Santa Fe in China Basin

[Mark W]

Yeah,add in my vote for a 3 way slide.  Dual 2 way slides would be a fun mechanical challenge to get everything working in combination, but the 3 way would be way more practical for operations.

[wcfn100]

I'd use a Hex Frog Juicer to control those three frogs automatically.  BTW, I like the plan to use the three-way toggle switch.  Could a rotary switch be used?

DFF

If you're use the Tortoise machines and a 3-way rotary or slide switch, the Hex Juicer is probably money you don't need to spend.  The two 'normal' frogs can be controlled by the Tortoises and the third frog where the rails cross at center track should be just a relay(?).

Jason

[jagged ben]

"Three-way toggle" is an oxymoron. 

A two-pole, three-position rotary switch would likely be a kind of expensive solution but would be simple and elegant.

Three pushbuttons and some diodes would also work and likely be cheaper. 

[jagged ben]

Thinking about the power-routing is making my head hurt.   I believe some of the points may need to be power-routed as well, or at any rate gapped to avoid shorts.  Curious to hear where Dave has gotten to with that.

[railnerd]

Thinking about the power-routing is making my head hurt.   I believe some of the points may need to be power-routed as well, or at any rate gapped to avoid shorts.  Curious to hear where Dave has gotten to with that.

The points *should* be ok as is.  For my sanity, the "middle" frog will have a "dead" option when taking the central route. Going to be making more drawings when my brain isn't fried by my "real job."

-Dave

[jagged ben]

I went back and found your photo of your template mashup from a couple pages ago, and I agree, the points should be fine if everything is gapped as shown.

I could see using either both sets of Tortoise contacts, or some relays, to handle that middle frog.  It sort of has to be dead for the middle route or else power-routing it for the side routes won't be very logical.

[railnerd]

So I had a few minutes between meetings today to reboot my brain...

The 3-way switch has turned out to be a real head scratcher sometimes, but thankfully, as other folks have mentioned, the power routing can be done with the existing DPDT contacts on a Tortoise motor.

Here is a look at the various turnout routes and how each section of rail should be powered:



The top "gauntlets" are powered just like a normal switched frog in a conventional turnout. It is just that the left and right turnouts are stacked atop each other. The center frog is powered from either the "left" or "right" routes; and dead otherwise.

Locking out the illegal route is all that is really left to do— and that can be either accomplished by clever software or hardware interlocking.

[wcfn100]

Locking out the illegal route is all that is really left to do— and that can be either accomplished by clever software or hardware interlocking.

If you use a 3-way rotary or slide switch, that shouldn't be an issue as you only have the three legal routes as options.

Jason

[railnerd]

If you use a 3-way rotary or slide switch, that shouldn't be an issue as you only have the three legal routes as options.

Jason

Yep, the rotary switch is an example of hardware interlocking. 

[Cajonpassfan]

Love the theme and love the project. Great modeling! The intricate three way sitting on top of an open pile deck
is da bomb! Love it!
A thought about wiring and turnout control: if you're running DCC, you could simply "macro" the turnout for three routes and it would operate one or both Tortoises simultaneously as needed without having to worry about an "illegal" move. In DC, you're  on your own (but it's still just two turnouts in one) 
Regards, Otto K.

[eric220]

I found your next project:

[RBrodzinsky]

Oh, Eric, that is mean.

Dave -- will you have this 5-way done before the Portland show? 

[railnerd]

my head hurts just looking at that. 

yes, hoping to take the dock module to portland.

-Dave

[railnerd]

I finally got past some work deadlines and had a chance to build the "easy" turnout for the ferry slip.  Started out with a Fast Tracks #7 turnout template, and a bit of graph paper trimmed to the contours of the dock.



Like the earlier 3-way turnout, I decided to use "extra-long" tie strips that could be blended into the decking.  After a bit of filing and soldering, I spliced the new left hand switch onto the existing track work.



After I was happy with the splice, I flipped the whole assembly upside down to solder additional bracing to the underside of the PCB ties:



After some tweaking, I now have all the turnouts in place on the dock:



P.S.: Yes, I know I still need to add the throwbar to the turnout.  Next up, continuing the spur that runs down the left hand pier.

[Cajonpassfan]

 
speechless!
Otto K.