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Offline jbblunck  
#1 Posted : 28 June 2018 16:01:09(UTC)
jbblunck

United States   
Joined: 19/12/2017(UTC)
Posts: 61
Location: Occidental, CA
As Marklin does not offer a K-track Y switch, I’m contemplating using a three-way switch and blocking the center position. Is there a wiring scheme for the switch that disables the center position? Note that the geometry of my layout makes using a normal switch unacceptable, so a three-way is the only way to go. Just don’t need the center track.

Thanks

Offline Minok  
#2 Posted : 28 June 2018 22:16:10(UTC)
Minok

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Posts: 2,310
Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
If you can wire the decoder/actuator to drive just one of the turnout's coil motors, and use that signal to those motors to hard code the position the other motor/coil is driven into, to thus reduce the configurations selectable to only the 2 that you want. I've not done it myself, but I'd think it would be doable with some wire and maybe some cheap diodes if those are needed.
Toys of tin and wood rule!
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Offline applor  
#3 Posted : 29 June 2018 03:09:53(UTC)
applor

Australia   
Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC)
Posts: 1,653
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Since you are using K track, I would use a proper Y switch from peco and just install the centre conductor strip. Drive it with servos.
modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany
Offline DaleSchultz  
#4 Posted : 29 June 2018 03:42:25(UTC)
DaleSchultz

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC)
Posts: 3,997
for the cost of one extra decoder+switch motor save yourself the headaches. Just don't add track in the middle and you are done....

you may even be able to do it with one address
Dale
Intellibox + own software, K-Track
My current layout: https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com
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Offline jbblunck  
#5 Posted : 29 June 2018 06:14:14(UTC)
jbblunck

United States   
Joined: 19/12/2017(UTC)
Posts: 61
Location: Occidental, CA
I get that. There won’t be any track connected to the middle position. If need be I’ll physically block the track so I don’t accidentally run off the rails.

It’s the one address I’m interested in so it basically goes only left or right, without center as an option. Any ideas?
Offline applor  
#6 Posted : 29 June 2018 07:19:31(UTC)
applor

Australia   
Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC)
Posts: 1,653
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Not sure its possible, since one motor does left-centre and the other does right-centre. There are two separate tongues.

I'd have to look at one of the turnouts but you might be able to fix the rear tongue in the reverse position and then just operate the front tongue in straight/reverse.

I still think peco Y turnout is a far cleaner way to do it but your other option is Weichen-Walter might have what you need:
http://www.weichen-walte...n/detail/weichenstr.html

modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany
Offline Rwill  
#7 Posted : 29 June 2018 09:41:23(UTC)
Rwill

United Kingdom   
Joined: 04/05/2015(UTC)
Posts: 777
Location: England, London
The forums non techie will make a comment and be ridiculed.

The three way k track turnout is effectively two turnouts with two motors and if digital requires two decoder spots. It is not the most popular piece of kit. If you try and move from left to right without returning the first to straight it gets its knickers in a twist (technical term) and jams up. However I notice that on central station setting up a three way turnout on the keyboard you are assigned two consecutive addresses and it is possible to go from right to left and the CS takes the logical steps for you.

I used to do what you are describing and put a short “just in case” stub and buffer on the straight bit and quite often store a little shunter there.
Offline Robert Davies  
#8 Posted : 29 June 2018 13:21:18(UTC)
Robert Davies

United Kingdom   
Joined: 20/11/2010(UTC)
Posts: 426
Location: Worcestershire, UK
If you are using digital control (big IF) then a way of doing this is to feed the inputs of the control buttons into an s88 unit and use the resulting inputs to the Central Station to operate two routes within the CS's memory that work the switches in the correct order (via one k83 unit). (I am a CS2 man so I don't have the CS3 equivalent unit numbers - Sorry.)

A warning however. If you have an s88 with a couple of spare inputs, this is quite do-able but if you need to invest in an s88 just for this then it is an expensive solution.
Robert
Era III - IV
2 x Central Station 2 v.2 (60214 + 60215)
Hardware versions 3.6 / 4.33
Software version 4.2.1 (0)
Offline jbblunck  
#9 Posted : 29 June 2018 17:09:48(UTC)
jbblunck

United States   
Joined: 19/12/2017(UTC)
Posts: 61
Location: Occidental, CA
Interesting. Some valuable insights, indeed. I tend to research things to death before I jump.

>> The Peco and Weichen Walter turnouts are very realistic but I unfortunately need the smaller radius of the Marklin switches.

>> A small shunter parked on the center is a fine idea. I’ve been considering a 36814.

>> I wasn’t aware of the “two-step” dance to move from side to side, which negates any clever rewiring of the turnout. I’m using iTrain computer control thru Intellibox II, so my guess is I can game the interface to do that. ITrain in particular allows for some pretty sophistticated mapping of control queues.

So, time to hook one up in a test scenario. I shall get back when I have it sorted out.

Thank you all.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by jbblunck
Offline kiwiAlan  
#10 Posted : 29 June 2018 17:29:34(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: applor Go to Quoted Post
Not sure its possible, since one motor does left-centre and the other does right-centre. There are two separate tongues.

I'd have to look at one of the turnouts but you might be able to fix the rear tongue in the reverse position and then just operate the front tongue in straight/reverse.

I still think peco Y turnout is a far cleaner way to do it but your other option is Weichen-Walter might have what you need:
http://www.weichen-walte...n/detail/weichenstr.html



certainly the possibility of using their centre contact strip with a Peco turnout is appealing. The Peco centre contact strip is appalling to look at.

Why not just have two point motors wired to the one decoder, if you insist on using the Marklin point? Probably best if using an m83 decoder to do this, rather than trying a C track decoder.

As for blocking the unused centre rail, a pile of ballast would be a typical railroad way of doing it. At least one of the accessory suppliers has (or had in the past) a buffer made from railway sleepers.

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