Securing point motor in position

[Tomathee]

I've found several threads on securing the motor to the baseboard if using a small hole through it for the pin, however I followed one of the several other threads suggesting mounting the motor directly to the point and cutting a suitable hole in the board. This is fine however the motor doesn't hold itself in position and slips partly down, presumably to fall out completely at some stage. Do folk normally glue the four lugs that go through the sleepers either side of the pin to hold it in position or is there a less permanent method I haven't thought of? Up til now I've used surface mounted so it's a set of new problems to tackle.

 

Thanks

[Oldddudders]

I suspect you might get more help if you told us what kit you are using. I infer it's Peco, but which scale and which standards? After all, in popular OO/HO there are Codes 75, 83 and 100, each of which has slightly different mouldings on the points. I once used Peco motors clipped to the points as intended in Codes 75 and 100 without any trying to fall out, but did add glue to be on the safe side. It made replacing the motor, should that be necessary, more difficult, though. Those motors had plastic clips, but I thought modern Peco motors used metal clips, to be bent over on the sleepers?

[RFS]

5 hours ago, Tomathee said:

I've found several threads on securing the motor to the baseboard if using a small hole through it for the pin, however I followed one of the several other threads suggesting mounting the motor directly to the point and cutting a suitable hole in the board. This is fine however the motor doesn't hold itself in position and slips partly down, presumably to fall out completely at some stage. Do folk normally glue the four lugs that go through the sleepers either side of the pin to hold it in position or is there a less permanent method I haven't thought of? Up til now I've used surface mounted so it's a set of new problems to tackle.

 

Thanks

 

If your motors are the Peco PL-10 then you could mount these below the baseboard using the Peco PL-9 Mounting Plates which come in packs of 5.  You then just need a small slot for the pin, but your motors need to be the PL-10E version with extended pin. 

Edited December 10, 2021 by RFS

[Tomathee]

4 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I suspect you might get more help if you told us what kit you are using. I infer it's Peco, but which scale and which standards? After all, in popular OO/HO there are Codes 75, 83 and 100, each of which has slightly different mouldings on the points. I once used Peco motors clipped to the points as intended in Codes 75 and 100 without any trying to fall out, but did add glue to be on the safe side. It made replacing the motor, should that be necessary, more difficult, though. Those motors had plastic clips, but I thought modern Peco motors used metal clips, to be bent over on the sleepers?

Sorry about that, in making a separate thread to keep titles more searchable for others I left out the important parts. It's peco 00 gauge code 100. They do have metal clips however don't seem long enough to bend over, though I'll have another look. 

[Tomathee]

14 minutes ago, RFS said:

 

If your motors are the Peco PL-10 then you could mount these below the baseboard using the Peco PL-9 Mounting Plates which come in packs of 5.  You then just need a small slot for the pin, but your motors need to be the PL-10E version with extended pin. 

I've already cut the point motor sized holes for them to attach directly, trying to avoid issues as some have mentioned with the longer pin not always throwing and it being harder to align under the board. I did look at the extended version originally and bought them, however to go with the method I've done the pins have been cut to size as well.

[RedgateModels]

On 10/12/2021 at 15:59, RFS said:

 

If your motors are the Peco PL-10 then you could mount these below the baseboard using the Peco PL-9 Mounting Plates which come in packs of 5.  You then just need a small slot for the pin, but your motors need to be the PL-10E version with extended pin. 

 

worked for me on Summat Colliery, yes they take a bit of fiddling to get them aligned but have never not thrown unless I try to fire 5 at once

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by RedgateModels

[Brian]

When the PL10 motor is pushed up tight to the underside of a Peco point the four metal tabs on the PL10 are long enough to bend over at 90 degrees along the sleeper top to retain the motor firmly in place. When the PL10 is fitted directly to the underside of the point the extra long drive pin is not needed.

 

Unfortunately as you say you have cut them already you will know you need a large rectangular hole cut into the baseboard to allow the motor and its pre fitted wiring to be dropped into place - Approx size of hole 40 x 20mm!   This hole will usually need a covering too once the point is in place.

 

IMO and for future point installation a much better option is to drill two 4mm holes side by side then join them by elongating them, making a 4 x 9mm long elongated slot, Or alternatively drill one 9mm dia hole directly in line with the points moving Stretcher bar (Tie Bar) and in the middle of the points rails. Then fit the motor underneath with the drive pin passing up via the slot or hole and entering the hole in the points moving Stretcher Bar.  

You can use the Peco PL9 fixing plate or simply bend the PL10E lugs outwards to around 90 degrees and fix the motor in place with two suitable sized woodscrews and a small washers or screw caps.

Suggestions on fixings are here if it helps?  Click here

Edited December 11, 2021 by Brian
Typo corrected