Tortoise switch machines...

[LIRR]

I understand the motor stalls at the end of the throw and that’s not a problem. But.....if power to the train room receptacles remains on 24/7, the motor stalled for hours on end. Is that a problem?

[jdcolombo]

No.

John C.

[LIRR]

Good to hear, thanks

[peteski]

Good to hear, thanks

While not a problem for the Tortoise machine, you might consider a main "kill switch" for your layout.  If not for saving on your electric bill, for safety reasons.

Also, what powers your Tortoises, and how many are active on your layout?
What I'm driving at here is that the stalled motor uses more current then when the machine is in motion.  If you have few dozen stalled machines and the power supply is not robust enough, it might overheat if it is always on.

[LIRR]

I have a kill switch in the train room, but the tortoise and power supply at win the adjacent room with live electric....
I may pop a hole in the wall and run an extension cord to the train room

[Cajonpassfan]

I solved a similar problem with a nine dollar "remote switch" from Home Depot. It plugs into the outlet and can be turned on/off remotely through a wall (a framed wall in my case). I my opinion, keeping the power on 24/7 is asking for trouble or worse...
Otto K.

[LIRR]

Problem solved. Turns out I used DPDT-center off toggles I had from the old layout. I just turn them off when I leave the room for the night. Duh.

[Peavine]

I use those remote control things too, one for main power, one for the turntable, and one for staging. When something isn’t in use, i keep it off.

[Santa Fe Guy]

I always turned off the main power in my shed where my SFRSD was housed. I had 85 Tortoise motors plus heaps of signalling / block detection cards and wall warts etc.
Small price to pay for a sleepless night if it went up in flames due to a short.
I have even found a DCC loco had not had the throttle right the way back to zero and was sitting on the tracks rammed up against another loco and quite hot after an operating session when I turned the power on the next day.
So I say turn it off.
Rod.