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Rails Connect Point Motors •New Range•


phil gollin
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All very well but it doesn't seem to have any contacts for frog-switching etc. 

Seems like a big omission for something doing much the same as a SEEP at twice the price.

 

Marginally easier to adjust?  I don't see any other benefit in using this except that it can be used above baseboard - but it doesn't appear to be a model of a full size point motor.

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All very well but it doesn't seem to have any contacts for frog-switching etc. 

Seems like a big omission for something doing much the same as a SEEP at twice the price.

 

Marginally easier to adjust?  I don't see any other benefit in using this except that it can be used above baseboard - but it doesn't appear to be a model of a full size point motor.

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The electronic box that may be used with it,  is it a CDU?  The box mentions connecting either DC or DCC power.  Is the box able to be used with analogue DC as I am unsure if the box is for DCC only?  I like the convenience of the led position information,  the momentary actuation switch and the frog polarity actuation.

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Copied straight from Rails webpage:

Rails Connect Point Motors - A range of super high quality analogue and digital solenoid point motors designed with you in mind!

Crafted for Rails by DCCconcepts.

Features:

 

High-power accessory decoder with frog-switching included - just connect to your DCC bus or to 15-18V DC!

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  • 1 month later...

I still am confused by this release from Rails as while it is a DCC item,  the blurb to me indicates it may be used with 15 - 18 volt DC,  quote: "For DC use,  15 - 18 volt DC is perfect and connections are polarity free".     The blurb states that the accessory decoder may be powered by the DCC bus or by DC power.  Given it is an accessory decoder then why the momentary switch for actuation and why DC power may be used as a substitute.  Granted the solenoid may be actuated by a DCC controller but I am wondering if DC is powering the accessory decoder and there is a standalone momentary actuation switch,  is a DCC handset actually required if running analogue DC?  I like the momentary actuation switch, the facility to illuminate a control board plus the provision for powering a frog all in one unit.  (Image from Rails website)

ea0c9ccf-6dc4-4b8b-b07d-c68366fbd928.png

Edited by GWR-fan
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I can't see why anybody would buy a DCC accessory decoder and then use it only on DC.  

 

I can see that under DCC you might want a separate switch as a convenient alternative to issuing a DCC command to set the points, but I'm unlcear as to how it works.  If connected to DCC, what does the momentary switch do - just toggle it from its current position to the opposite?  If it worked like a conventional point switch with Normal/Reverse positions, what which one is obeyed - the switch or the DCC command?

 

Where would you install it - close to point would be usual. 

But then you've got a lot of wiring back to a control panel for that switch & the LEDs?

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1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

I can't see why anybody would buy a DCC accessory decoder and then use it only on DC.  

 

.........................................................................................................................

 

Where would you install it - close to point would be usual. 

But then you've got a lot of wiring back to a control panel for that switch & the LEDs?

 

If it somehow worked on DC power then it has convenient features like the frog polarity change,  the momentary switch capability and the point position illumination.  A conventional control panel layout would require the wires routed for the momentary switch and the led's so no change there.  If I wanted to operate it on DCC at some point in the future then the decoder would just need addressing.  I am still unclear if the unit works on DC power alone, i.e., not in a DCC environment.

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If you went with analogue control for a point then using say a Peco PL-10E point motor, GBP7.00 and for changing the frog polarity and led activation for point position,  a PL-1005,  GBP7.50,  you will have spent GBP14.50 (Hattons prices).  The additional few pound for the Rails decoder does not seem that much extra and you have the capability for DCC operation at a later date. 

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After further investigation on alternate point control mechanisms I believe that comparatively priced and possibly better quality mechanisms are available so have lost my interest in this item.  If I only really just want analogue control then a Cobalt Omega will do what an "analogue" (?) Rails Connect set up will do.

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As others have already said, it is a useful device when considering DCC in the future - simply power them from DCC instead of DC.

The inbuilt frog polarity negates the need for any tiebar or motor mounted switch and is easily wired to the point.

There is no requirement for other power supplies and switches for LED indication, making it easy to install with the minimum of fuss.

 

It is also useful if a user has already fitted solenoid motors and doesn't wish to go down the full route of changing to slow-action motors - either in analog or digital control form.

