Tortoise Switch Machines

[NYCentral1]

I have a question about how these machines actually work, as I cannot find an actual website for the company that makes these...

So, you wire the machine up to the turnout, then connect it to a DC transformer to power the machine, then can you wire the machine to a switch mounted on the side of the layout to control that turnout?

I'm sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times already....

[electrolove]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NYCentral1

I have a question about how these machines actually work, as I cannot find an actual website for the company that makes these...

So, you wire the machine up to the turnout, then connect it to a DC transformer to power the machine, then can you wire the machine to a switch mounted on the side of the layout to control that turnout?

I'm sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times already....

I don't think they have any website. Yes you are absolutely right about the wiring. Here is one way to wire the tortoises:

http://www.moctezuma-us.com/bonkyrail/tutorials.htm

But there are easier ways to wire the tortoise then this. I just can't find a good picture, maybe someone else can fill in that info for you.

[electrolove]

Here is a better picture:

[richhotrain]

The Tortoise is manufactured by a company called Circuitron, located up here in Romeoville Illinois. The company does not have a web site.

The Tortoise is the best switching machine available, IMHO. I have 42 of them around my layout. The instructions that come with the Tortoise are excellent and highly detailed.

The simplest wiring is to solder wires on two of the Tortoise leads, and route those two wires to the two center leads on a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch. Two more wires are soldered onto two end leads of the six leads on the DPDT switch and these two works route to the DC side of your transformer. The DPDT switch wiring is completed by wiring each end lead to the alternate side of the other end lead of the DPDT, forming an X pattern.

The tortoise is mounted under your layout and a 1/2 inch circular hole is drilled through the surface of your layout. A piece of piano wire that is included with the Tortoise extends from the Tortoise up through the hole in your layout surface into the small hole provided in the throwbar of the turnout. When the DPDT switch is thrown, the Tortoise is activated and the turnout does its job.

There are other leads on the Tortoise which can be used to power signals or LEDs if you like. As I say, the Tortoise is quite a nifty little machine.

[Anonymous]

I use all tortoise machines and they work really well.

[oleirish]

QUOTE: Originally posted by electrolove

Here is a better picture:

Boy you are right on in this photo,mine are wired the same way,easy and works ex.!!I use a simple radio shack dc sorce.IMHO it is the best made.[8D][8D]
JIM[:)][:)][^]

[emdgp92]

NYC1,

I have about a dozen or so "turtles" wired up similar to how you describe. They have their own power source (an old Bachmann train-set power pack) and power bus. I installed the turtle, then ran a pair of wires out to the layout edge. From there, the turtle is attached to a DPDT slider switch plus a pair of 12V LEDs that have the correct resistors included. When I wired these things, I ran the lights directly off the power switch. That is, there are only 2 wires going to the turtle--all of the other connections are made at the switch--when the switch is flipped, the lights change as the points move.

[electrolove]

QUOTE: Originally posted by emdgp92

NYC1,

I have about a dozen or so "turtles" wired up similar to how you describe. They have their own power source (an old Bachmann train-set power pack) and power bus. I installed the turtle, then ran a pair of wires out to the layout edge. From there, the turtle is attached to a DPDT slider switch plus a pair of 12V LEDs that have the correct resistors included. When I wired these things, I ran the lights directly off the power switch. That is, there are only 2 wires going to the turtle--all of the other connections are made at the switch--when the switch is flipped, the lights change as the points move.

Do you have a picture of that? Sounds interesting. I love pictures [:D]

[NYCentral1]

So how large of a DC transformer would be needed to power about 10 of these?

[jrbernier]

Actually, you can wire a 'bi-polar' LED is series with the Tortoise. It will change from RED to GREEN as the polarity is switched by your toggle, and the Tortoise has enough resistance to protect your LED - NO extra wires...

Jim

[rrinker]

Or two individual LEDs wired back to back, that way you can use any colors you like. The 'downside' if you want to call it that is that the LED in the intended direction will come on dimly as soon as you throw the switch and then brighten when the Tortoise stalls. Personally I think this is a good thing, not a drawback.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

A couple of other good things:

They used to be guaranteed for life. Now they're "only" guaranteed for nine years. I've had 90 or so for years, even bought some used via eBay that looked terrible but worked fine, and had only 1 bad one. Didn't seem worth sending it in.

There are two built-in relays, single-pole double-throw. They can be used to properly power a frog, or to power a siding only when the switch is thrown, or to drive signals.

You don't necessarily need a train type power pack -- a simple plug-in transformer from Radio Shack or the like works just fine. I have a pair of 9v, 1800 ma units, each powering about 40 Tortoises. (I use 9v instead of 12v to make them run a bit slower.)

[jrbernier]

Randy, I agree with you on the 'dim' aspect when the Tortoise is in motion. It is a nice indication that the Tortoise motor has power and is moving! Once the Tortoise has stopped, they go to full brightness.
As Pondini noted, you can use lower voltage. I have a 9.6 VAC 'wall wart' that is rated at 850 MA(source unknown). It powers 17 Tortoise motors with no problems.

Jim Bernier