First, I am NOT involved with ESELCO, the manufacturer of the IntuiSwitch, nor am I being compensated for this posting. I am just trying to see if there is sufficient interest in a Wye turnout controller. Some background info:
- I am using Tortoise switch machines and IntuiSwitch controllers to operate my ME code 83 On30 turnouts and am extremely pleased with the product.. By using their controller, I was able to eliminate a “turnout power buss” and use DCC track voltage to power them. The installation is simple and quick. The controllers are not cheap, they cost $13.95 each.
- From their ad in the Nov/Dec 14 NG&SL Gazette:
“The IntuiSwitch uses red and green lights to indicate the route of a turnout setting,, and consists of a microcomputer and circuitry mounted in a housing. You select your route by pressing an illuminated, tactile, embossed dome on the controller’s face. However, the controller is not affected if you bump against it. Installation consists of drilling a 3/16” or ¼” hole in your fascia or control panel and sticking the controller in place with its permanent adhesive mounting strips. You then connect two wires to a power source, and two wires to a stall motor switch machine. These controllers also remember your turnout setting when the power is turned off.”
* They can be used on any scale layout
- This is what they look like mounted on my layout (Power off & on. Pls ignore red sticky tape):
I will have a Wye on my layout and asked them if they could design a simple Wye Controller. This is their response to a recent email I sent inquiring on status:
“We have been working on the Wye controller with the physical appearance, intuitive operation and the electronic guts now established. The controller would be the same size as other IntuiSwitchs™s. In the figure the blue squares represent the three buttons. Pressing a segment's button sets the two adjacent turnouts for that routing.
In the figure the solid green circles illuminate the route indicating it is set for the left segment of the wye. The open circles indicate where other indicating leds are located. Subsequent pressings of that same button would toggle the non-route turnout position. This feature allows routing of the remaining turnout's route, a case if there was a long segment of the wye, Pressing a different segments button would reset the routing for the newly selected route. Do you think that arrangement would be intuitive to the user?”
Would you be interested in buying one of these? I’m trying to get some idea of potential interest.
Thanks
