# Turnout Animation



## aircooled (Jan 28, 2013)

I got my layout plan, I'm building benchwork, and thinking ahead.
As I research TO animation, I'm overwhelmed with choices:
Tortoise machines, Hares, Wabbits, Bullfrogs, Smails, Smartswitches, & even servo motors. 

So what is the most common method of animating turnouts, crossing gates, etc?
Which is easiest? Cheapest? Best?

Thanks for your input.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

What do you want?...is the base question.
For slow motion turnout operation,Tortoise are hard to beat.However,installation can be tricky depending on situations.A strong point is that Tortoises have two sets of switches to control signals,etc,already built in.
Then if you want simplicity combined with reliability but don't mind the fast action and the "click" sound,use Peco turnouts with their PL-10 twincoil actuators...the best in my mind.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Which is easiest? Hand switching , Ground throws.

Cheapest? Hand switching , Ground throws, Dual coil switch machines.

Best? Tortoise Switch machines and a SE8C Signal controler, PM42 for block detection, power managment and crossing gate control!


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## aircooled (Jan 28, 2013)

Ha Ha! Sean.  I guess I didn't phrase the question correctly.
Of the methods/devices listed to _remotely _animate a turnout and/or Xing gate;
Which is the easiest to install in a layout?
Which is cheapest? (Guess I'll have to research & do my own math.)
Which is most reliable/trouble free?

What I want is to not have to walk around the layout manually setting turnouts via ground throws. 
Really, I'm trying to find out what most other members do/use for remote TO & gate animation.

As for the Peco turnouts, while everyone seems to agree that they are the best, all I've seen are code 100 or code 80(?). The vast majority of my layout is code 83.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

aircooled said:


> Ha Ha! Sean.  I guess I didn't phrase the question correctly.
> Of the methods/devices listed to _remotely _animate a turnout and/or Xing gate;
> Which is the easiest to install in a layout? Tortoise Switch Machines, you can get cable setup to remotely run tunouts or have one tortoise run 2 turnouts (crossover) and to do crossing gate movements and signal movements.
> Which is cheapest? Tortoise Switch Machines, servos would be but the controllers to run them end up costing more!
> ...


Peco come in 100, 83 and 70, code 80 is N scale. another choice is Wathers / Shinahara switches in code 83.


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## aircooled (Jan 28, 2013)

"Which is cheapest? Tortoise Switch Machines, servos would be but the controllers to run them end up costing more!"

That's what I didn't want to hear.  But that _is_ why I asked! 

Jeez, I've got so much to learn! Thought I'd be laying track by late Spring or Summer. But by the time I figure out all I think I need to know, then learn what I didn't know I didn't know,,,,, maybe by this time next year. hwell:


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

That's what I'm here for, mass confusion!:retard:


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

I just got finished installing the last of 19 tortoises on my layout. The first couple were slow, but after that it got easier and faster. I thought they would be harder to install but they werent, except for one that happened to be right on a cross section below, I just cut it out and installed the tortoise. Overall Im very happy with the results, I had ground throws installed first and didnt like that.


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## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

I use Tortoises for my remote switches and control them with a DPDT center off switch in the fascia (with a red/green led wired in parallel).


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