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I recently purchased 6 Circuitron Switches for my 6.5' x 8' layout. Originally, I was going to control the switches manually from toggle switches, but now I've decided to get fancy (at the request of my son) and control them from my DCC controller (Digitrax Zephyr). I'm new to DCC so I'm not sure I have everything I need to perform the latter. Should I purchase a set of control boards for the switches (Hare, Wabbit), or am I set? Does anyone have any experience with this type of configuration?
While I don't have any experiene with the type of configuration your are planning, I can say that I love the Torti! They are very forgiving and just seem to work flawlessly. If you are using a walk around (radio) DCC controller or are able to reach anywhere with your throttle in your hand, I see absolutely no gain from the added expense to use the decoder type of control for the turnouts. A DPDT switch mounted on the facia is just as easy (easier?) to use and a lot cheaper. If you are planning to go all the way back to a panel located in one spot on the layout, then there is a great advantage to the decoder in the torti...... Just a thought.
I myself prefer the DPDT idea, just for ease of remember which one switches which switch!
However, if you're going DCC, you have a few options. Shell out the cash for a Hare of Wabbit, wich have a DCC board, OR buy a stationary decoder from any one of the DCC companies, and wire it up.
I used a Digitrax DS44 decoder to control tortoise switch machines on my modules. I don't think they make it anymore though. YOu'd have to go with a DS54.
The DCC controlled switches are cool, but can be inconvenient and a bit of over kill if you do not have a dispatcher running the railroad. They are really great for an operating session with the dispatcher controlling the main line switches.
Forgive me for Hi-jacking this, but after reading this I was wondering. my layout is 2" foam on top of open grid bench. can I mount a tortoise to the foam or do I need to lay plywood?
I use Tortoises on my mainline and use groundthrows on my reachable sidings. My Tortoises are all on Lenz LS150 decoders that control 6 addressed turnouts each, for <$40. I like the machines on the mainline to easily set a route or to keep me from having to walk around and manually throw them. On a siding, you need to be there anyway, so I go groundthrow.
The Hare is nice to prevent running against a turnout, but they add a lot of expense to an already expensive turnout section.
The Tortoise runs on 12v DC (I use 9v wall warts - they run actually more realistic on 9v DC) so that would be a DC Bus in addition to the DCC Bus. I connect mine to the DCC Bus to power the frog using the built in switches. The Torti has two separate SPDT switches built in that allows for powering two different items with the Tortoise. They can be either DC or DCC. You can run all the Tortoise Machines and a whole lot of small lighting, etc. with something like this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...ply&x=20&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&parentPage=search
BTW small 12v grain of wheat and grain of rice bulbs can also be powered with a 9v wall wart and will last practically forever at that voltage. I think they also look better (at least for my layout set in 1925).
Switch Control Panels just look good on a layout. I attached some photos that may give you some idea of what you have to do. The far switch panel controls some remote tortoises on the west side of the layout. The front manual knobs control the double cross over.
