points control

railman

railman

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Hi I have been looking for a simple way to control my points on my railway which are dotted around my garden I am not good with electronics
and getting the r/c system to switch the points made up for me would I think be expensive any idea's would be appreciated
 
I think you have to determine first are they Manually controlled (probably not), mechanically controlled or electrically controlled. Mechanically controlled will mean hardware and either rods or pneumatic control, electrically will mean either wires back to a central point and either R/C or switches, or DCC. Remote control i.e. not manual at the point is not cheap whatever route you take.
 
I too find electronics difficult, but straight forward electrics are simple. For my railway I use Peco track with LGB point motors, run from a small alarm battery (12v) with a solar panel to keep up the charge. It still requires a central switching point (signal-box), of which I have two, one at the terminus and the other on the stock-yard, which is too far away to see from the first.
 
As has been said, Your options are:
'Simple manual' - Walk to point, and change it. Cheapest!
'Remote manual' - Two options. 1. wire-in-tube - A bowden cable type of thing. Cheap. 2. Pneumatic - You would need a source of compressed air, manifold, switches/valves to control flow, tubing to take air to point-actuators, and suitable 'air-motors' to drive the points. More costly and complicated initially.
'Local electric' - Like G-force1, you need local power, and a switch box, for a cluster of points.
'Remote electric' - You route wires back to your shed, or one central panel.
'Full RC electric' - You have a hand-held controller which talks wirelessly, to a remote receiver (plus other bits) to control the point-motors.

All the 'electric' options will require a degree of wiring, either locally to the points, or all the way back to the shed. You will also need to supply power 'out' where the points are. - If you have a feed for building lighting on the layout, you may be able to tap off this. Alternatively, you would need a locally sited battery. - This could be big enough to run for quite some time, brought in and charged, or you could use a solar charge to keep it topped-up.
 
PhilP said:
As has been said, Your options are:
'Simple manual' - Walk to point, and change it. Cheapest!
'Remote manual' - Two options. 1. wire-in-tube - A bowden cable type of thing. Cheap. 2. Pneumatic - You would need a source of compressed air, manifold, switches/valves to control flow, tubing to take air to point-actuators, and suitable 'air-motors' to drive the points. More costly and complicated initially.
'Local electric' - Like G-force1, you need local power, and a switch box, for a cluster of points.
'Remote electric' - You route wires back to your shed, or one central panel.
'Full RC electric' - You have a hand-held controller which talks wirelessly, to a remote receiver (plus other bits) to control the point-motors.

All the 'electric' options will require a degree of wiring, either locally to the points, or all the way back to the shed. You will also need to supply power 'out' where the points are. - If you have a feed for building lighting on the layout, you may be able to tap off this. Alternatively, you would need a locally sited battery. - This could be big enough to run for quite some time, brought in and charged, or you could use a solar charge to keep it topped-up.
Click to expand...

The power out to the point motors could come from the non-train outlet on the controller via an LGB 51750 control box or boxes depending on the number of point motors. I'm not much good with electrics, but have found using a 51750 with LGB point motors and signals a doddle, whether connecting the 51750 to the controller non-train outlet or to a auitable battery.
 
I assume you are not DCC but if you are there is a single motor accessory decoder which you power from the track (so no long wiring) and you can throw the point by DCC command or by magnet on loco.
 
I would use this:
Fosworks GPTX10
Receivers and servos would need a 6v supply, eg 4xAA per point and enclosing in some kind of weatherprrof hut. I don't use track power for locos, in which case you can feed them all from the track as a wiring distribution

Maybe more than you want to pay for the complete setup, but you can operate the layout from anywhere in the garden
 
I can certainly recommend Air Pneumatic. Simple to set up just 1 line per point. Also easy to make changes just unplug the Air Motor move point and reconnect with perhaps a new piece of line spliced on with an air joiner. Not the cheepest kid on the block but when you take it all into consideration not that more expensive either.

No electonics to worry about!

Sunset Valley appear to be the only system around now but ai have a few bits and they are as good as any of the others, perhaps better than del-air of old that had springs inside the motors that rusted! Tam valley have not had any rust issues in that area on my line.

Www.sunsetvalleyrailroad.com

The other issue to consider with air is that it is best to have small signal panels at each of your stations as walking back to a central location is a real pain. But this works just fine if like me you like to walk around with your train. With shuttle valves (levers) it is possible to have both ways but I am not sure if these are still available being sold by easy air now also apparently not to be seen in adverts. But there may be other suppliers about.

EDIT and EDIT the EDIT
Looking at the add anew I see that Sunset Valley are now doing Shuttle Valves for two way switching, so you can enjoy both remote and local operation as well at the cost of 2 switches and multiple pipes.

{Not Tam Valley As I originaly posted, sorry for the foul up!}
 
Last edited:
Greg Elmassian said:
Who is the "Tam Valley" you refer to? We have the "tam Valley Depot" here in San Diego, they have no pneumatics.

Thanks, Greg
Click to expand...
Oops Sunset Valley as per the link, glad you are as always alert to keep me in my toes Greg! Edited post.
 
Just wanted to make sure I was not missing something... I have some of the old DelAire stuff, and it has flaws as stated. The newer stuff from Oregon Coast (now out of business) was very good, the stuff from Sunset valley is not quite as good. Was hoping some supplier would supply the units that had the microswitch inside to power the frog:

ezairmotor.jpg


EZ582-installed.jpg


The one at the bottom has the same air cylinder, but also a 5 amp microswitch inside. I guess I will have some 3D printed...

Need to find the air cylinders though, the SVRR ones are not quite as nice

Greg
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Just wanted to make sure I was not missing something... I have some of the old DelAire stuff, and it has flaws as stated. The newer stuff from Oregon Coast (now out of business) was very good, the stuff from Sunset valley is not quite as good. Was hoping some supplier would supply the units that had the microswitch inside to power the frog:

ezairmotor.jpg


EZ582-installed.jpg


The one at the bottom has the same air cylinder, but also a 5 amp microswitch inside. I guess I will have some 3D printed...

Need to find the air cylinders though, the SVRR ones are not quite as nice

Greg
Click to expand...
Presume that the 2 pics are of Oregon Coast units. The bottom one with a Micro Switch inside is a very good idea that I have never seen. Perhaps advertised during time when Garden Rail was tricky to find over here. Though I find the unit a bit on the large side, but inevitable when you need to fit both bits inside. The good thing about OC Units was the fit to an LGB Point already made up and Andy Rush must somehow have sourced some of these as I removed them from his layout, also some of the Shuttle Valves that make Interlocking and Dual Location Panels a breeze. Though as I Said earlier Sunset are doing them, but their Air Switches are on the small size and not compatible to look at with Del Air or Oregon ones.

I managed to source some replacement springs for my Del Air Motors and all are now fine outside, the springs being of a non rusting kind.
 
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