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Offline PeFu  
#1 Posted : 01 April 2015 08:33:36(UTC)
PeFu

Sweden   
Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC)
Posts: 1,208
Hi all,

I am still in the phase of selecting C or K tracks for visible layout areas... On different forums, there are different opinions and indications of good and bad K track turnout motors, servos etc. All from different brands, like Märklin, Viessman, ESU, Tortoise and more. I am looking for a solution that is as invisible as possible, safe (i.e. always work) and suitable for digital operation. I will probably only use the "slim" type of K turnouts. Using Merkur type of ballast is also an option.

What is your experience of K track turnout motors for digital operation. What works best?

BigGrin Peter
Andreasburg-Mattiasberg Bahn is inspired by Swiss railways |Forum Thread |Track Plan |Youtube | C and K track | CS2 | TrainController Gold V10
Offline Goofy  
#2 Posted : 01 April 2015 09:19:35(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Use Tortoise motor and under baseground kit 7548 for the K-turnouts.
It works perfect.
So the best way is to use Tortoise motor and 7548 under baseground kit.

Edited by user 01 April 2015 19:22:15(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
thanks 2 users liked this useful post by Goofy
Offline river6109  
#3 Posted : 01 April 2015 10:13:51(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,635
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
the under the baseboard kit 7548 (since the first batch has been updated with a new batch), these could be OK if your baseboard is not too thick, to use servo motors you get a slow motion turning and the movement stays solid in one place, whereas the solenoid when it turns off the mechanism could move by itself.
I bought ESU servo motors, ESU servo motor modules and than found out I couldn't use it because in conjunction with switching tracks and had to come up with my own electronic circuit board to combine 5 volt DC with 16 volt AC via optocouplers

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
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Offline jvuye  
#4 Posted : 01 April 2015 15:45:34(UTC)
jvuye

Belgium   
Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 2,881
Location: South Western France
Originally Posted by: river6109 Go to Quoted Post
the under the baseboard kit 7548 (since the first batch has been updated with a new batch), these could be OK if your baseboard is not too thick, to use servo motors you get a slow motion turning and the movement stays solid in one place, whereas the solenoid when it turns off the mechanism could move by itself.
I bought ESU servo motors, ESU servo motor modules and than found out I couldn't use it because in conjunction with switching tracks and had to come up with my own electronic circuit board to combine 5 volt DC with 16 volt AC via optocouplers

John


For a large part of my layout I have decided to go with ESU servos, driven by ESU decoders.
Switching is via ECos today, later on via Railroad and Co layout SW, that I still have to implement
**Really simple** to program using a Lokprogrammer and the PC.
Although it is a more expensive solution than conventional motors, it is **way** more reliable.
And it is mounted in a way that the switches can still be taken backwards, as it preserves the original (manual) switch mechanism
But each Switchpilot decoder offers an additional dual servo motor output on top of the regular output.
It is the solution I choose for all the areas where reliable switching is required (automated main roads and Schattenbahnhof)

I also use the same on all the C-track section of the layout.

Regular Märklin motors still in use everywhere else , where 100% reliability is not required and accessibility is no issue.

Hope this helps
Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success!
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Offline French_Fabrice  
#5 Posted : 01 April 2015 19:33:23(UTC)
French_Fabrice

France   
Joined: 16/05/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,475
Location: Lyon, France
Hello Peter,

My own experience with Marklin K-track motors has shown these motors are not reliable (old 7549, new 7549, new 75491).

I'm now using ESU servos + ESU Switchpilot Servo decoders: Works perfectly and always !

A few pics here: https://www.marklin-user...latforms.aspx#post460547

Cheers
Fabrice
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Offline PeFu  
#6 Posted : 01 April 2015 21:05:57(UTC)
PeFu

Sweden   
Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC)
Posts: 1,208
Originally Posted by: French_Fabrice Go to Quoted Post
Hello Peter,

My own experience with Marklin K-track motors has shown these motors are not reliable (old 7549, new 7549, new 75491).

I'm now using ESU servos + ESU Switchpilot Servo decoders: Works perfectly and always !

A few pics here: https://www.marklin-user...latforms.aspx#post460547

Cheers
Fabrice


Really nice pictures, Fabrice! Have a few questions:

(1) What are the "grey boxes" along the turnouts on this picture https://www.marklin-user...rice/TII-shot0388rsz.jpg

(2) How do you connect the ESU servo to the K switch?

BigGrin Peter
Andreasburg-Mattiasberg Bahn is inspired by Swiss railways |Forum Thread |Track Plan |Youtube | C and K track | CS2 | TrainController Gold V10
Offline French_Fabrice  
#7 Posted : 01 April 2015 22:40:22(UTC)
French_Fabrice

France   
Joined: 16/05/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,475
Location: Lyon, France
Hi Peter,

The answer is in post #300 : https://www.marklin-user...latforms.aspx#post461583

The "grey boxes" are the upper part (the cage) of the 7548 "below baseboard kit", painted with gray color. Inside the cage, there is a flat lever coming also from the 7548 kit. This lever is gently pushed inside the point mechanism on one side. The other side of the lever has a small hole. Inside this hole is connected the metal rod coming from the servo.
That's it !

Finally, I've used 3 pieces of the 7548 kit: the upper cage, the flat lever sliding in the cage, and the cage cover.
Oops, I also used the drilling template from the same kit, to drill the 10mm hole diameter where the cage fit.

Summary:
-One K track turnout
-One 7548 kit (drilling template, upper cage, flat lever, cage cover used)
-One ESU servo (the cheapest ref. 51804)
-One ESU switchpilot servo decoder (drive 4 servos, ref 51822)
-If needed, ESU extension cord (75cm, ref 51810) to connect the servo to the decoder


The idea of using some parts of the 7548 kit was provided by John (river6109). This solution avoids to drill inside the turnout to move the points.
An other possibility, if you don't want to use the 7548 kit, is to use the hand-held mechanism (spare part E361500) provided with long turnouts, and adapt it.

HTH
Fabrice
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