Switchmotors for PECO turnouts *and* DCC (N Scale)


T

TheZeke

New Member
Hi Folks,

I'm to the point now where I need to start deciding how I'm going to motorize my turnouts. I'd like to keep this cheap (ie. no tortoise switch machines) but I could be talked into it.

Eventually I'll want to wire these with DCC so I have to keep that in mind.

Also this is N Scale.

The turnouts I'm using are Peco electrofrog SL series (eg. SL-E391F etc). I checked out both the PL10 switch motor as well as the low amp version PL10W. There's also extended pin versions like PL10E and PL10WE. Whenever I see a website selling the low amp versions (PL10W(E)) it says "great" in quotations "for DCC users" also in quotations. What are they getting at here? LOL Are they supposed to be great for DCC users but aren't?

Are there other ways to do this that are not above the benchwork?

So... In summary - what other choices to have here?
- Do I use PL10WE for DCC? Do they need capacitor discharge to throw the turnout?
- Tortoise? Even though these are over-center-snapping turnouts? Would I remove the little angle spring from the turnout if I go with tortoise machines?

Thanks for reading and any advice you can offer!
 
Some people use cheap RC micro-servos linked to the turnout throwbar. Then at least one company makes some kind of relay thing that goes between the stationary dcc decoder and the servo. If someone designed a stationary DCC decoder combined with a servo controller and kept the price reasonable....they might have a nice market of hobbyists to buy them.


Mike
 
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