MTL TURNOUTS

Has anyone mounted the new MTL turnouts with some sort of remote control? Has anyone done it with a Tortoise motor? If you have could would you post some photos especially as to how you latched onto the switch. There was a rumor [with photo no less] of a possible motor control coming in the future, but then nothing more was said. Anyone know what the status is? I'd like to find a way to control the turnout remotely, but not have a bulky motor showing. Also in some cases my track is more than 6 inches from the bottom side of the foam base.

Thanks. ...don

 

I was wondering if there was anyway to put some sort of magnetic control under the switch that would "pull" the magnet located underneath the switch in the direction you wanted the switch to go. If anyone has any ideas on this as well please post.

Joe

 

I wonder if it would be possible to take the switch meacine off the side of a powere turnout, and put it underneath the MTL turnout with some jury-rigged connections. Than just carve a hole in the foam to make room for the switch machine being below the plastic roadbed. You could see if this idea works with an Atlas N code 80 , or marklin powered turnout.

When are the MTL powered turnouts going to be released?

 

Switch Machine

Working on the schedule right now...will keep everyone posted on when and how much.

Joe
MTL

 

Joe,

On a related note, when can we expect the 2nd batch of manual turnouts on our dealer's shelves? Thanks.

...Pat

 

Pat-

The online dealers (zmonster, nscalesupply) seem to have been restocked in the last week or so.

 

Yeah in stock now:
http://www.nscalesupply.com/MTL/MTL-Z-Track.html
http://www.zscalemonster.com/mt/track/micro-track.htm

 

Wonder if the bugz have been taken out of the froggz so all rolling stock can use em.. without "modifications"
Fred

 

What I consider to power them:
-I don't want any side mechanism "a la Marklin",
-I don't want to add any hinge to what already exists.

So what my purpose is:
-using underneath mechanism, ie Tortoise,
-using the side selector, and making an hole in it with a very small size drill, and then insert in it the Tortoise's steel rod.

BTW I'm affraid the existing side selector should be a little bit small for this: in that case I consider bending the Tortoise's steel rod around the side selector, or using a spare scratchbuilt plastic or wood part that could be inserted on the Tortoise's rod and placed around the turnout's side selector.

Just an idea?

Dominique

 

So....has anyone successfully used the Tortoise Switch Machines (or similar) with the MTL manual turnouts? I don't want to use the MTL remote add mechanisms because I would prefer to not have anything. Thanks.

Pat

 

I'm working on my Z Bend module and I'm controlling most of the switches with tortoise machines. In the picture below, I'm using one machine to throw two opposing switches with a bell crank (just a piece of wood with a screw through it with a washer between). I attached the steel wires that came with the tortoise machines to the bell crank through a guide tube and with a 90 degree bend, through a hole just big enough through the switch tab for the wire to pass through. Works great, especially when controlled by a digitrax controller (DS-54?) which also uses switches on the outside edge to throw the train switches.

 

Here is a above level picture of the MTL switches. Shows the opposing switches that the bell crank throws at the same time. Notice the Intermodal yard taking shape. It is recessed so the rail tops are even with the plywood top.

 

I did have some MTL snap switches. So I have 4 of them all controlled by one dedicated DS-54 controller (A DS-54 can't control slow throw and snap machines. All one type or the other). You can see the holes predrilled in the plywood for the control wires to come up through. I will cover the excess with styrene and make little styrene boxes to cover the throw tabs/wires. The styrene will mostly be covered with the ballast. I'm also using the tortoise machines to control LEDs (red or green) that will show switch position from a distance (these lights are on the "ground" and are below the top of the rails). Green is straight and red is thrown to side. Very simple actually (well for me anyway).

 

What brand of cork roadbed are you useing that matches the MTL flextrack to the height of the turnout? Is there a big sound difference when the train rolls over the turnout without cork?

 

My first module with four MTL switches, I used Itty Bitty cork. It lines the flex track up with the switch pretty good. On the end module I'm using nscale black foam cut down to the correct size for Z. Both deaden the sound very well. The nscale foam is actually cheaper than the cork and should absorb even more vibration. I have not noticed any noise difference with trains going over the switches versus the flex track. I have had to shim the switches with some styrene to raise the MTL switches just a tiny bit. The ballasting will cover this up. I think you can see the shims if you look at the photos.

 

Red signal. Switch thrown. Other light in background for opposing switch.

 

Green light - straight alignment. Foam roadbed edge can be seen.

 

The red LED comes in from one angle (about 45 degrees) and the green comes in at 45 degrees (90 degrees from each other) so their tops touch. I found the beads at a craft store, smallest I could find. The bead is glued to the tops of the LEDs so the light shines through. The tortoise machine only lets one be on at a time. So two different colors from one signal - cheap, but it works. I still have to paint the sides and top black. I found a wall wart which puts out 300 ma 3V. The LEDs only draw 10 ma each so I could power thirty LEDs easily.
The wire coming up and through the tab can be seen. The "ok" just tells me the the hole was big enough (pre-drilled before switch installation).

 

Nice setup on the switches, I have to say it is pretty good nifty the way you set them up. Nice work!