Turnout Switches

[Woodie]

Bruce,
Well, you'll be pleased to know that Carlton are on the bottom of the ladder!! Won one out of eight so far!!

The poor old Blues..... click here

 

[bobrien]

Did I say I was a Blues supporter?? I meant to say the Jets, um... I mean the Bombers.... or.. ahh..... the Cats??
No it was the Swans, I'm sure of it.....

Never mind, the Mighty Blues will rise again


Actually I have fond memories of holding up the bar at a pub in Melbourne with a few guys on a wet and windy Saturday arvo and watching the footy on a tv. I still think that you guys can create the best atmosphere for a sporting event anywhere in the world. Just a pity our country won't throw as much money into national sport like they do there.

Bruce

p.s. off to a "swap meet" waaaaaaaay across town today where I hope to pick up a few second hand bits and pieces. There is SUPPOSED to be "lots of train stuff" so I am hoping at least to get a few wagons or other rolling stock to practise kitbashing and weathering on. Who knows, there might actually be something worthwhile - but I doubt it....

 

[60103]

Extended pin

Bruce:
I don't think anyone mentoned it, but the extended pin in the Peco point motor is just that--the normal pin sticks out an extra distance, no added parts.

I have used an under roadbed mount (not peco) that uses a bit of tubing and a pin that goes down through the points.

 

[bobrien]

So David - in your opinion, the use of the extended pin should be ok, and my theory of having the motor most accessible under the baseboard is not too hoary then ???

 

[60103]

Bruce:
I haven't had any problems going through 1/2" homasote. I used these because I got frustrated cutting rectangular holes bigger than the switch machines; all I need is a 3/8" drill. I don't know how long the extended pins are.

 

[bobrien]

David
I agree with your comments on the cutting out for the switch machines. I have at least 10 to fit and being basically a lazy sod think the extended pins a better option.
Have you any fitted on top of the baseboard? I am thinking of using at least one like this concealed in a signals hut or something.

 

[60103]

I've put a few on top after I got too lazy to cut holes. As my scenery is extremely rudimentary (i.e. just buildings and trees) they haven't been covered yet. I put a pair in the middle of a platform and they need some sort of cover since they stick up.
One friend used to put them all behind the backdrop and run wires out to the turnouts. Use the smallest brass or plastic tube they have and make sure the wire slides easily in it. Dig a trench in the table top to get it under the track and hold it in place with a small spike.
Test the Peco mounting gizmos. They may have a spring in them and the motors may not work with that spring anf the one in the turnout.
Hornby make a point motor that comes with a shed. It looks a lot like the Peco motor, but I haven't seen one out of the package. I think they cost more as well.

 

[bobrien]

Woodie : off the tracks again - but I heard on the news last night that the Swans have been getting booed at by their own supporters...
Could this be true? An Aussie booing at his own team??
What has the world of sport come to..........

And David : I looked at the Hornby point motor earlier, but I felt they looked a little too "serious". The hut looks ok - if a little 'plastic'.
I am setting my layout out up in pieces and block wiring and testing electrically as much as can before I actually start laying track permanently and have constructed some temporary 'housing' for motors of balsa for test running.

 

[Woodie]

Bruce,
I have a preference for mounting the turnout motor ON the turnout if possible. That's what they are made for, fit for, connect together for, however sometimes this isn't possible. I don't think I'd mount the motor away from the turnout. I haven't done so (just to experiment), but i wouldn't risk the lengthy mechanism (hand made) to work properly or last a long time. Should it break, or disconnect itself, you'd still have to dig the turnout up to fix it. And what sorta mechanism do you use to connect the turnout to the motor? I took the risk and buried the motor where I had to.

As for the Swannies? I was there last Sunday arvo. and Yep. They copped it from the crowd. Mostly at the coach. Mostly at 3/4 time, but also after the game, but not many were left when it finished. 80% of the crowd left after 3/4 time. The other bottom teams all have excuses (injuries, inexperience, financial, morale etc) with the Bulldogs, who have only won one game so far, nearly going broke, and speculation is they won't be around next year). The Bulldogs beat us by 10 goals. Their biggest win for 2 1/2 years, and Swannies worst loss for just as long. Swannies have no such excuses, other than a beligerent coach that refuses to change his match losing tactics, in the hope they will pay off one day. He'll be given the boot in the next week or so.

