Hi all.
I am in the process of building my first O gauge layout, a shunting plank. I only have three turnouts but I have constructed these with C & L chairs, crossing timbers and steel rail and using Templot to design the track plan on a 2.2m baseboard. I had to use A6 turnouts to fit. Three Tortoise motors from a previous EM layout were placed under the baseboard after replacing the steel operating wire, which is around 22thou, with 28thou. JLRT tie bars were soldered to the rail to give a throw of 1.5mm. All was good until I operated the Tortoise. The blades did not throw right over in either direction. All of the turnouts performed in the same way when attached to the tie bar. The only conclusion I have come to is that the steel rail is not bending sufficiently to close the blades and therefore the Tortoise motors are not strong enough to cope.
I did use Peco PL10's on a previous EM layout together with an homemade baseplate on which to mount a micro switch and Z spring to take up excessive travel. Not having used Peco motors for 15 years I'm not sure of the throw they give or whether they would overcome the steel rail problem. I would be grateful for any suggestions.
Allan