Turn-outs compatible with Dynamis?

[mdmeyers1982]

Well I posted this question on the modeltrainforum.com forum a while ago, but apparently they don't like to respond as quickly as this group here 

I was reluctant to ask, because my question involves other brands but here goes:

"Can anyone recommend a good decoder/turnout/motor combo that I can use remotely with the Dynamis system with no problem?? that's all I need is just a step in the right direction... so many options for this hobby... price is not a *major* factor, but I would like to keep it fairly mid-range... IE.. nothing that will break/fail, but nothing plated in gold as well. I've heard PECO makes a good turn out.. so I hope that would work with my Atlas track.. all I need to know is what decoder and motor to set up with it."

that is what I posted. After a little research I have found that the Tortoise turn out machines are highly praised... but require a DPDT switch set up? I want to be able to control the switching WITH MY DYNAMIS...lol is that too much to ask?

On that note.. I have heard rumors about the same company producing what is called a Smail.. which is the Tortoise with a Decoder installed? How about that?

Also... I'd just like to brag that I won an auction on Ebay tonight for a lot of 6 Bachmann rolling stock (hope I wasn't bidding against you! lol) and I am awaiting another bid on a Bachmann DCC GP40-2 with MRC sound installed (fingers crossed)

Got a VERY nice tax return on the way, and my girl already said I can allocate some of it towards my new hobby as long as I pay off the entertainment center we have on layaway   

Thanks guys, and have a great night!

[jward]

somebody makes a decoder for the tortiose called the hare. (wonder who wins that race?)

as somebody who uses tortoise, they come highly recommended. however, rather than use the actuating wire that comes with the tortoise, i would advise making a newer, stiffer one out of .032 or .047 piano wire.

[mdmeyers1982]

Jward, Thanks for the reply... in fact I think I actually read your advice with the piano wire when I was searching the forums... I will definetly do this, I need it to be stiff because I may have to have the wire travel through 3/4 plywood foundation and up to 2 inches of foam as well... hope it can do that...

So let me get this straight... for each tortoise/turn out combo, I would need a hare decoder? ouch.. that could get expensive fast...

here is the Smail I was talking about... seems like it may be a tortoise/hare combo? but I think it says it is not available yet? 
http://www.blwnscale.com/Circuitron.htm

I'm not even sure how many turnouts I will even want at this point, but I would like a yard for at least 3 to 5 different sets of trains..

[jward]

the hare was a decoder that plugged into the contacts of the tortoise, in much the same way computer cables plug into a hard drive. the smail is something i hadn't heard of before, and it would appear to do the same thing as the tortoise/hare combo at a cheaper price.

i do not use dcc to control my switch motors. instead, i use a diode to rectify the ac from a standard power pack, and use atlas twins to control them. atlas twins are dpdt switches prewires to work as reversing switches. they come ganged two in one housing, and can be connected together the same as a standard switch control box.

i have never tried to throw a switch  through 2 3/4 inches of subroadbed. the most i have  done is about one inch. you will have to experiment. but keep in mind the tortoice doesn't have to be mounted under the table. you can surface mount them upside down, and use a custom made L shaped actuating wire to throw the points. the tortoise can be hidden inside a signal tower of other building.

[Rangerover1944]

Well I posted this question on the modeltrainforum.com forum a while ago, but apparently they don't like to respond as quickly as this group here  

I was reluctant to ask, because my question involves other brands but here goes:

"Can anyone recommend a good decoder/turnout/motor combo that I can use remotely with the Dynamis system with no problem?? that's all I need is just a step in the right direction... so many options for this hobby... price is not a *major* factor, but I would like to keep it fairly mid-range... IE.. nothing that will break/fail, but nothing plated in gold as well. I've heard PECO makes a good turn out.. so I hope that would work with my Atlas track.. all I need to know is what decoder and motor to set up with it."

that is what I posted. After a little research I have found that the Tortoise turn out machines are highly praised... but require a DPDT switch set up? I want to be able to control the switching WITH MY DYNAMIS...lol is that too much to ask?

On that note.. I have heard rumors about the same company producing what is called a Smail.. which is the Tortoise with a Decoder installed? How about that?

Also... I'd just like to brag that I won an auction on Ebay tonight for a lot of 6 Bachmann rolling stock (hope I wasn't bidding against you! lol) and I am awaiting another bid on a Bachmann DCC GP40-2 with MRC sound installed (fingers crossed)

Got a VERY nice tax return on the way, and my girl already said I can allocate some of it towards my new hobby as long as I pay off the entertainment center we have on layaway    

Thanks guys, and have a great night!

Not bad for $15.00 per turnout, read this and learn, I've been interested in this topic myself,
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/sw_ctl.htm
Jim

[Rangerover1944]

I just got off the phone with Tony's Trains and ordered this unit cost $48.00 and it will operate 8 turnouts per unit, that's $6.00 per turnout, here's the link scroll down to SC8
http://www.tonystrains.com/products/teamdigital.htm

[mdmeyers1982]

Oh wow.. good find! So 8 servo's... do they all have different addresses so they change independently? as in, can I hook up 8 different Tortoise motors and switch them all separate (don't want all the switches going at once now!)

please elaborate... I'm finding dozens of idea's on this.. but since you seem to be going the tortoise route like me, I'd love the input.

Thanks!
-Mike

[Rangerover1944]

Each switch is independently wired with each having it's own addy and it won't interfere with my switch position leds. I'll know more when I get them wired and working. Jim

[mdmeyers1982]

I just visited a local hobby shop here in Austin, they have some switch machines that are similar to the tortoise, called the Cobalt...


anyone have any experience with these?