snap back and forth without a switch machine, and so don't even need a hand-throw to operate (though once I put street track in I'll have to keep a bamboo skewer handy to operate my turnouts via holes in the street!) But if I had a large layout with relatively hard-to-reach spots, powered turnouts might look more attractive.
  • Member since
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  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 6:11 AM
You can do both. My layout will ultimately have powered turnouts in the staging yard and hand thrown everywhere else.
Enjoy
Paul
If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
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  • From: Anderson Indiana
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Posted by rogerhensley on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 6:23 AM
Because I want to follow prototype practice I have my main turnouts controlled from a central panel powered by Tortoise slo-mo switch machines. Branch line and yard turnouts are manual ground throws. This gives me a good feel of train operation when servicing my grain elevator or switching in the yards while allowing my main line to be operated like the larger prototype railroads.

Roger Hensley
= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html =
= Railroads of Madison County - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/

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Posted by CP5170 on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 8:59 AM
Like Roger, I powered my main line turnouts as it is more prototypical. This gives me the option in the future to have a dispatcher operate the turnouts via a computer. My turnout controls are located where there is an interlocking tower so if we wanted to we could station an operator at each tower. Right now, the Tortise machines control low level signals which indicate the turnout direction.

I did it for flexibility...Ken
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: US
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Posted by AltonFan on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 2:16 PM
I once had a small layout (2'x4' - N scale). Even on a layout this size, having to manually set switches, especially when trying to maintain continuous running, could be very inconvenient.

Dan

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 26, 2003 2:23 PM
hu! Ok, thanks. It's not what I meant to ask. I'll ask again on another title.
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 27, 2003 8:30 AM
Personally I only powered 2 turnouts in my layout...that of a main siding to allow two trains to pass. I did this because:

1) Inexperienced people tend to only change 1 switch thereby causing derailings.

2) In pairs, the result of misswitching them is simply using the main line or the siding.

Other switches are fine...if they're PECO N-scale...use your magic finger to switch them...more reliable than a powered motor anyways...

Justin
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Thursday, November 27, 2003 1:22 PM
I think the original question was why add power feeders to a switch?

Dave H.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 29, 2003 12:37 AM
it makes it more fun being abel to sit back and watch everything with the control board in front of u instead of being up and straining yourself changing points
  • Member since
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  • From: Ridgeville,South Carolina
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Posted by willy6 on Saturday, November 29, 2003 5:47 PM
i like to control everything from my control panel and i'm not going to walk my fat butt all over the layout to switch.
Being old is when you didn't loose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it.

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