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Tam Valley Depot-turnout motor control
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Offline Lollo  
#1 Posted : 18 April 2012 10:24:10(UTC)
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Lollo

New Zealand   
Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 365
Hi all,

After a number of Marklin turnout motor failures, and in recent, just where I have just ballasted track. I decided to look for an alternative motor option where I do not have to rip up the track, and can retrofit a system with reasonable ease.
After some research on the net, I came across http://www.tamvalleydepot.com
They make servo drivers for miniature SG90 model servo's, and misc accessories.
These are just what I wanted. I opted for the Octopus III servo drivers and the remote alignment tool & fascia controller's . I purchased mounting kits & servo's off eBay, real cheap.
As I prefer manual type point motor control Octopus III was just right. There is a DCC driver for those who want digital control.

I have found I can install with track in place, and have 2 options to do this. I am using C track. K track would be easier again.
I played around with the servo's just to get an idea of the range of adjustment etc, and found how easy it is to set up. Really impressed.
The advantage of this system is cost effectiveness, ease of installation (very easy if track not ballasted), & slow motion point control.
The other advantage of this system, is you can use them to control other items. You can make a coaling crane swing around or a water spout, of which I plan to do as well.
So there are many automation's you can add to your model railway world.

The cost works out to be just over $20 NZD to control 16 servo's (8 servo's per servo driver)
The quality is excellent.

Once I have the mounting brackets & wire, I will post pictures & video of the two mounting options. Just go to the link above, & you can watch there video's & see the setup/adjustment & operation., they are on you tube as well.

Cheers,
Brian.
Brian
Yaasan's Desktop Station/Railuino & Marklin MS2, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Marklin mSD, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller.
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Offline kbvrod  
#2 Posted : 18 April 2012 17:52:59(UTC)
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kbvrod

United States   
Joined: 23/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 2,597
Location: Beverly, MA
Hi Brian,all,
Yep,it's the way to go!ThumpUp They can also be used for signal kits(Conrad) etc,...

Dr D
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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#3 Posted : 18 April 2012 18:21:36(UTC)
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5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,870
Location: CA, USA
These are really interesting! To me the major benefit is the auto-alignment capability. I have always used tortoise switch motors but they are a headache to align accurately.

Its hard to tell from the videos as they only show one connection- do the 8 servo connections just plug into the board?

SBB Era 2-5
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Offline Lollo  
#4 Posted : 18 April 2012 22:08:39(UTC)
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Lollo

New Zealand   
Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 365
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
These are really interesting! To me the major benefit is the auto-alignment capability. I have always used tortoise switch motors but they are a headache to align accurately.

Its hard to tell from the videos as they only show one connection do the 8 servo connections just plug into the board?



Yes, each Octopus III has 8 servo connections & switch connections. The wire leads can be extended on the servo's. These have been tested up to an additional 25 feet.
Each servo can be calibrated individually.
I am using a universal laptop power supply rated output of 19v DC & 3.15 amp.
Tam Valley will be posting video's on there web site soon, showing the Octopus III servo driver working.

Cheers,
Brian.
Brian
Yaasan's Desktop Station/Railuino & Marklin MS2, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Marklin mSD, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller.
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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#5 Posted : 18 April 2012 23:03:46(UTC)
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5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,870
Location: CA, USA
Thanks! These are a definate consideration for my HOm layout, which I will start once the darn box from lokshop I've been waiting 3 weeks on shows up...
SBB Era 2-5
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Offline Lollo  
#6 Posted : 22 April 2012 11:06:08(UTC)
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Lollo

New Zealand   
Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 365
Here are some videos of the Tam Valley Octopus III servo driver operating C track turnouts.
The curved turnout is using the method I will use on any turnouts that fail with the Marklin turnout motor, where my track is ballasted, and I wont be uplifting the track to rerpair.
On the 3 way point switch, I have removed all the mechanism's from the turnout. I have used a mounting method which is more direct, but does have the same slow motion movement. I prefer to use this on turn outs that I have not yet ballasted. I am not concerned in having slow motion movement.
Changing the mounting method changes the how or slow the throw is. It's all about leverage.

