Railcrew

[willist]

Does anyone know where I can buy Railcrew switch machines?

[TwinStar]

There were supposed to be available from Rapido but I advise against them. They are 'snap' type machines like the old Atlas style of years ago. I recommend the MP-5 if you're needing a compact machine with two sets of DPDT or the MP-1 if you don't need as many contacts. They're both low profile adjustable slow motion machines.

http://www.modelrailroadcontrolsystems.com/mp5-switch-motor/

[willist]

I need snap type machines, they are for Peco turnouts.

[Alan]

Be aware you cannot use the LED in series arrangement of a Tortoise machine with a MP-5. The MP-5 requires 100mA drive current which far exceeds a LED max current. Only matters if you want LED position indication. With a MP-5 you would have to use its switch contacts for that purpose which means you can't use the switch contacts for frog power. Alternately, you could use a DPDT switch with one side for the MP-5 and the other for LED(s). Downside is a more wire to run especially if you have working illuminated switch stands. They may be old school but there is a good reason Tortoise are so popular.

As an example... I have LED switch stands and LED position indication on fascia panels and my frogs are powered. Tortoise is ideal for this situation. All three are accomplished with no other components thanks to the Tortoise 12mA current draw.

[TwinStar]

Tortoise is the gold standard but they don't fit everywhere. Those suckers are big!

[Alan]

That's when we make linkages to move the Tortoise somewhere else. 

[William Brillinger]

I need snap type machines, they are for Peco turnouts.

Peco turnouts are great. I have manual switch machines that take advantage of the spring in them, but you don't have to use a snap type motor to power them. The spring is removable.

[TwinStar]

Alan, that's a really neat setup you have there but that still wouldn't work for me. I have a double crossover with double slips on three of the four corners and it all sits on top of a bridge with five of the switch points sitting over and running parallel to the roadways below. Even the Circuitron remote mount was too big. The MP-5 was a godsend as I needed something of around 1" or so in height to not be seen from the bridge entrances. These MP-5's, and the other 63 Tortoises on the module, will report to the central brains of the CTC system so inline LED's weren't a concern.

I do like your linkage system and will file that away as I'm sure something like that will be needed in the future.