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Looking for a simple wiring to make a tortoise motor operate in three positions.  Motor runs to one end or other for red or green indication, but I have not come up with a simple way to make it stop midway by itself with power still applied ( in other words I tell the signal to go yellow, so the correct polarity is applied to run motor to midpoint and stop even though voltage is still present but now interrupted to motor.)  I know that there is a switch deadband that can be used for midway stopping, but need to insure it stops while power is still applied.  Then be able to apply power to get motor to red or green from midway stopped poition.

 

I can come up with some clunky ways but I am sure someone has been down this path before I re-invent the wheel circuit again.  Google no help as just diagrams of wiring turnout frogs and crossovers etc but no semaphore.

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I have a old NJ International Semaphore that I use a Tortoise motor to move the semaphore arm.  I have the  Tortoise wired to an Atlas Twin on my control panel to manually change position from red to green.  But no Yellow.

 

On the Web site for Tortoise Switch motors  -

http://www.circuitron.com/index_files/tortoise.htm

Scroll down and they say a 3 position Semaphore control can be achieved with the addition of the SD-2 Semaphore Driver.  See PDF in the following Link

 

http://www.circuitron.com/inde.../ins/800-5520ins.pdf

 

Hope this Helps

Steve

 

Thank you Steve.  I had not considered that the motors switch deadband would be that wide enough that the blade would not hit yellow perfectly when coming from either end point.

 

I gutted a burned out MTH semaphore and will attach its pull wire to the Tortoise linkage. Then use a simple 3 position switch to do the red yellow green positions.

 

For those interested or curious, here is a link I received from an Australian on another forum I frequent.  About as simple as can get:

http://wasnmodeller.blogspot.c...-for-3-position.html

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