DCC Turnouts. My mind is spinning.


F

FlyFishn

Member
I am sure this subject is pretty common but I'll ask anyway.

In designing a layout from the ground up around DCC - what is the best way to control tunouts?

I realize the wiring of the points and frogs is a consideration, but my question more pertains to the control. I understand the circuitry side of the wiring OK.

Carrying on that thought, a large layout I have seen, from what I know - converted over to use DCC, has custom switches run with Digitrax DCC. I don't know what the actual motors are, but they are under the table. The turnouts appear to be Atlas 2750 and 2751's.

What I do like about the 2750's and 2751's is they are basic on top = there isn't a solenoid or other bulky attachment to the turnout on the layout, it is all concealed under the table.

Though, that isn't a real important factor for me - the above table "stuff" - just an observation.

It looks like the standard remote Atlas switches are 3 wire designs - 2700/2701 models. If I ran that I would have to have an additional decoder, such as the NCE Q-Snap (quad switches) or Snap-It (single switch).

If I run some kind of custom switch that gives me more options for an auxiliary control mechanism/motor (tortoise, servo, solenoid). That might be more complicated than I want to do with it, though.

It also doesn't look like there is a cheap way to do this. With a Snap-It and an Atlas remote switch I am at around $40-50 per turn out. On a layout with approaching 20 turn outs, not including yard and staging, thats a lot of $!
 
FlyFishn said:
In designing a layout from the ground up around DCC - what is the best way to control tunouts? ..... It also doesn't look like there is a cheap way to do this. With a Snap-It and an Atlas remote switch I am at around $40-50 per turn out. On a layout with approaching 20 turn outs, not including yard and staging, thats a lot of $!
Click to expand...

1) At lot here depends on how YOU want to control the turnouts, the three most common options being a) from a central control panel, b) from fascia mounted switches, and c) via DCC. The consensus from other threads, as well as my personal preference, is fascia mounted controls.

2) Not including a DCC decoder if that's the way you want to go, cost per turnout, with a little easy building, is around $5.
 
Kevin - how are you making turnouts for $5 each? And how do you add in a decoder and electronic activation to that turnout?
 
Again - NOT including a DCC decoder -

Micro Engineering code 83 rail for the turnout $1.45, Arduino UNO R3 for the control circuit $2.00, SG90 servo $1.20, aluminum channel to mount servo $.20, miscellaneous wire $.25; total $5.20.

I just checked a couple if the items, UNOs are now up to $3.00, servos up to $1.50, making the new total about $6.50. I also didn't include the cost of control switches, since 1) I have literally hundreds of switches in stock, and 2) it depends on what type of control installation you choose.
 
I don't know if this is the best way as per your question, but I use tortoise motors with NCE switch 8's to throw turnouts.
I have a Digitrax system and control them from the throttle as I have a walk around layout with no panel.
If you can buy in bulk the price drops of course. I also use LED's in some places to show the switch position.
 
I was looking at the switch 8's. It looks like it outputs constant voltage then flips polarity each way to advance/reverse the tortoise. There may be a way to use some relays, diodes, and a capacitive discharge as a time-delay to cut the power to the relay. That would not be a "programmable" delay, like on the snap-it or q-snap, but with the right value components the clicking of a relay may act the same way as a momentary switch for a dual coil turnout solenoid. Just a thought.. A switch 8 is also 1/2 the price for the same outputs as a q-snap - same price component, twice the outputs.

Another thought I had here this morning - the turn outs crossing between the main line can have 2 turn outs off the same output. There is no need to control them independently, they can't be controlled independently - either a train stays on one main line or it crosses both turnouts to get to the other side, no in between. That will reduce the amount of controls even further.
 
Hi FlyFishn,

I'm interested in knowing what you have figured out is the best option for you and how will you be controlling your switches?

Dave
 
Dave -

I am still in the planning stages right now. I have been swamped with work the past couple weeks since after the holidays and things are only piling up more there. The model railroading is on the proverbial back burner for a while. As I get back to things I'll pick at the threads I have in various forums here, or if one doesn't suit my question I'll start up a new one.
 
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