# Turnouts mounted above the base level. What to do with the motor?



## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

I see many just 'stack' pieces of rigid foamboard on top of one another to achieve the desired height as opposed to using elevated 'T' supports (old school method). That's fine if there are no turnouts on this elevated section, but what do you do if there are?

Run a 2" to 6" rod up from the plywood base to reach the turnout??


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Yep. There are several designs that work. The one I favor is the torque rod, a vertical piece of piano wire in a tube passing through the foam that has 90° bends under the turn out and to connect the a motor.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

It's called remote turnouts. Yes use use a cable or rod to control a turn out from a remote mounted switch machine. Tortoise Switch machines have kits that do it rather simply!


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

But not cheaply.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

"dig out" the space required for the switch machine. 














Sean, BTW here is another reason i'm not with tortoises - their bulky enclosure. mounting TT's as pictured would have required the cork to be removed completely to accommodate the width. remote kit i guess is doable, but adding even more to the already IMHO inflated price.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

I should of added, this is _*N scale*_ I'm talking about.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

what brand of turnouts and what types of machines you intend to use?


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm planning on Peco, but it isn't cast in stone yet.
Problem is, I have a couple of dozen Atlas custom line that I salvaged from my old layout along with under the table motors. Problem is, those 'pins' that run up to the points would be too short with the addition of the foamboard. What I'm unsure about is that 'snap' action of Peco's points. I know it can be modified, but that just adds more to the list of things to do.

As far as mounting the motor to the turnout, I'm unsure about that for accessibility and for servicing. True you might not have a problem, but what if you do? Especially with a combination of a plywood base, a foamboard top with cork roadbed?? The motor would be submerged within all of those layers.

Pulling the switch up from the top would be a problem if it is ballasted.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

i don't think to long of a pin on atlas motors will not work - significant twist moment will be applied. not enough to go through 2" foam if you ask me. i have several of those laying in the bin.

from what i tried so far i believe peco makes the best material, i would think their N stuff is at least on par. their HO solenoid "motors" fit the N scale stuff as well. again, not sure if you want to use the snapping solenoids or slow motion machines. if you concerned about "deep" installation consider a surface mount. then disguise the motor as control tower perhaps.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

The Atlas motor I used was to original design from decades ago. They have a new version, with and w/o position contacts that looked like a possibility that I would like to try.

I do like the idea of mounting a motor directly to the turnout, but don't like the necessity of a large hole beneath. The other issue is lack of position contacts w/o an additional purchase. I'm surprised Peco hasn't addressed this by now.

I don't remember how long the uncut 'pin' of those Atlas under table machines was since all of my salvaged motors have been trimmed. 

Surface mounts are out. I surely can't disguise everyone as a "Tower".


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## scenicsRme (Aug 19, 2020)

videobruce said:


> I'm planning on Peco, but it isn't cast in stone yet.
> Problem is, I have a couple of dozen Atlas custom line that I salvaged from my old layout along with under the table motors. Problem is, those 'pins' that run up to the points would be too short with the addition of the foamboard. What I'm unsure about is that 'snap' action of Peco's points. I know it can be modified, but that just adds more to the list of things to do.
> 
> As far as mounting the motor to the turnout, I'm unsure about that for accessibility and for servicing. True you might not have a problem, but what if you do? Especially with a combination of a plywood base, a foamboard top with cork roadbed?? The motor would be submerged within all of those layers.
> ...


Atlas custom line N gauge turnouts? Didn't think they made such a thing?
Stop building bridges N scalers. Plywood is unnecessary, a "naked" sheet of 2" foam board over a simple 3' grid of 1x3 or 1x4 wood framework is all that is needed. Check out how the N-track module guys build their bases. I can give you ideas of switch machine installation tomorrow after a nite sleep. Forget the way it was done 20 years ago, embrace the new technology and materials.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

They might not anymore. The thread is nine years old.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

But the problem is still there; working upside down, twisting your head & body where/when it doesn't ant to ne twisted!

Especially when one gets older.


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## scenicsRme (Aug 19, 2020)

Sorry about dredging up this dead horse!


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