Bill, A motor decoder should have no problem running a stall motor since they only require a few milliamps. For example a tortoise only uses about 4mA while running and about 15mA when stalled. The real question is why use a motor decoder. You want to avoid using short address 3 because that is the default decoder address.
The stationary decoders use separate addresses from the motor decoders so you won't have to worry about address problems with guest locomotives. Unless you have old motor decoders in your junk box, accessory decoders would be cheaper per turnout. Since you are doing a yard, you could set up a macro so that one control input will align all the turnouts for a particular yard track. If I remember correctly, you are using an NCE system. They have some accessory decoders designed for stall motors that are reasonably priced. Check out their Switch-It and their Swtich-8. There are plenty of other accessory decoders depending what features you want. Dave Heine Easton, PA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bill Lane Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 8:26 AM To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Subject: {S-Scale List} Look Don - No Control Panel After my previous post my mind wandered into what might have to be done to revamp my S-Mod yard by replacing the not so good NJ twin coil machines with stall motors. For those that have not seen it I built a rather elaborate control panel for the pre-DCC days that contained everything needed to run a complete layout. It folded up into a suitcase as well. In my vein of "Keep It Simple" on my new layout I was **very against** performing turnout control functions from the DCC handle. But for a module that is now going to be DCC only forever, I thought about using regular motor decoders to run the switch machines. They are cheap enough and easy to get. Further, I have no experience at all with accessory decoders. The thought of using DCC track power to run the switch machines through motor decoders was at least momentarily interesting and a viable solution. It keeps the "stuff to carry" to an absolute minimum. The stall motors are supposed to be a low current draw. There would be no need for a panel or even a turnout motor power system. You would have to go through the snap switch/extra contact Olympics to power the frog polarity via the movement of the switch machine which could be tedious and annoying. I would ID the turnouts with a number next to them on the layout. The only down side I could think of is the possibility of someone else having a loco address of 01 to 19. (19 turnouts on the yard module) I only have one 2 digit loco address on my B&O Docksider. In my own captive world that would not be a problem. Otherwise, select loco, pop in the turnout number and reverse. All pretty simple in concept and execution. Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 See my finished models at: <http://www.lanestrains.com/> http://www.lanestrains.com Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! Custom Train Parts Design <http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm> http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded (Trading is MUCH preferred) <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls ***Join the PRR T&HS*** The other members are not ALL like me! <http://www.prrths.com/> http://www.prrths.com <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society It's FREE to join! <http://www.prslhs.com/> http://www.prslhs.com Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
