Baseboards and electrics

There are point motors that can just about open and close a garage door. Let me see if I can turn something up this weekend. But I think one of several American companies may be able to fit the bill. The problem is of course that often the stronger the motor the bigger the motor. You might be able to rig some wire contraption and hide the motor in a hut. Shame you have no room under the layout.

I would presume that the motor installed was in fact not properly carried out.
I have found that it is required to place the motor on the baseboard and attach the extender arm - one end to the motor and the other to the point (each have a nipple that fits perfectly to either end of the extender arm).
Before fixing permanently the motor assembly to the point - you are required to push the point motor rod fully home and checking that the point blade is touching tightly the outer rail - then again pull the point motor rod back until point blade is now touching tightly the inner point rail. Holding the point motor firmly, flick back and forwards several times the point motor rod, noting each time that the point blade is tightly touching in turn the point rails. On being satisfied that all is correct, then screw down the point motor assembly down on the base board. Check again and if satisfied, you are now ready for a worry free train running.
It is best to use a CDU as this unit gives a much cleaner operation, and reduces the chance of a point motor burn out through holding down the switch passing the voltage necessary to operate the point motor.

QUOTE (double00 @ 15 Oct 2005, 14:15)It is best to use a CDU ... and reduces the chance of a point motor burn out through holding down the switch passing the voltage necessary to operate the point motor.

You've got just as much of a chance of burning out a point motor with a CDU as you do without one. It provides a momentary charge of high voltage power, but if you keep the switch closed it will still continue to feed the input voltage (typically 12v DC) to the motor and this will burn it out.

If you want to guard against motor burn outs you will need a circuit like the one below (presuming I've got the URL correct!), this will also enable you to use an ordinary Single Pole Double Throw or Double Pole Double Throw switch, so you can also tell which way the point is set by which way the switch is thrown.

LisaP4 you will probably know this, in using a SPDT switch (on/off) the voltage will remain on at the point motor terminal until such times as the switch is turned off and failure to do this can in fact cause a point motor burn out.
As I said previously, a better switch is a press for (on), as on releasing the switch small knob, immediately cuts off the voltage to the point motor and therefore safeguards against any possibility of a burn out to the point motor, and if use of a CDU, an immediate recharge of the capacitor

I have been wiring up point motors since 1986 and to this day, used two press for "on" switches ( to a point motor)- each switch has either a Red or Black coloured button and terminals wired to the + - + of the point motor. Another switch I use is a SP c/over "on/on". The only time I buy point motors is when I add further points to my layout - I can certainly say LisaP4, that I have never experienced a burnt out point motor.

Hi all
This is probably a bit late now as this topic has been ongoing for some while! Anyway, as far as I'm aware all commercially produced CDUs only allow a "One Shot" discharge all the while the switch, push button or probe (whatever) is remaining operated (closed). They don't receive another recharge until the switch etc is broken again. Hence, when a CDU is placed in circuit point motor burnouts are eliminated (Unless you're unlucky and have a defective motor coil anyway!) The supply for a CDU is normally anything between 16 and 24 volts ac or dc. Most people will use ac. The input current is often on the low side and therefore a low milliamp winding from the transformer can be used, as its the capacitor that stores the energy and becomes ready to give a hefty single pulse output when the point operating switch is finally closed. CDU's offer freedom from motor burnout due to sticky switches etc and can, when heavy duty units are employed, throw up to six or seven motors at once if need be. Though why so many being moved at once would be needed I cant really understand!

Best wishes to you all for Christmas and I hope 'Santa' will bring you the models you have wished for!

It's curious that we don't hesitate to call a 'solenoid' a 'motor', even though they are actually quite different. This can be very confusing for newcomers, especially when they eventually discover that turnouts CAN be powered by conventional rotating electric motors instead of solenoids!

There is an amazing amount of ambiguity and innate ability to confuse in model railways, probably the most common being the other terms used for turnouts - points and switches, which terms are also used for other purposes.

No wonder 'normal' people think modellers are strange!

With reference to the possible need for enough current to power several solenoids more or less simultaneously: this can become very important, in fact essential, when operating automated fiddle yards with several passing loops, most especially with double main line traffic. Every train entering its controlled passing lane will activate, at the very least, two turnouts, all on its own. In addition, you need to allow for the same thing happening at the same time in the opposite direction. So that involves an absolute MINIMUM of 4 simultaneous solenoid operations and that is completely discounting any other operations elsewhere on the layout. So, in this type of layout, it can be seen that the oomph to operate at least six solenoids simultaneously would be an absolute necessity. The juice to operate eight or even ten of them would be much better and highly recommended.

If I ever get my main N Gauge layout operational again, I seem to recall that it has a cluster of six hidden passing routes, plus another four in the main station and another two on a branch line. Plus a few dead-end sidings here and there. This takes quite a bit of juice to operate the solenoids effectively and and I installed a 16 volt AC transformer to power them exclusively, together with a capacitor discharge unit (CDU), which, later, had to be swapped for a bigger one because it couldn't handle the demand. The solenoids didn't burn out, the CDU did!

Because they don't need anything like this, branch line operators may not appreciate this particualr need, but I assure you it is true.

QUOTE Best wishes to you all for Christmas and I hope 'Santa' will bring you the models you have wished for!

He better ... since I was his little elf!