# turn out motors



## artp51 (Oct 31, 2011)

I am looking into motorizing my turnouts. What are the pros and cons of servos and tortoise motors? Which is easier to use, and still inexpensive?


----------



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

from what I can see, the tortoise style are easier to install, and probably use ... how ever they are more money than servos ...
I don't have either on my layout, just manual Caboose ground throws


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I have a couple of Walthers turnout machines. I like 'em.

They are servo controlled, DCC capable with a built in decoder, and will control your signal aspects.

They are also ridiculously easy to install. About $20 +/-.

I'll be buying more of the Walthers. Some spots on the layout still use old style twin-coil motor switches because they straddle a table crossmember where an under-table motor can't be installed.

You'll need the power distribution board that I didn't know about at first, but that is only about $8 and comes with extension cables for the turnout motor cables.

You can plug in up to eight turnout motors to the distribution card, and daisy chain those together if you need more than one.

There is a jack on the card to plug in a separate power supply, or screw terminals if taking power right from the DCC buss. Taking power from the buss allows DCC control of the turnouts. There are two lever action snap switches to control your signals that are operated by the servos as they rotate to move the points.

Coolest thing I ever saw.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I like switch masters. You can install them after the turnout is installed and are far easier to install. Tortoise have to be installed precisely and can't be done after the turnout is installed. http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/sm-home.html


----------



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Lemonhawk said:


> I like switch masters. You can install them after the turnout is installed and are far easier to install. Tortoise have to be installed precisely and can't be done after the turnout is installed. http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/sm-home.html


This ^

I also have some Switch Tenders, but haven't installed any yet.

https://www.micromark.com/Switch-Tender-Switch-Machine_2


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I use servos from Tam Valley Depot. If you price out all the parts and prorate the bigger items, they come out to about the same cost per turnout as Tortoise motors. I prefer them because they are much more intuitive for me than the Tortoises -- much more of a plug and play setup, and the wiring is all standard RC cables that just plug together -- no soldering or other wire connectors required.

But there really isn't anything to give them an advantage over slow motion switch machines, or even twin solenoid machines. More than anything, it's a Ford vs Chevy thing -- personal preference is the biggest thing that distinguishes them.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*It's the linkage rather than motor brand.*



Lemonhawk said:


> I like switch masters. You can install them after the turnout is installed and are far easier to install. Tortoise have to be installed precisely and can't be done after the turnout is installed. http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/sm-home.html


 Lemonhawk;

I use the same (Hankscraft brand) motors as the switch master, only I bought mine four dollars each from All Electronics many long years ago. 

The linkage used by switch master will actually work with most switch motors, (even a tortoise, if it's mounted sideways.) It's the linkage design that makes it possible to install the switch motor after the turnout. This linkage has been used for many years, on all sorts of switch machines, including some twin-coil machines and my "$5 dollar switch machine shown in the photos. I make the same type of linkage with brass tubing and music wire.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## SantaFeJim (Sep 8, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> I like switch masters. You can install them after the turnout is installed and are far easier to install. Tortoise have to be installed precisely and can't be done after the turnout is installed. http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/sm-home.html


I disagree, you can install Tortoise machines after the turnouts are fully installed. There are several 10 minute videos on YouTube showing how you can do it.


----------



## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

By far the cheapest route is building a DCC decoder from an arduino and using 9g servos from ebay. The decoder will cost less than $10 in parts and can control up to 16 servos directly, and the servos can be found for $1 each. Once set up, this can be just as reliable as any commercial offering.

The down side is that this is completely DIY. You have to source the parts yourself, figure out how to mount the servos for each turnout, and getting the first one to work can be a royal pain (in my case it came down to a resistor that *shouldn't* be included for the particular opto-isolator chip I used).

If you like to tinker, this option can be a lot of fun and can lead to the creation of other items controlled through DCC, but it you need a plug&play solution then this is definitely not something you want to try.


----------



## Cab1 (Jul 26, 2009)

I just bought 12 Circuitron (AKA Tortoise) Smail switch machines. They have DCC stationary decoders built into them, so you don't need a DCC decoder/controller (in my case a Digitrax DS64) to run them. No external power supply is needed either. Power is taken right off the track and it can juice the frogs too. They have two internal switches that can be used to control divergent track signaling and it has a third switch for an external panel mounted push button. They ain't cheap though, over 23 bucks a pop. If you take into account they put everything into one nice neat little package for you that's easy to install I guess it's competitive. I haven't installed one on the layout yet, but here's a Youtube video of someone who has.


----------



## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Did the OP say which brand of turnouts he has?


----------



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

if it matters .. on my first layout [i'm on my second], i used the factory switch motors on atlas turnouts, but i installed them underneath so they wouldn't show on top ...
i used expanded foam board as an underlay, and bent the arm coming out of the switch motor to 90 degrees [pointing up], i then hot glued the switch motor directly underneath, and ran the wires down and through the foam / plywood ..
i don't think i have photos, but i will check, this was maybe eight years ago ..


----------



## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Lemonhawk said:


> Tortoise have to be installed precisely and *can't be done after the turnout is installed.*


Totally false.


Also, you can use various linkages or bent wires to do an offset install of a tortoise (or similar motor machine) when there is a cross-bearer or other obstruction.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Not totally false. After the track is laid switch masters are easy to put under the table, while tortise require a lot a precision just to install prior to putting the track down that is just not necessary with switchmaster.


----------



## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> while tortise require a lot a precision


there's more than one way to use a tortoise


----------



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

MichaelE said:


> Some spots on the layout still use old style twin-coil motor switches because they straddle a table crossmember where an under-table motor can't be installed.


This where I find myself. What surface-mount motor did you use?

I'm using Digitrax DS64s for turnout control.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

As gregc says there are lots pf ways to mount stall motor switch machines. Since they are a lot bigger than twin coils. At least the DS64 can handle both, but as I recall all 4 outputs much be set to twin coil or stall motor and can't be a mix. The DS64 has a lot of programming options so its very flexible and does not use track power!


----------



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Lemonhawk said:


> At least the DS64 can handle both, but as I recall all 4 outputs much be set to twin coil or stall motor and can't be a mix.


Good point. You are correct. The outputs can be all solenoid or all stall-motor - not a mix. So I guess I need to figure out a way to use one of the Switch Tender motors topside... and camouflage it. :sly: 



Lemonhawk said:


> The DS64 has a lot of programming options so its very flexible and does not use track power!


They _can_ use track power, but auxiliary power is recommended if using more than one. I'm using PS14 power supplies.


----------

