Just a question about turnouts.

[Grassyfield]

@ CHRISM - Im using the peco PL10 motor. Am i right that i dont need to put the motor right in to the turn out like he is in this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh5ZbVIjjYU&t=628s at 12:14, and instead its just the rod that goes in to the turn out?.

Thank you Sir.

[chrism]

@ CHRISM - Im using the peco PL10 motor. Am i right that i dont need to put the motor right in to the turn out like he is in this  at 12:14, and instead its just the rod that goes in to the turn out?.

Provided that the actuating rod is long enough to protrude sufficiently through the baseboard, then you are correct.

If the rod isn't long enough you can get extensions, eg https://www.hobbytrax.co.uk/products/pin-extender-for-peco-point-motors-10-pack

If you haven't actually bought the point motor yet, Peco do make one with an extended rod, PL10E.

You'll also need some means of fixing the motor to the underside of the baseboard, either a PL-9 https://peco-uk.com/products/mounting-plates-for-pl10e-series-turnout-motors or a homemade (or other sourced) equivalent.

[Grassyfield]

Oh i have a the PL 10 E i forgot to mention and also all the other parts for it, sorry forgot to say. Thanks so much for your help mate really grateful.

[Bealman]

OK, so you don't need to attach the motor to the point at all, nor do you need the great big rectangular hole. You just need a hole to allow the actuating pin to move the point blades.

Fixing the motor to the baseboard and position it has been covered many times on this forum.

[Grassyfield]

I see thank you my bad also. Just want to double check it is this hole here right

[ntpntpntp]

Yes that is correct, the actuator pin goes through the hole in the end of the tiebar.  If it's as bit tight don't force it, open the hole out slightly with a drill bit or rat-tail file.  The point motor will stick out more on one side of the point than the other.

Here you can see the end of the actuator rod up through the tiebar hole nearest to the camera.  The hole in the baseboard is about 8mm diameter.   



Note: you will need to cut the actuator rod, but DON'T try and do that with the motor in place or you will damage or melt the plastic! Offer up the motor, mark the rod with permanent marker, remove the motor and cut using heavy duty cutters (or a minidrill cutting disk) and make sure you have eye protection!  The rod needs to end up through the hole but below the top of the rail otherwise things will catch on it.

Here's a view of one of my PL10-Es mounted on a PL9 mounting plate and with a PL13 slide switch glued on for the frog polarity



Ignore the fact you can see the baseboard hole and rod on the far left, this was one I modified to make more space. Usually the baseboard hole will be above the middle of the motor.

When fitting the point motor under the baseboard is is important to align accurately to that the motor moves in parallel with the tiebar and also the rod is vertical.  There are different ways of achieving that, I use some scrap plastic jigs to centre both the motor and the blades so that I can then mark the mounting plate screws underneath.  (mounting plate not shown here, I would fit that to the motor first).

[Grassyfield]

I dont get what you mean by motor moving parallel with the tie bar. Do you mean  the rod of the motor needs to move parrel with the tie bar ( thing that u push on the turnout that makes it go left or right ). So do you mean make the hole big enough so the rod will move side to side with out touching the hole i made for the rod 2 go in. ?


Thank you so much. EDIT  -  What do you mean by blades?

[Grassyfield]

Ugh sorry i got another question. Iv noticed alot of peolpe cutting alot of the rail off the turnouts to make them very short, is this important? i was going to leave them the length they came out box brand new.


Thank you.

[Bealman]

Position motor under baseboard so pin goes through hole and manages to go through one or the other holes in tie bar. If the hole in tie bar is too small, carefully enlarge it slightly to allow pin to go through.

Secure motor to baseboard by using a Peco mount, or bend tabs and secure by one of several methods posted on the forum.

Point blades are the two rails attached to the tie bar which you are moving to change the direction of the train.

[Grassyfield]

I understand now 100%. Thank you.

[chrism]

I dont get what you mean by motor moving parallel with the tie bar. Do you mean  the rod of the motor needs to move parrel with the tie bar ( thing that u push on the turnout that makes it go left or right ). So do you mean make the hole big enough so the rod will move side to side with out touching the hole i made for the rod 2 go in. ?

The centreline of the motor needs to be parallel with the tiebar, as well as centrally beneath it. If it's not, it will be trying to push the tiebar sideways as well across and the friction & mechanical reistance can be sufficient to prevent the motor moving the tiebar reliably.

This is a simple way to ensure that the motor is both parallel to and central to the tiebar when you're trying to work on both the top and bottom of the baseboard;
On the top, lay a rule across the track so it lines up with both holes in the tiebar and mark a line about a foot long (or longer if you can) on the top of the baseboard. Now drill a small hole, only needs to be 1mm or so, through the baseboard at each end of the marked line. Moving to the underside, locate those holes and mark another line between them. That will be the correct centreline for the motor.

[/quote]

Ugh sorry i got another question. Iv noticed alot of peolpe cutting alot of the rail off the turnouts to make them very short, is this important? i was going to leave them the length they came out box brand new.

Can't say that I've seen many doing that, it's rarely necessary. Also, if it's the heel end (that with the two tracks coming out)  it will alter the spacing between parallel tracks so they may come out closer together that is desirable and will not line up with other points further along which have not been cut.

That said, I have trimmed a few mm of the end of some of mine where they are close to baseboard joins or do not cross the joins at a right angle. Another scenario where I've done it is when I've wanted to fit complex trackwork in a limited length but needed to allow sufficient space for point motors around baseboard braces.

In most cases, however, cutting bits off the ends isn't necessary.

[njee20]

Ugh sorry i got another question. Iv noticed alot of peolpe cutting alot of the rail off the turnouts to make them very short, is this important? i was going to leave them the length they came out box brand new.

Step away from YouTube. There is no reason to cut 'a lot' of rail off any pointwork, if you're seeing a lot of people doing that then stop watching anything those people are doing, it'll just confuse things, as it seems to doing. Indeed there's basically little reason to cut anything off them. Chris cites one example, but even that I wouldn't worry about at first.

[Grassyfield]

@chrism - I said i understand now because i re read what you said in particular yesterday and others posts again and it made sense. But  now im confused a bit, what do you mean the motor parallel, how do i know what way is parallel in terms of what direction its facing??

I assume that it its because the rod goes only two directions and therefore u want it to be completely straight with the tie bar on the other side?. Sorry just making sure.

Also not sure why the line has to be a foot if im understanding you, my track is ( for now ) close to the dge of baseboard on one side so i couldnt get it that big both ways. But it doesn't matter as long as the line is at least past both ends of the track bed then that would be long enuf?

[ntpntpntp]

... what do you mean the motor parallel, how do i know what way is parallel in terms of what direction its facing??

I assume that it its because the rod goes only two directions and therefore u want it to be completely straight with the tie bar on the other side?. Sorry just making sure.

Imagine a line drawn longways through the tiebar - in other words in the direction it moves.  That line should be at a right angle to the track.  When it moves, the point motor's rod needs to move along that same line to be sure it gives most power and there's minimum friction.

Also not sure why the line has to be a foot if im understanding you, my track is ( for now ) close to the dge of baseboard on one side so i couldnt get it that big both ways. But it doesn't matter as long as the line is at least past both ends of the track bed then that would be long enuf?

Drawing a longer line is going to be easier to line up accurately than a short line, but the suggestion of 1' is just that - a suggestion.  The important thing is to make sure that any guide lines above and below are at the same right angle to the track and above one another.  It's simply a guide to help you mount the point motor in the correct position underneath the point. 

[Grassyfield]

Ok i now understand again 100%. Thank you so much.