Bachmann Turnouts yeauch!
Looking to purchase a DCC Control Station that will both run the Engines and Train lights etc,. as well as DCC Switches ala the Bachmann 44137 & 44138 DCC Crossovers and 44132 & 44133 #5 Turnouts Any Suggestions .. Preferrable wireless or wifi.. Anxiously await replys.:smilie_daumenpos:
TommyDapra;
You can control any brand of turnout with a DCC controller, but not directly. The controller sends digital signals out to a "stationary DCC decoder," just as it does to the DCC decoder inside a locomotive. Some stationary decoders have more than one output, enabling them to control more than one turnout. It is the stationary decoder's job to receive digital signals from the DCC system, and send an analog output to the "switch machine." The switch machine actually moves the turnout's point rails, which determine the route the train takes through the turnout. A switch machine can be a solenoid type,like those used by Atlas, and Peco, or a motor, or servo, which can be used with any brand of turnout.
Some turnouts, (Atlas snap switches, Kato Unitrack, and Bachmann EZ-Track) come with switch machines built in. Others need to have an external switch machine installed. At least one switch machine, the Circuitron "Snail" has a stationary DCC decoder built into it. However, in all cases, there needs to be some form of stationary DCC decoder and an electric switch machine of some kind, to operate turnouts with a DCC system. I just looked up the Bachmann 44132 turnout and it seems to have a stationary DCC decoder built into the turnout. Using that would mean settling for a very bad turnout, just to have the stationary decoder built in. In my opinion that's a bad choice. Besides ending up with a very bad turnout, if anything ever went wrong with either the built-in stationary DCC decoder, or the built-in switch machine,(which will fail, I've seen the inside, and It ain't good) Then you would need to remove the entire turnout in order to flip it upside down & remove six screws and the bottom cover plate, just to get at the malfunctional part.
There are also other ways to operate turnouts, besides using a DCC system. The attached file, "All about turnouts" has a section on switch machines that explains all the options. The other files have lots of information on model railroads in general.
If you have not already bought Bachmann turnouts, I strongly recommend you DON"T buy them. They are the worst turnouts available in terms of reliability. If you want to use "roadbed track", with the gray plastic roadbed underneath, Kato Unitrack turnouts, and track, would be a much better choice. If you are OK with plain, non-roadbed, track and turnouts, The Peco turnouts and track are excellent. Micro Engineering track is the most-realistic-looking flex track, and their turnouts are very good too.
Atlas flex track, or sectional track, are both OK, but their "Snap Switch" turnouts are not OK, in fact they are down at the bottom of the quality barrel, with the Bachmann ones. Atlas also makes "Custom Line" turnouts which are better than their "Snap Switches, but not as good as Peco, or Micro Engineering.
If you already have Bachmann EZ-Track that you want to use, it is pretty easy to attach a different brand of much better turnout to the EZ-Track. You can shim the Peco, Micro Engineering, or Atlas custom line, turnout to match the height of the EZ-Track with cork roadbed.
Good luck, & Have fun!
Traction Fan :smilie_daumenpos:
View attachment All AboutTurnouts rev 5.pdf
View attachment WHERE DO I START rev 4.pdf
View attachment 1 How to build a better first layout.pdf
View attachment 2 How to build a better first layout.pdf
View attachment 3 & 4 How to build a better first layout.pdf
View attachment 5 How to build a better first layout.pdf
View attachment 6 How to build a better first layout.pdf
View attachment MODEL RAILROADING ON A BUDGET.pdf
View attachment Model Railroad Terminology 3.pdf
