I have 12 peco turnouts on my layout. They are all Peco SL series turnouts. I've attached a picture that represents what the points and throw bar look like (including the little spring). I also have 12 tortoise switch machines that I want to drive the points with. I have a few issues though and need some guidance before I muck things up and have to spend even more money.
Things I do know are:
- I must get rid of the little snap spring. I can do this without flipping the turnout over.
- I'll probably have to upgrade the diameter/strength of wire in some places because my tortoise machines will be approx 5 inches below the turnout in a few places. In fact, more places than I had hoped but the joists on my benchwork are actually in the way on some of them.
On to the questions I had now...
Q1) Do I drill a tiny little hole for the actuating wire into the throw bar itself or do I use the little holes on either end of the throw bar? The holes in the throw bar on the outside of the turnout are larger than needed and there'd be some play in the wire. I have some tiny drill bits suitable for making such a hole in the middle of the bar somewhere if that's best. I don't want to weaken the bar though.
Q2) The turnouts are already on my layout and although they are not glued down and don't have any balast moving them to the side is nearly impossible because track is soldered together. Is there a trick to drilling through the benchwork when a turnout is already in place? I thought about maybe using a plunge router under the layout with a very precise plunge depth set but I'm scared to do this for obvious reasons. Again moving the switch 3/4" or 1" to one side will most likely be difficult without potentially causing kinks or other issues.
Going back to Q1 above - if I use the little holes on either end of the throw bar then I won't have to move the turnout as far over which might help with Q2.
Q3) Where do I cut the rails to stop power routing on these electrofrogs? I've read through Allan G's WiringforDCC.com advice on DCC turnouts but the jumpers under the turnout don't exactly match what he has there. I know the cut needs to be between the frog and the point hinges but where? Is it bad to go too far towards the frog or too far towards the point hinges?
Q4) How should one cut these two rails in the middle of a turnout? I tried using a Dremel with a very thin cutoff blade but the diameter of the blade is enough to make me nervous because I might seriously nick the stock rails. Is there a better way to cut these without deforming the turnout or messing up the gauge? I've been trying to find a razor saw (?) but the most teeth I can find on a blade around here is 42 teeth per inch (tpi). That's not fine enough. I also already have a jeweler's saw but again the teeth density is not high enough on the blades I have and it's so long that I can't just cut the two center rails on a turnout with it.
Thanks for reading and providing any intput you might have.
For those of you who don't like clicking attachments:
Things I do know are:
- I must get rid of the little snap spring. I can do this without flipping the turnout over.
- I'll probably have to upgrade the diameter/strength of wire in some places because my tortoise machines will be approx 5 inches below the turnout in a few places. In fact, more places than I had hoped but the joists on my benchwork are actually in the way on some of them.
On to the questions I had now...
Q1) Do I drill a tiny little hole for the actuating wire into the throw bar itself or do I use the little holes on either end of the throw bar? The holes in the throw bar on the outside of the turnout are larger than needed and there'd be some play in the wire. I have some tiny drill bits suitable for making such a hole in the middle of the bar somewhere if that's best. I don't want to weaken the bar though.
Q2) The turnouts are already on my layout and although they are not glued down and don't have any balast moving them to the side is nearly impossible because track is soldered together. Is there a trick to drilling through the benchwork when a turnout is already in place? I thought about maybe using a plunge router under the layout with a very precise plunge depth set but I'm scared to do this for obvious reasons. Again moving the switch 3/4" or 1" to one side will most likely be difficult without potentially causing kinks or other issues.
Going back to Q1 above - if I use the little holes on either end of the throw bar then I won't have to move the turnout as far over which might help with Q2.
Q3) Where do I cut the rails to stop power routing on these electrofrogs? I've read through Allan G's WiringforDCC.com advice on DCC turnouts but the jumpers under the turnout don't exactly match what he has there. I know the cut needs to be between the frog and the point hinges but where? Is it bad to go too far towards the frog or too far towards the point hinges?
Q4) How should one cut these two rails in the middle of a turnout? I tried using a Dremel with a very thin cutoff blade but the diameter of the blade is enough to make me nervous because I might seriously nick the stock rails. Is there a better way to cut these without deforming the turnout or messing up the gauge? I've been trying to find a razor saw (?) but the most teeth I can find on a blade around here is 42 teeth per inch (tpi). That's not fine enough. I also already have a jeweler's saw but again the teeth density is not high enough on the blades I have and it's so long that I can't just cut the two center rails on a turnout with it.
Thanks for reading and providing any intput you might have.
For those of you who don't like clicking attachments:
