Operating two sets of points with one motor

[klaatu]

Does anyone have any ideas about operating two sets of Peco OO points with one slow action motor (i.e. a Cobalt)? They are adjacent to each other on a stretch of parallel track.

Steve

[Essex2Visuvesi]

don't see why not as long as the point actions are not too stiff

[klaatu]

But how would you actually do it? I have some piano wire, but I'm not sure of the best way to get the single wire from the motor to operate two throw bars.

Steve

[TK421]

I've seen this in model rail magazine and I shall go dig the article out.

[TK421]

it's in the april 2012 issue of model rail. It's probably best trying to get a copy than me trying to explain the mechanics on here (firstly becuase i'm not sure of it ) If you can't get it I could send you a photocopy of the article.

[locoworks]

i think???? but not 100%, that tortoise actually make a linkage ( maybe they just show a diagram on instructions ) of how to do it. i would imagine a couple of bell cranks would do the job with suitable linkages but i'm not sure what the two points you want to switch at the same time are?? a crossover is the most common but you might be doing something else.

edit; it might be fulgerex or lemaco that show a diagram of how to and not tortoise?

[TK421]

Model rail show the point motor to be a tortoise for a crossover.

[klaatu]

I subscribe to Model Rail - I'll dig it out, thanks.

Locoworks - the two points are side by side at a double-track junction. I didn't plan very well, and it's going to be impossible to fit a motor under one of them. But it occurred to me that in this situation, they may as well be switched together, so a solution would be to just use one motor.

Steve

[philsandy]

Yes, Tortoise do an adaptor to do this (see link below)

http://www.circuitron.com/index_files/Tortoise.htm

But I read on a suppliers website that by the time you've bought the adaptor and the extra work involved in installing it, you are not saving much, and its easier if you have the room to install 2 point motors.

[RFS]

You don't necessarily want to switch both turnouts of a double junciton at the same time, as is perfectly valid for a train on the inside turnout to be diverging whilst one on the outside is taking the straight route.

You could use the Tortoise remote mount on the one where there's not room underneath - the motor can be surface-mounted up to 18 inches away (eg hidden in scenery). Alternatively a Peco PL10 can be mounted above board on the new PL-12X mounting plate that has an extended arm to allow the motor to be hidden under scenery too.