Hi All,

Hope there is someone with an answer.

I have several C-Track turnouts with the standard Marklin Turnout Motor.

The Marklin Catalogue mentions that these are double solenoid with end shut off contacts.

I am designing an automation system that will use relays to control the turnouts, problem is the relays will not have momentary power, but continuous power supply.

Is it safe to leave power connected to the solenoid?

As an addition, I see the standard white plastic control box is a momentary contact type, but I suspect that this is to make it backward compatible with the old M-Track turnout motors that did not have end shutoff contacts.

Any info will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Andries

Hi!
Märklin FAQ 404 gives you the answer: No!
Only use pulses, do not use permanent current.


Link to FAQ:
http://www.maerklin.de/m...faq/technik-tipp-404.pdf

“A customer can have Märklin FAQ in any language he wants as long as it’s German.”


No. There are white boxes without LEDs for M track and white boxes with LEDs for C track and K track.
LEDs will work correctly only if the turnouts have the shut-off switches. With M track both LEDs will be on all the time.

Hi Profpetrof,

I had an interesting conversation this week about exactly this topic.

Using an Arduino and cheap Servo motors to control your turnouts the possibilities are endless.

Remember K83 = momentary power for example turnouts and K84 = permanent power

I find Contact tracks to be problematic. I use small reed switches under the track bed mounted off-center triggered by a magnet under the first wagon behind my loco. The off-center position allows for directional control as well as making different trains activating different functions.