 

[bobrien]

Woody - time to become a Blues man ??

As for the switches - I agree with what you say and don't really plan on fitting them away from the turnout. I have seen some plans where the switches are quite distant (sort of, but you know what I mean) and I have no intention really of doing that.
But the Peco switch baseboard mounted does have it's place and the one I set up tonite seemed to work just fine.

How's Garabarah v2 coming along? And if you want to get rid of anything off v1, give me a call

 

[Woodie]

A Blues man??? Not on your nelly! Besdies, they're on the bottom. Essendon is that Sat night, and they beat St Kilda by 127 points last week. Not looking good for the Swannies.

BTW.... Cockroaches or Cane Toads in the origin match tonight???

I see the Bedisloe Cup sold out is 3 1/2 mins this morning.

Garahbara Mk II won't be started for a while yet. Gotta find the room for it! 40 acre barns don't fit in inner Sydney.

 

[bobrien]

Toads of course! being an ex Banana Republic resident, how could I not support them

And as for the Bledisloe Cup, big stink over here about just how fast the tickets did sell out. Lots of scalpers apparantly so the canterbury rugby union is in the gun it looks.

Good luck to the Swans - sounds like they'll need it

 

[bobrien]

and the Toads got caned ...
oh well, next match maybe - as long as they get rid of Gordon I reckon

 

[Woodie]

You saying that Canterbury bought 'em all?? All 80,000 of 'em in 3 mins????

BTW.... I have put a couple of DPDT switches under the peco switch motors on my double slip (for polarity on the frogs), but also might consider them for signalling etc on the other turnouts as well. They work quite well, However no chance of putting the DPDT switches on the buried turnouts now. Too late.

So you might wanna consider this aspect of the turnout mechanism as well. I'm using the 3 light LED signals from CDA Electronics, Beaudesert QLD (no webpage that I can find).

 

[bobrien]

Haven't got round to planning too much in the way of signals and other lights etc as yet - but very good tip on the switches.
As you say, it is far better to put this stuff in first than come up with it all later.
And that's part of my problem on the length of time I am taking on even starting this layout. So much planning is going on as I am trying to cover every possibility!
I know I will not have everything covered, but I am one of those that absolutely hate to have go back over and re-do things because of stupidly forgetting simple stuff. Besides, I am having just so much darn fun with the research, the learning, the looking and finding etc...

As for the Bledisloe cup thing, what it was, was the fact that the Canterbury Union did not put any restriction on the number of tickets an individual could purchase, and there was so much sold electronically that people who had queued for 25 hours (!!!) missed out. And all tickets did get sold within that time. Amazing.

 

[DaveF]

Ok, so been reading this, I've got a new layout I'm building now, haven't built one in 15 years or so so kinda relearning alot.

I am going to us Peco code55 rail/turnouts and was planning on using the peco switch moters, so got a couple questions...

it sounds like you can mount the switchmoter directly to the turnout? How is this done? I've looked at pictures of the motor and I don't see how it would attach.

I want to use my DCC system to control the turnouts, is there any extra wiring I need to do while laying the track?

Also, where are you getting your power for the switches, I've got one powersupply with my DCC system, will I need a second for the switches?

Thanks, sorry for the newbie questions

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Dave, You should use a seperate power supply for throwing the turnouts and you need to be sure the stationary decoders you use to control the turnouts via DCC are capable of throwing solenoid activated turnouts. Other than that, I'm afraid I can't help you too much.

Gary

 

[60103]

Peco Switch machines

Dave:
If you look at the Peco switches, there are 4 slots in the ties at the points.
On the switch machines, there are 6 metal fingers that stick up, right beside the rod that does the work.
4 of those fingers go into the 4 slots (depends which gauge you're in -- HO & larger have to bend the inside ones out of the way) and the rod goes into a hole in the tie bar. Bend the fingers over to hold the machine in place. I'm trying to remember if the N gauge hole is offset.
You then need to cut a monstrous great hole where the switch machine goes through the roadbed.