06-14-2014, 02:45 PM
One of the challenges I'm working with here is that track is on 5 levels at this cross-section of the layout. The visible German trackage is right over staging, and there isn't clearance for both a Tortoise switch machine and trains on the staging tracks:
I've already used both Lemaco and Pilz switch machines, which have a lower profile, to get around this problem, but I haven't been able to find either lately. Then I thought about a Blue Point manual switch machine I'd bought to try out another idea, which didn't work out. However, the Blue Point is much shorter than a Tortoise, and I decided I could mount it under the switch I'm working with here, and quite possibly use a Tortoise mounted in the clear to drive the Blue Point via a connecting rod:
I've already used both Lemaco and Pilz switch machines, which have a lower profile, to get around this problem, but I haven't been able to find either lately. Then I thought about a Blue Point manual switch machine I'd bought to try out another idea, which didn't work out. However, the Blue Point is much shorter than a Tortoise, and I decided I could mount it under the switch I'm working with here, and quite possibly use a Tortoise mounted in the clear to drive the Blue Point via a connecting rod: