|
Model Railway Electrics - Point Motor Placement
Point Motor in a housing
(with and without extension arm)
(Hornby Standard Point Motor. PECO Point Motor requires
modification.)
Tools: Marker,
Drill, Philips Screwdriver
This is one of the easiest ways to fit point motors to your
points.
Position the hole at the end of the housing arm over the
prong at the end of the points control arm. Change the point a few times by
hand to make sure that the housing is not restricting the movement of the
point. Once you are happy with its positioning mark its position and that of
the screw holes on to the board. You also need to mark where the large
centre holes are for the wires from the point motor to be fed through you
baseboard.
Remove the housing and drill two pilot holes for the fixing
screws and one 6mm hole all the way through your baseboard for the point
motors wires to be thread through where you have marked. Then put the
housings base back into position and screw it down. At this stage its best
to check that the points still move correctly (I found its best not to screw
the housing down to tight as this can restrict movement is some cases). If
all is still working well you can fit the point motor to the housing base.
Its best to thread the wires through first and then position the point
motor. You will need to make sure that the point motors arm is fitted into
the hole in the housings control arm. Last of all pop the housings lamp hut
cover on and wire it up to check it works.
Directly to the point
(Standard Hornby and PECO point motor)
  
Tools: Marker,
Ruler, Drill, Jigsaw, pliers.
This is probably the best method for fitting standard point
motors as the point motor is fitted directly to the point ensuring
consistent and reliable operation.
First of all you need to mark the position of the points
control arm on to your layout. Then remove the point and using the marking
for the point control arm as a centre line mark a
40mm X 25mm square (see above shot of the
point). This is the area you will need to remove. Before cutting make sure
there is nothing beneath the board like wires or the baseboard frame that
you might cut through. The easiest way to remove this area is to drill a
hole through the board and use a jigsaw to cut out the square. Check the
hole with the point motor to make sure it fits and is square to the point.
If it is, fit the point motor to the bottom of the point making sure the
point motors are is threaded through the hole in the points control arm.
Using pliers, carefully bend the prongs of the point motors out to stop the
point motor breaking free.
Place the point and the fitted motor onto the
layout so that the point motor fits in it hole. Connect up the track and
test its operation. You may need to adjust the hole if it effects the
positioning of the point.
Alternative - Fit a piece
of card between the point and the motor to help hide the motor from view and
to make it easy to ballast the point.
For an example of fitting point motors below you board read
"Edward
Holmes"
article. Click Here
Fixed to the bottom of the board
(Standard Hornby PECO and SEEP point motor)
 
Tools: Marker,
Drill and/or Jigsaw, pliers, Screws and Screwdriver or Glue Gun,
note: If you are using
the SEEP point motors you will have to use this method.
First of all you need to mark the position of the points
control arm on to your layout. Then remove the point and using a drill or
jigsaw make a hole in you board. This needs to be large enough to allow the
point motor arm to move fully.
Now put the point back into the correct position making sure
its control arm is over the hole you have made in the board. The next step
depends on the point motor you are using.
Hornby - You will need to attach the extension arm on
to the point motor. I would advise you use some glue as well as crimping the
brass connecter, to ensure it stays together. Using Pliers bend over the
prongs on the point motor (see picture above) to give you a flat surface to
either screw of glue to point motor to the board.
SEEP - This point motor needs no modify although you
may wish to solder the wires to it as soldering under the board is
difficult.
PECO
(PL-10E)- You will need
to make sure you buy the long arm version
(PL-10E not PL-10) of
the PECO point motor as the short version comes with no extension. If you
are not using the PECO connectors you you may wish to solder the wires to
the point motor as soldering under the board is difficult. Using Pliers bend
over the prongs on the point motor (see picture above) to give you a flat
surface to either screw of glue to point motor to the board.
From under the board thread the point motors arm through the
hole in the points control arm.
Mark on the point motor arm just above where it appears from
the hole in the points control arm. Use this as a guild to cut the point
motors arm to length. If you plan to use glue remember to leave a but of
extra length to take into account the thickness of the glue. I find it best
to have about 1mm extra to ensure you don't cut it too short.
Then refit the point motor ensuring the point motor still has
the full range of movement and the point motors arm is not too long. Last of
all secure the point motor to the bottom of the board either by glue or
screws.
Surface mounted point Motors
(Hornby
R8243
and Peco
PL-11 )
Peco Surface Mounted Point Motors (PL-11)
(picture and information from
"chrisalddin" forum member)
Probably the most simplest method of automating your points.
Its just a matter of positioning the motor on you point, pinning/gluing it
to the board and drilling a hole to allow the wires to go under the layout.
According to a forum member the wires cannot be hidden without the use of scenery
and it requires PECO track pins as the holes are too small for Hornby track
pins without modification.
Approximate Size:
61mm "long"
10mm "wide" (21mm if you Count the part for the Pin Holes) 10mm "High"
Hornby Surface Mounted Point Motors
(R8243) (not released yet)
Point motor Positioning
/ mounting
Point motor switching
Fitting Point
Motors directly beneath you points.
|
