RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 17, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2011 Has anyone used the feeds on a tortoise point motor to control short isolating sections next to the point to prevent accidental shorts? Was this successful? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted February 18, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 18, 2011 I believe that Mike did that on his Lostock Junction layout. Anyway, he does have dead sections ahead of points controlled by Tortoises. I devised a wiring for it that should work (using both switches): Switch 1 is the standard frog wiring. The wire to the frog also goes to the common of switch 2; the other 2 terminals for switch 2 go to lengths of isolated lengths of rail beynd the frog, in the side of the rail that comes out of the frog. This gives one rail that is the same as the frog and one that is neutral. A loco coming in the wrong way will stop without shorting. It also works on insulfrogs; you just don't attach the first wire to the frog. I think this would be useful in DCC as well. The sound will cut out but it would if you ran the points anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 18, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted February 18, 2011 Thanks David. That is just the reason I was thinking of doing it for and the way in which I was considering in doing it. Just wanted t know of others experience of it or if I was missing something obvious that would make this a bad thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 18, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 18, 2011 Hello Kris I did something similar on a friends layout but used extra contacts on the operating switch. Where the branch terminus joined the mainline was placed awardly for the terminus operator to see when to stop the train unless the road was set. So I created a section in front of the frog which was wired up through the swtich. The terminus operator could send out a train and know it would stop before reaching the point. So there is no reason you couldn't use the Tortoise contacts. The alternative of using a 12v bulb to protect the point works but has the problem that the loco is now on the point and the only way out is to reverse the point (unless you use your hand) which is not much use if there is a train in the way. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 18, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted February 18, 2011 Thanks for that Don. The idea of wiring to the switch is a good one, and is worth some consideration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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