I've been replacing atlas solenoids with tortise as they burn out. However, since I am also going to be replacing tounouts with peco, I wonder if the peco switch motor is as good or bettr than the tortise. any comments comparing them?
I prefer the action of the tortoise because it is gentler on hand-built turnouts than the hard snap motion of twin-coil machines. It is also simpler to wire - only two wires are needed instead of 3, and you can feed the power via bipolar LEDs which you can use for signals, route indication on the panel etc.
However Peco's turnouts and motor are designed to work with each other. If you are using Peco turnouts their motor is as good as any.
If using peco, I'd use peco motors, since they mount to the underside of the turnout directly.
The Peco is a straight forward solenoid motor that throws the points with a resounding bang. My oldest ones are 40 years old and I've never had a failure. The Tortoise seems to be the best liked of the slow motion motors.
The only major setback to the Pecos in the necessity of cutting a square hole in the roadbed/benchwork for the motor to fit in. Other machines can mount to the underside of the table with just a small hole for the linkage.
Don
-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net
Peco motors can be mounted the same way: Drill a circa 6mm hole in the baseboard under the tiebar. Bend the motor mounting tabs at right angles outwards. Fit the operating rod extension. Use two wood screws and two 12mm washers to screw the motor to the underside of the baseboard. Alternatively, use the point motor mounting base (#pl12 from memory) which includes an over centre spring so it can be used with other brands of turnout. (hell, I'm starting to sound like I work for Peco ;-)
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Hi Don,
I installed one of these in the old layout and scratched my head when I read about making the square hole. I couldn't see why this HAD to be done, so I just experimented and drilled a round one. Installed the motor and it worked fine.
Paul - "The CB&Q Guy" Illinois, * USA *
It's the size of the hole that's the issue, not the shape: but not really because you can put bits of styrene sheet or even cardboard in place after you've clipped the motor to the turnout. You just need something to stop the ballast falling through.
If you've got a drill that drills square holes, use it, if not buy a cheap circle cutter and cut one inch or so holes, then as previously suggested, blank them off with cardboard or whatever. Regards, Bill.
Not true, Peco motors can be mounted over 3/4" below the turnout with the addition of a longer throw rod (included in the later kits). You can also use bell-cranks and offset them.
-- Jim Sherman xROADKILL snipped-for-privacy@zYAHOOa.COM < remove lower case letters, then use what's left AS lower case
The hurrider I goes the behinder I gets; which makes sense because the older I gets the more behind I gets. And I is gettin an old behind!
Some do not require a large round hole - and are considerably less expensive (down to $6.65). Consider Roto-Motor, Scale Shops or Switchmaster.
Bruce
PS - drills that effect square holes are called "Forester's" - expensive and sometimes difficult to locate. BHS
A _Forstner_ bit is for drilling flat bottomed holes, rather than the V- shaped bottom conventional bits produce. Examples here:
A square mortise tool is essentially a hollow square chisel with a drill bit running inside it. The drill bit clears the bulk of the wood and the chisel squares up the corners.
A Delta drill press attachment:
For extra credit: how many rivets on the Jet tool?
I remember seeing a drill bit in Popular Mechanics that was designed to drill square holes in wood. It appeared to have a flat piece that revolved around a square cam and a central spiral drill in such a way that the flat piece cut the four corners of the hole as it revolved around the circular drill. It was just after I sent my not very mechanically minded, university professor brother, on an April 1st expedition to buy me a 1mm square drill bit, about 20 years ago. (He still hasn't fogiven me)
Regards, Greg.P.
Steve Caple wrote:
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