Cheers,
Brian







Brian
Yaasan's Desktop Station/Railuino & Marklin MS2, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Marklin mSD, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller.
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Offline steventrain  
#7 Posted : 22 April 2012 11:19:50(UTC)
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steventrain

United Kingdom   
Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 31,610
Location: United Kingdom
Very good, Thanks for the video Lollo.
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy.
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Offline kariosls37  
#8 Posted : 22 April 2012 12:00:14(UTC)
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kariosls37

New Zealand   
Joined: 02/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 1,067
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Thanks for the tip Brian. It's just what I was looking for on my layoutThumpUp
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Offline Mark5  
#9 Posted : 03 May 2012 07:20:10(UTC)
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Mark5

Canada   
Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,420
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanks for posting this.
Hoping to try this. Was good see the basic movement of the switches.
I hope to try this with K-track.
DB DR FS NS SNCF c. 1950-65, fan of station architecture esp. from 1920-70.
In single point perspective, where do track lines meet?
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Offline Lollo  
#10 Posted : 03 May 2012 11:12:21(UTC)
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Lollo

New Zealand   
Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 365
Originally Posted by: MM-MarkMontreal Go to Quoted Post
Thanks for posting this.
Hoping to try this. Was good see the basic movement of the switches.
I hope to try this with K-track.


They will work very well with K track, probably better suited for these. I have changed the mounting method for the 3 way turn out. I have used the Motrak models mounting kits.
You can see this in the video with the curved turnout. They increase the leverage time, and the throw is more realistic. I did however change the position of the hole for the wire that goes through the mounting plate, as it improved the movement of the throw bar on the C track turnouts.

Regards,
Brian.
Brian
Yaasan's Desktop Station/Railuino & Marklin MS2, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Marklin mSD, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller.
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Offline Mark5  
#11 Posted : 03 May 2012 17:38:27(UTC)
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Mark5

Canada   
Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,420
Location: Montreal, Canada
Originally Posted by: Lollo Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: MM-MarkMontreal Go to Quoted Post
Thanks for posting this.
Hoping to try this. Was good see the basic movement of the switches.
I hope to try this with K-track.


They will work very well with K track, probably better suited for these. I have changed the mounting method for the 3 way turn out. I have used the Motrak models mounting kits.
You can see this in the video with the curved turnout. They increase the leverage time, and the throw is more realistic. I did however change the position of the hole for the wire that goes through the mounting plate, as it improved the movement of the throw bar on the C track turnouts.


Thanks for telling me, because I was wondering about that.
Seems easy enough to attach an angle bracket, but the mount also allows you to pop it out for repair if there is a failure,
which seems to be how you started your quest for a new motor.
I guess there is less of a snap now, and a slower cleaner transition.
Do you find the noise an issue for you?
- Mark
DB DR FS NS SNCF c. 1950-65, fan of station architecture esp. from 1920-70.
In single point perspective, where do track lines meet?
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Offline Lollo  
#12 Posted : 04 May 2012 11:12:30(UTC)
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Lollo

New Zealand   
Joined: 22/06/2009(UTC)
Posts: 365
Hi mark,

You get the slight snap action at the end of the throw on the turnout if you fit it like I have in the curved turnout , because the mechanism underneath the turnout is still in place.
The one on my layout that still has the marklin turnout motor does not have this snap action at the end of each throw. This is already ballasted, and failed some time after, so I did not want to rip it up, so hence the mounting method in the first video.
On all the other turnouts I am removing the mechanism underneath, so then the throw bar floats freely. This way there is no snap.
Noise is not an issue. I don't notice it much at all.
I will post a new video soon showing what I did with the already ballasted turnout, as I have changed this slightly, and I can show the turnouts where I have removed the mechanism from underneath.

Regards,
Brian.
Brian
Yaasan's Desktop Station/Railuino & Marklin MS2, DB Era III/IV Diesel & Steam, ESU Loksound/Lokpilot & Lokprogrammer, Marklin mSD, Tam Valley Depot Octopus III Servo Controller.
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thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Lollo
Offline kbvrod  
#13 Posted : 04 May 2012 14:07:49(UTC)
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kbvrod

United States   
Joined: 23/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 2,597
Location: Beverly, MA
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