# Using servos for turnouts on the cheap?



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Hey all, I found some cool ideas for using cheap servos (like the SG90) to throw turnouts instead of investing in the expensive Tortoise servos. Problem is it sounds like you still need to plug them into controller boards for DCC which then jacks up the cost.

All the frogs on my turnouts are electrified and so I need to change the polarity on a throw, so I have made some DIY turnout switches using DPDT slide switches and brass tubing + piano wire connected to the switch (so the motion of the slide switch will throw the turnout bar and change the frog polarity at the same time).

Any ideas how I might be able to directly connect a servo to my existing DPDT switches without needing a controller board between them? Ideally the DPDT switch can still stay wired to the frog to change the polarity but I would not need the brass tubing + piano wire to go across the layout anymore and rely on the motion of a slide switch, but rather be controlled by a servo underneath.


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## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

I would also be open to using controller boards though, as long as I can keep the costs down relatively low. For example, this $55 SC8 controller board can control 8 servos, which at least maximizes bang for the buck (I have 22 turnouts on my layout). But I'm not sure if I can just wire my DPDT slide switches right into this board or not, and what else I need to have or know about the wiring...


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

This isn't really a new idea. I would recommend you hop over to Tam Valley Depot (www.tamvalleydepot.com) and look at their offerings. Some really nice products, including controller boards costing only about 2/3 of the one you linked to.

I've been using their products for about 8 years now, and i love them. If you have a question, e-mail the owner (link in the site, but he doesn't want it posted randomly around the internet), and he will be glad to help with a personal response.


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