I've suspended disbelief and accepted the in-congruent realities of Shinkansens operating next to Inter City Expresses in Hel. However, I couldn't come to grips with having to control all eighteen turnouts on the layout. I was trying to figure out a way to make the task of switching less arduous.
Each turnout has a single solenoid built into the ballast running on direct current (DC). The solenoid is connected to a controller (Kato part #24-840), which is a momentary contact double pole double throw switch. I wondered if it was possible to control two turnouts with a single Kato control switch. I would have to splice two sets of cables to a controller, but I was more concerned if this might cause electrical problems with the turnout motors or the power supply.
Based on my research, six switches can be thrown simultaneously on a single power supply. Although there is no limit on the number of switches that can be connected to a single power supply. You just can't throw all the switches simultaneously otherwise it will short out the power supply. With care, I can avoid overloading the power supply.
The other and greater cause for concern was whether using a single switch to control two turnouts would cause the turnout motors to burn out. Those turnouts are quite expensive! Determining that it was possible to control two turnouts with a single switch, I was preparing to splice wires until I came across a thread on a forum about the 3-way extension cord (Kato part #24-827). It so happened that I had purchased one a long time ago for the purposes of providing power to several sections of the track. It never occurred to me that I could use this device to control up to three turnouts with a single switch. The little pamphlet that came with the extension cord even describes this alternate usage. I guess I had assumed the use of the device was reserved only for power due to the blue/white coloration of the wires. Whereas the wires for the switches and turnouts are colored red/black. It pays to read manuals as I saved myself from the unnecessary task of splicing and soldering wires. As a consequence, I managed to reduce the number of switches to twelve. Here's a short video of two turnouts being controlled by a single switch.
Each turnout has a single solenoid built into the ballast running on direct current (DC). The solenoid is connected to a controller (Kato part #24-840), which is a momentary contact double pole double throw switch. I wondered if it was possible to control two turnouts with a single Kato control switch. I would have to splice two sets of cables to a controller, but I was more concerned if this might cause electrical problems with the turnout motors or the power supply.
Based on my research, six switches can be thrown simultaneously on a single power supply. Although there is no limit on the number of switches that can be connected to a single power supply. You just can't throw all the switches simultaneously otherwise it will short out the power supply. With care, I can avoid overloading the power supply.
The other and greater cause for concern was whether using a single switch to control two turnouts would cause the turnout motors to burn out. Those turnouts are quite expensive! Determining that it was possible to control two turnouts with a single switch, I was preparing to splice wires until I came across a thread on a forum about the 3-way extension cord (Kato part #24-827). It so happened that I had purchased one a long time ago for the purposes of providing power to several sections of the track. It never occurred to me that I could use this device to control up to three turnouts with a single switch. The little pamphlet that came with the extension cord even describes this alternate usage. I guess I had assumed the use of the device was reserved only for power due to the blue/white coloration of the wires. Whereas the wires for the switches and turnouts are colored red/black. It pays to read manuals as I saved myself from the unnecessary task of splicing and soldering wires. As a consequence, I managed to reduce the number of switches to twelve. Here's a short video of two turnouts being controlled by a single switch.
2 comments:
Yes, as in Quinntopia, Skinkansens will run alongside TGV's etc... :-)
This was great to see your practical application of this question. I've wondered and read this before but have never seen anybody test it the way you have. Thanks!
You're welcome. I'm glad you found it useful information. I'll post more of my experiences and thoughts in hopes it will help others out. Like you, I wish there were more information in English about Kato. Maybe I need to start learning Japanese.
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