Tomix switches + servo control?

[CaptOblivious]

Has anyone here attempted to control Tomix Fine Track switches/turnouts using anything but the included points motors? I'm wondering if a more reliable mechanism could be made using the manual turnouts and a servo or similar, but I'm really not sure how to proceed; looking for advice.

[Martijn Meerts]

I haven't tried this, but I do believe it should be possible to mount a servo to the lever that the solenoid motor usually flips. As my track is all packed up at the moment, I can't check it out, but I seem to remember from when I checked it out, that the Tomix turnouts were easy to control with servos.

 

Of course, the whole process of installing, aligning and setting up the servo is a LOT more work than just plugging in the solenoid motor, but servos should last a LONG time, and they're definitely more reliable.

[stevenh]

It's the same idea as using a tortoise slow motion switch.... I remember having a really hard time aligning the old peco point motors under an inch-thick baseboard when I didn't want to hack out the full size hole to mount them on the point directly.

 

The second issue would be control and limiting movement, as I imagine a servo could well be strong enough to break a tomix point.

 

Finally, it'd be very nice to know that you wont melt the point via the electromagnet :)

[The_Ghan]

Cap'n,

 

What problems are you having with Tomix point motors?  I don't recall having any problems.  That said, my Tomix track is currently not fixed down and is packed away after use.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

they can blow pretty easy. you will understand when you have ballast down and one blows and melts and you need to replace it.

[stevenh]

Note that all issues with Tomix points occur from the usage of non-Tomix switches :)

[keitaro]

Note that all issues with Tomix points occur from the usage of non-Tomix switches :)

 

untrue if the switch gets old or held for a fraction too long it does melt them.

 

also high usage will also cause it.

[The_Ghan]

Is anyone having trouble with Tomix switches and Digitrax DS64?  That's the direction I plan to head ... Unless the Tomix switches will work with the DS44 or DS51K1.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[CaptOblivious]

Sometimes, very rarely but enough to cause me to curse, one of my turnouts won't switch all the way over. The "snap" action isn't strong enough maybe? A touch of the finger to the blades fixes the issue, but I'd be much more relaxed if there was a physical...thing moving the points, and not an invisible and not-entirely-reliable magnetic field.

 

Better, servos are easier to control from a microcontroller, and the electronics require less space than do the 3000uF caps @12V I'd be using otherwise.

[keitaro]

Sometimes, very rarely but enough to cause me to curse, one of my turnouts won't switch all the way over. The "snap" action isn't strong enough maybe? A touch of the finger to the blades fixes the issue, but I'd be much more relaxed if there was a physical...thing moving the points, and not an invisible and not-entirely-reliable magnetic field.

 

Better, servos are easier to control from a microcontroller, and the electronics require less space than do the 3000uF caps @12V I'd be using otherwise.

 

i get this with the normal tomix switches.

 

Combo of things dirt inside the point (ballast) some times it's to do with the screw holding the moving track down. i.e. ballast / dirt.

 

other times i just can't work out why.

 

 

 

I don't know much about servo but there are some ones they have for model planes that can be programmed with with steps so if it were like the one linked below surely you could file in the middle so the lever piece of the tomix switch fit in between then programmed it to move enough left then right to move it, I'd assume it could be done.

 

http://www.modelflight.com.au/products/E_Flite_DS75_7_5g_Digital_Sub_Micro_Servo-3738-28.html

 

for those cashed up http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLRDS60 this one is meant to be pretty accurate down to .9 of a degree in angle changing.

[Martijn Meerts]

You don't need to micro servos.. Standard 5 dollar futaba's work just fine, although you need space under the layout for them obviously. Micro servos are often used inside buildings (for example, for opening/closing loco shed doors) .. The cheap ones also have plenty control for turnouts.

 

As for why using servos instead of the regular solenoid motors (for any brand, not just Tomix), the solenoid motors are just not reliable enough. 99% of the problems (including derailing and crashes) I had on the previous layout were caused by turnouts not switching right. Even brand new turnouts and motors had a lot of issues.

 

Personally, I will never build a static or modular layout with regular solenoid motors anymore.