Noch Segment Turntable Options

[beeman]

Apologies but I was passing a general observation about, 'Modellers' out of the box brand. and I certainly Don't need to buy one when able to make this. link Funny how feathers fly when cages are rattled unintentionally . Beeman.

[Alan.B.Pearce]

Does anyone have a price for this ?

Mine arrived about a week ago. 140 Euro from Modellbahn Kramm in Hilden (about 20km north of Cologne).

I have done a reasonable bit of business with them, and they are a real shop.

http://www.modellbahn-kramm.com/index.cfm?sprache=E

The bit of gauze for the 3 rail connection is easily removed, the 'wooden top' can be easily prised off the top, it seems to be just a jam fit, not glued down.

[john woodall]

Apologies but I was passing a general observation about, 'Modellers' out of the box brand. and I certainly Don't need to buy one when able to make this. link Funny how feathers fly when cages are rattled unintentionally . Beeman.

So its ok to buy peco track and points and not a more complex bit of engineering like this?

They say time is money and for some of us it is a more efficient use of our time to buy something like this and have it readily usuable, than spend a huge amount of time trying to build one that doesn't work as well.

To each their own

John

[Norman Byrne]

Hi Doug / All,

I think it looks like a very nice piece of kit & would provide a good addition to any suitable layout.

Doug / Alan - did either of you ever take any pictures of it in place on your layout; would appreciate seeing them if so ?

Also the earlier question regarding track layouts where these turntables / sector plates were used. Is there anything already on the forum ?

Cheers,


Norm

[Doug]

Norm, I have a section of my layout that I'm working on now and I was thinking of installing this segment turntable there but the thing is that it seems a shame to contrive a situation where I would add it.

I'm not short on space and basically these segment turntables would have been installed in a spot where there was not enough space for a 3-way point and a short length of track on the toe - remembering that it is only really intended to be used by a shunting loco or small tank engine. So it wouldn't have been installed on a green-field site.

This got me thinking about the other side of my layout where the track is completed - perhaps because the space is used up I can actually install this and have it do what it was intended for. The only issue with installing it on a brown-field part of the layout is that you have to rip stuff up and try and cut up the baseboard. A little more contemplation is needed.

[Norman Byrne]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the prompt reply & its detail.

Well you cannot get anymore realistic than that I would say. Redevelopment during construction - its the real thing. But I understand the feeling " do I really really want to do that" - you probably already know the answer, just a case of when LOL !

I have a new turntable hopefully being delivered today from Midland Engineering, & have been trying to work around the space pending its arrival, when I know curtting the 305mm diameter hole in the baseboard, no matter how careful is likely to have some "impact" on the nearby progressed (* not finished) areas of the layout. But all part of the fun eh !

Thanks again, Cheers,


Norm

[Alan.B.Pearce]

Hi Doug / All,

I think it looks like a very nice piece of kit & would provide a good addition to any suitable layout.

Doug / Alan - did either of you ever take any pictures of it in place on your layout; would appreciate seeing them if so ?

Also the earlier question regarding track layouts where these turntables / sector plates were used. Is there anything already on the forum ?

Cheers,


Norm

I have an idea for a layout where the station is on a sea wall, and there is no room for a point with tail track, as they would need to knock down a lighthouse to have the room ... )

I believe they tended to get used in small rural locations.

The unit itself is constructed of approx 2mm laser cut card, with the moving arm inside of moulded nylon. The actuator is actually a small R/C sevo mechanism that instead of having an actuator arm is fitted with a gear that runs on a rack to move back and forth. I assume they have disabled the feedback mechanism within the servo somehow so it keeps rotating instead of going just 90 degrees.

The bottom cover can be easily removed as it is held on with three screws, which are machine thread into cardboard lugs! Easily stripped holes if you attempt to screw them up too tight.

Nowhere in the documantation is the angle of swing mentioned, but it is nominally 30 degrees end to end. When powered on it gives a little jiggle as it goes through its internal boot up, but then seems to know if it is in the centre position. The end positions seem to be set by limit switches which hab=ve set screws reachable through holes in the side panels - mine were covered by "guarantee void if removed" stickers, and I note they don't appear in the photos on this list. The don't stick on very well anyway, mine had almost fallen off by the time it arrived!!!

For those into electronics, the microprocessor is a PIC16F628A, but the Flash memory is read protected, so you cannot get at the contents! You don't need to ask how I know!

It seems to claim that it will understand DCC, Marklin Motorola, and IIRC, Selectrix digital formats, plus will use ordinary 16V AC/DC supply. With the latter the supplied push button will sequence the tuntable position left/middle/right/middle/left. With any of the digital control systems it can be directly commanded to any position without stopping in the centre position between extremes. This seems an awful lot to get into the ROM capacity of this chip, but they seem to have managed it ...

The manual can be downloaded in PDF format from the NOCH website. http://www.noch.de/pictures/PDFs/Bastelanl...e_Anleitung.pdf

It is a multi-language document.

I think the rails are code 80, but haven't check it yet. For those wanting to use it for dual gauage or narrow gauge it would be easy to re-gauge it to suit. I plan to replace the gauze 'centre contact' with Weichan-Walter centre studs to use with Marklin HO. The gauze is 'somewhat unsightly' to my eyes.

[Brian Considine]

Thanks for the additional infoprmation Alan.

The actual rails are probably code83 but I could well be proved wrong.

Please let us see some picures when the unit is installed - even better some WIP ones.

[Norman Byrne]

Hi Alan,

Like the sound of your layout concept, including a lighthouse, very nice feature on any layout.

Unfortunatley you lost me at a rate of knots on the more technical side of things, but it sounds very impressive !

But I will second Brian's comment & would love to see some wip pics if time permits, that might asist in improving my understanding (* I stress might !!!!).

Cheers,


Norm

[traingeek]

I think this type of turntable looks odd but I can see why it appeal to people.Personally I think that if I ever have a turntable I will get a typical british one.

[Norman Byrne]

Hi Doug,

Was wondering if you have made any further progress as yet with finding the home for your ST/T ?

Cheers,


Norm