Tomalco turnout.

snowmanw900 posted:

I have a question to the guys that have used tomalmo turn ours. I'm used to the SHS turnouts on my old layout. On my new layout I have decided to go with code 100 tomalmo flex and switches. 

Question is, when it comes to wiring  the switch track, I'm not exactly sure what the best way to incorporate the switch track is. I have never worked with these before. Also, what are some options to make these turnouts operate with tmcc/ legacy. Looking for any options on that. Right now they are basically just bare. Bought some of these from a member here just recently. 

These are some of the ones I have bought

I have never bought any of the Tomalco turnouts, but I have handlaid my own. I am also not familiar with TMCC/legacy. However, wiring a turnout is not too difficult. Connect the left rail to the left rail (feeder bus, usually) of the normal track, and the right rail to the right rail of the normal track. Do that for all three ends of the turnout. Looking at the photo you provided, it looks like the turnout is already set-up for DCC or something like that. There are tiny gaps cut into the rails on either side of the central frog. This effectively isolates the center section of the turnout where the two polarities of the left and right rail would otherwise interact, causing a short. You can opt to leave the center section, i.e. the frog, unpowered, or you can power it. If you leave it unpowered, it is simple to install, but you may wind up with an engine (now or in the future) that stalls on the turnout (short-wheelbase locomotives). If you decide to take the time to power it now, all you have to do is solder a wire to that central frog area (any one of the rails that make up the frog, because they are all connected as one piece of metal). So, now the question is, to which rail (feeder bus) do you connect that single wire? It has to be connected to the left or right rail depending on in which direction the turnout is thrown. You can do that manually with a DPDT toggle switch that you install on your layout nearby. You just have to remember that each time you throw your turnout, you have to flip that switch as well. Most people find that annoying, so they opt to connect it to their turnout-flipping device. For example, a Circuitron Tortoise switch machine, when it is moved to throw your turnout, has an auxiliary connection that allows you to solder that single wire from the turnout's frog to the Tortoise, so that the polarity is automatically flipped when you flip the turnout with the Tortoise. The Tortoise actually has two such circuits built in so that you can also connect a control panel LED to the other circuit as a turnout-position indicator (or use it with your signaling system). The manual throws, such as the ones from Caboose Industries, have versions that have such a polarity-flipper built in as well. So, really, your first decision needs to be, how are you going to flip the turnouts themselves? When you make that decision, is there a way to tie the single wire from the frog to that device?

Hope this helps,

 - Peter.

Another thing I just remembered, Tam Valley Depot makes the "Frog Juicer". The board comes with 6 circuits built-in, so that it can handle up to 6 turnouts and/or crossings. I installed one of those on our club layout, and it works great. Using a board like that, you can just flip the turnout using whatever method you prefer (manual, electric, DCC-controlled, etc.), and it will instantly adjust the polarity of the frog for you when a locomotive's wheels hits the frog. It adds more cost, but it is simple to wire up. Just another idea.

 - Peter.

Peter, I just want to thank you for taking the time to explain how it works on these style turnouts. I have busy lately and haven't had time to work on my lay out. 

So where the 2 switching rails slide on the one end that decides which direction your gonna go through the switch track on, I notice that they are are connected together with a piece of copper soldered between them. Is that something I need to isolate or not. My sd70 stalls as soon as it gets halfway through the turnout.

Snowman, this is might help:

Snowman,

Tom's diagram is very helpful. The moving sections of rail do need to be powered. Under ideal conditions, they would slide up against the outer rails and thus pick up power from there. However, if you paint/weather your rail, or as the rail ages, that contact lessens. To avoid future problems, most modelers solder a section of wire from the outer rails to the individual moving rails, as Tom's diagram shows (the green and red wires to the left of the frog). These moving rails are called the point rails. If you look closely at your Tomalco Track turnouts, you will see that the copper "tie" (a.k.a. the throw bar) soldered between the rails has a cut in it. That tie is actually a piece of printed circuit board. The top layer of that board is copper to conduct electricity and to easily solder rail to it. Tomalco will cut a small gap in the copper layer to avoid the short-circuit between the two moving rails. I usually paint over that tie with one of the modeling paints, to make it look like a regular tie and to hide the gap cut in the copper layer.

So, yes, if your engines stall when they hit the moving rail, it means you need to add those short sections of wire that Tom's diagram shows. Also, if you don't have one yet, I would recommend that you get the NASG standard-gauge standards gauge, because you may need to adjust the spacing between the rails (http://www.nasg.org/Store/index.php#store). If you find the gauge off a bit, contact Tomalco Track for info on how to adjust it.

 - Peter.

Thanks guys!!! That's just what I needed. 

I'll update you on things once I do what that diagram shows. 

Pete, that makes sense on the throw bar.I hadn't really looked at it close enough to see what you were saying until now. Thanks for all your help!