Twin coil switch machine problems


P

PMW

Well-Known Member
I'm using Peco turnouts with Peco PL10 twin coil switch machines. My layout is still very much under construction and turnouts are thrown by hand since the switch machines are not wire to a switch or stationary decoder yet. However, I've read that over time the snapping of the points can damage them.

I'm wondering how much of a concern this should be.

Most of my turnouts can be easily thrown by hand and the only reason most of them have switch machines is so, eventually, I can use my computer monitor to display the position of the turnout. Maybe I can only use the switch machines when showing my layout.

Any thoughts or experience shared would be great. Thanks

Paul
 
I wouldn't be so concerned about them - PECO turnouts are built robust and their twin coil machines have been around for decades, in use by thousands of modelers. The club I belong to had the PECO turnount/coil machine combos installled for decades too, and we even keep re-using old turnouts whenever we can (to save on costs) without any issues.

If you are concerned with coil switch machines you could always use Tortoise motors instead, but they put constant pressure on points while powered up.

Either solutions are fine if you want to automate your railroad, otherwise you can resort to hand flicking the points if you want the turnouts to outlast your current (and future) layouts. :)
 
PMW said:
I'm using Peco turnouts with Peco PL10 twin coil switch machines. My layout is still very much under construction and turnouts are thrown by hand since the switch machines are not wire to a switch or stationary decoder yet. However, I've read that over time the snapping of the points can damage them.

I'm wondering how much of a concern this should be.

Most of my turnouts can be easily thrown by hand and the only reason most of them have switch machines is so, eventually, I can use my computer monitor to display the position of the turnout. Maybe I can only use the switch machines when showing my layout.
Click to expand...
I have to say I have never heard of snapping of points will damage them. Our club snapped turnouts for 20 some odd years and I don't recall any issues. My concern level - almost nil.

BUT you say, "the only reason most of them have switch machines... ". What type of PECO turnouts are these? If they are electrofrog you can get the direction of the turnout directly from the frog of the unit itself without any machine.
 
Twenty years?! That's reassuring! Maybe I don't need to worry about this too much :)

They are electrofrog. I want to operate many of them remotely (eventually) for convenience.

Thanks
 
PMW said:
Any thoughts or experience shared would be great. Thanks
Click to expand...
Use them by hand or by electricity and you will have no problems. The twin coils are bullet proof as well as the turnouts if care is used.

Greg

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Thanks, Greg. In light of all of this feedback I feel it's pretty safe to snap away!
 
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