New Product! DC Tortoise Control Panel

[C855B]

Heh heh. We're a prickly bunch, aren't we? Welcome to A$$hatville.

That's OK, Jason. We'll make it up to you when I drop off that box of Palm OS memorabilia in a few weeks.

[peteski]

Jason, it looks like you new member of TRW (the Railwire). I'm not sure if you lurked around for a while or not, but either way you'll find out that a good portion of TRW members are not your average model railroader.  They are quite knowledgeable in various aspects of model railroading and are at home in wiring or even designing their own electronic circuitry.  So the comments will reflect their knowledge level and experience.  Yes, your devices have place in the MRR hobby in general, but many here would just roll their own.  That is why you are seeing those seemingly not complimentary comments.

For example, here is a control panel for Tortoise machines I helped to design and construct.

[C855B]

In all seriousness, from the 1:1 -



Memory is blanking at what the guys on the ground called the positions other than "lined" and "oh, CRAP!" , but up in the tower (and DS office), and in signal maintenance, we called them "normal" and "reversed". FWIW.

[Cajonpassfan]

Edit.. Woops wrong thread..!!!!!

Well, you had me "thrown" for a moment...
As to the terminology used, and I'm guessing here, that may be a question of era and technology; hand-thrown switches (normal/reverse) or more recently electrically operated and interlocked ones (closed/thrown)? On my late forties layout, train crews are required to "normal" the switches behind themselves...Oh, and our switches aren't thrown but lined...
It would be nice to get enlightened or corrected by someone who actually knows this stuff...
Otto K.

Update: I see Mike had already made a knowledgeable comment above; I posted mine before seeing his.

[Point353]

In all seriousness, from the 1:1 -



Memory is blanking at what the guys on the ground called the positions other than "lined" and "oh, CRAP!" , but up in the tower (and DS office), and in signal maintenance, we called them "normal" and "reversed". FWIW.

When you want the position of the switch to be changed - either from "normal" to "reversed" or vice-versa - do you ask for it to be "thrown" or "lined" or something else?

[CodyO]

I get the whole thrown vs closed. Points are closed for straight, thrown for diverging.

I think that this is a good product for someone who wants solder free SPDT installs.  I personally dont use tortoises because of the need to solder to contact pads on the machines. I prefer Colbalts with the solder free contacts.

Could we get a picture of what the screw terminals are labeled? I'm assuming I could use this with colbalts by using 4 of the screw terminals.

[KE4NYV]

I get the whole thrown vs closed. Points are closed for straight, thrown for diverging.

I think that this is a good product for someone who wants solder free SPDT installs.  I personally dont use tortoises because of the need to solder to contact pads on the machines. I prefer Colbalts with the solder free contacts.

Could we get a picture of what the screw terminals are labeled? I'm assuming I could use this with colbalts by using 4 of the screw terminals.

Sure!  Here is a picture with the adapter we make for people with your exact complaint about the Tortoise.  I also hate the idea of soldering directly to the switch machine (even though I was a NASA soldering instructor for five years).  I like the idea of making changes with a simple screwdriver and no chance for damage to the pad by heating it over and over again.  After all, it's only foil on the FR4 substrate.



The label on the adapter is identical to the label of the DC Control Panel.  I'll work on getting a better picture of that and post it.

Just for clarification, the pinout left to right is:  M L R C C L R M

Outer two pins marked M are for the motor.  Inner two pins marked C are the commons for each side of the internal DPDT switch.  The L and R to either side of the C pins are the associated "LEFT" and "RIGHT" pins.  They are labeled this way because there really isn't a Normally-Open/Normally-Closed state in this situation.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jason
www.rpc-electronics.com

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I like em!
I'm a firm believer in taking short cuts for the stuff you don't enjoy doing.

Wiring is one of those things for me.

[Philip H]

I like em!
I'm a firm believer in taking short cuts for the stuff you don't enjoy doing.

Wiring is one of those things for me.

So is benchwork.

 

[CodyO]

So is benchwork.

 

Dont worry I've offered(told) Ed multiple times I'll help with the benchwork so he doesnt end up with whatever was trying to hold up his old layout

@KE4NYV plans for a 3/4" Ply version?

[Philip H]

Dont worry I've offered(told) Ed multiple times I'll help with the benchwork so he doesnt end up with whatever was trying to hold up his old layout

Hey now, I built what was under the yard . . . .

[DKS]

[Ngineer]

I can't find an explanation on how to wire the Tortoise DC Control Panel to the power supply and the actual Tortoise motor.

The website http://www.rpc-electronics.com/tortdccontrol.php has some explanation, but I would to see a diagram.

Can somebody please help me?

   Javier

[draskouasshat]

When a "switch" is closed on the railroad -- its lined for the normal route of travel .. when it's thrown -- its lined for the diverging route ..  easy peasy

incorrect. the correct word usage is normal or reverse. it is stated this way on track warrants, on signal plans, and so on. Normal or reverse.

drasko

[draskouasshat]

When you want the position of the switch to be changed - either from "normal" to "reversed" or vice-versa - do you ask for it to be "thrown" or "lined" or something else?

throw it, line it, roll it, reverse it, normal it. the dispatcher knows what I mean when I say any of those but ALL of those besides the normal/reverse it, are followed by normal or reverse.

drasko