 

When powered by DCC, it can be controlled via a DCC command AND a momentary switch - this can be very useful for local control and indication via the LEDs. 

If powered by DC, then control is only via the momentary switch.

 

Best Regards.

The DCCconcepts Team

 

 

 

 

 

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The DCCconcepts Team,

                                           many thanks.  I found the description on the Rails website a little confusing (although totally correct it would seem),  however, you have explained it exactly how I had hoped the set up would work with analogue.  I liked the frog polarity, momentary switch actuation and led position feedback all in one unit as a definite plus.   Plus at any point in the future the point is set up as a decoder so conversion to DCC would simply require DCC power and addressing the accessory decoder.

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I bought a pack of 5 of these surface mount point motors. They are very similar to Gaugemaster surface point motors, but with the power lead fixed to the motor and another securing point at the front end (as seen in the above illustration). I was impressed with the positive action when wired up to an old DAC10 accessory decoder, at a distance of some 6-8 feet. They also work at other than right angles to the point, which is handy. A good product. I haven't tested an accessory decoder from Rails, as I have an adequate supply of DCCConcepts SX models to hand.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I realise that both Gaugemaster and Hattons provide similar setups but I am constantly drawn back to looking at the Rails version.  I am not a particular fan of DCC,  preferring analogue control in all the scales that I have delved into from "N" to gardenscale.    I have used digital sound and control extensively in "OO" and "G" scales and while I see advantages,  I seem to always revert to analogue operation.  If I receive a DCC fitted loco I always remove the decoder and onsell or place it in another loco and sell that locomotive,  reverting the original digital loco to analogue control.

 

What I am thinking is given that either DC or DCC power may be connected to the accessory decoder,  then I could fit a DPDT toggle switch in the supply to all of the accessory decoders so that analogue or digital power could be selected with just the movement of a toggle switch.   Digital handset control of point position is irrelevant to me as I would always utilise the momentary toggle switch connected to the accessory decoder for both digital or analogue operation.  If at some point in the future I change my opinion of digital control,  then all that would be required is to hook up DCC power to the DPDT switch.  I could then change the mode of control dependent on whether the selected locomotives were decoder equipped or not.  I am really warming up to the Rails equipment and after viewing Jenny Kirk's video,  even more so.

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Curiosity got the better of me and so I opted to purchase a few of the multiple packs plus standalone underboard point motors.  Approximately half of the accessory decoders purchased will hopefully operate two point motors each.  I am not a fan of slow action point motors as I see them as too complex for their intended purpose and actually I like the sound of a solenoid operated point motor as it gives both an aural indication of operation as well as the visual indication.  I am almost certain that I will use the accessory decoders for analogue operation only,   but accepted the additional cost for the convenience of onboard CDU plus frog polarity switching and led indication of point selection.   This will simplify overall installation on the layout.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 20/05/2021 at 15:12, Francis deWeck said:

I bought a pack of 5 of these surface mount point motors. They are very similar to Gaugemaster surface point motors, but with the power lead fixed to the motor and another securing point at the front end (as seen in the above illustration). I was impressed with the positive action when wired up to an old DAC10 accessory decoder, at a distance of some 6-8 feet. They also work at other than right angles to the point, which is handy. A good product. I haven't tested an accessory decoder from Rails, as I have an adequate supply of DCCConcepts SX models to hand.

I have just purchased 5 of these and installed one to replace a different make that was faulty.

 

I have one one particularly difficult point, that I'll only get away with if I angle the motor somewhat, something I know isn't recommended. Given your comment that they work at other than right angles, I'll give it a go sometime.

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  • 1 year later...

Sorry coming to this a bit late but hopefully a few still reading this thread. Commentary and reviews seem to ignore the problems associated with adapting the motor for underboard operation which involves fitting an extension ring and pin. Why they didn't provide an extended version as per Peco PL10e is beyond me

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21 hours ago, stephens said:

Sorry coming to this a bit late but hopefully a few still reading this thread. Commentary and reviews seem to ignore the problems associated with adapting the motor for underboard operation which involves fitting an extension ring and pin. Why they didn't provide an extended version as per Peco PL10e is beyond me

 

Whats the length of the pin? Thinking of using these for next layout. 

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