Tortoise Motor

[cabbage]

I have several friends who own these. What I don't know is how weather proof they are.

Any answers?

Regards

Ralph

[IanT]

Plastic box & plastic gears (good) but electric motor & an edge connector (bad).  Fortunately you don't need to worry about the internal wiper/switches (I presume) - so it's really about how weather proof you need them to be Ralph. I think they'd be showerproof (especially under a board) but how well the edge connector & motor would stand up to a winter outside is another question. The box isn't completely sealed per-se although you might be able to improve its resistance to moisture ingress with some thought...

Alternatively - would coming up with a simple way to make the turnout drive 'unit' quickly demountable (at end of a days play) be a more reliable approach?

Regards,

IanT

[cabbage]

Well I have got one on loan from a friend. Two of them are outside wrestling with G3 track laying... (00 and N)... We have shown that a tortoise is quite capable of pulling both a 3m and a 4.5m Cliff Barker points setup. Either it cannot throw two or probably there is too much "slop" in the linkage. The GRS BOB signal box takes three tortoises with ease. A signal box that actually pulls the rods appeals to me!!!

Regards

Ralph

[IanT]

With a set-up like that it should be much easier to take the "electricals" inside when not required Ralph.. so you just need them showerproof - much easier, especially if they are inside a nice (dry) signal box..   :-)

Regards,

IanT

[cabbage]

After playing yesterday afternoon... I have ordered six tortoise motors. The problem is now where to put the covering signal box(!) ideally it should go between the four sets of points this would leave it with a two metre pull on either side of the box. I have on mind a simple time delay system that will pull the points off with a pause between them - rather than the KSNAP that always seems to inhabit CD powered systems.

How I am going to hide the other two sets of motors I don't know -maybe under a flower bed?

Regards

Ralph

[LankyTank]

Ralph

No Permanent Way chaps working on your line......? They'll need a bothy or 'tool shed' or maybe both.....?!

Possibly just about the right size to hide a couple of Tortoises in... perhaps....!?

Just a thought.

Barry

[cabbage]

Bill has his hut and Harry his hutch. As is, the populous of the CPR are well housed with Mr Streete-Porter and Mrs Hatt looking after the station buildings. Mr Poe is always found somewhere convenient....

Regards

Ralph

[cabbage]

After inspired woodwork and scrounging around the bits boxes... I now have six motors linked to rods. Pull and push are controlled by DPDT relays. Thus to each set of motors I have 12v DC feed and an additional control wire to each relay. This gives three wires to the runaround and only four to the marshalling yard area. I am using seven core "trailer cable" as my main feeder.

Regards

Ralph