I only just found this and it is really interesting. I have a small layout approx 10x9 and have about 20 points, all Peco insulfrog. When I built it I was very unsure about tge electrics and still am but decided Ibwoukd avoid the electrical points based on the perceived complicated installation and cost. So I am now intrigued and look forward to watching your further successes. Thanks for sharing
Hi Charlie, thanks for the view and nice comment. 20 points! Now that'll be a fun wiring up experience, if you go for point motors! Maybe start with the ones that are a bit awkward to get to? I hope I have further successes to share! Doing lots of scenics at the moment, which was certainly not my forte before starting out! Getting there though. Good luck with yours!
Hi Warren, yeah I was exactly the same before I took the plunge, unfortunately I had to take mine blind :) . I’m going to be switching them pretty hard over the weekend I’ll let you know if I come across anything, from an installation perspective they certainly do what they say on the tin. Thanks for the comment I’m really happy you found it useful, that’s the reason I started UA-cam. Cheers.
Hi Alan Morton, in my infinite wisdom I somehow deleted your message while trying to respond to you. I love my iPhone! Luckily I still have your comment. That’s a real shame that your pin is not long enough, it’s strange, my board is 18mm and I use 5mm foam. And it fits just perfect. I don’t know of an easy way to install a new pin. What I would recommend is doing what have done on my dock area (27mm wood + 18mm ply) is to use a drill bit to reduce the depth of your board, I know this is a pain and I’m really surprised it didn’t fit for you, it’s a shame. I can’t think of another easy way around it though.... I’ll do a vid in a couple of weeks to show the way I got around it, but with 18mm you should be ok... damn.
Thank you for the video. I have loads of PECO switches on my layout with the old PL-10WE, but planning to use the PL-1001 for my new switches. Great to see confirmed that a 15-18mm board with trackbed above still works. What I do realize is that once you have drilled those position holes the switch must be placed 100% in same place, a bit readjusting the track as I was used in history is clearly not possible anymore. Do you already have experience with how it still works after your entire track and trackbed is glued in place ?? How do you avoid your track during final gluing in place is not accidental moving a few mm.
Hi HaSaKo, this is a great question. It was certainly easier for me as I was placing the motors prior to fixing my track locations to the nearest mm. There is a few mm play in the small screws that are placed below the board, but you are right there is not much movement. If you already have PL10’s then I assume you can use the same hole that you already have drilled in your boards? As long as you centre on that middle hole you should be okay. The other advantage is if you do move the track a few mm on gluing, the holes on the outer part of the template are only 1.5mm, that way they can be easily redrilled in a few minutes. I think you’ll be fine, but I would be really interested to hear how you get on. Why are you switching from PL10’s? Excuse the pun!! Thanks for your view and your really great question.
@@AberHaltJunction Dear, I have today about 50 PECO turnout on my railroadlayout and all have the motor directly mounted under the turnout. So, I have to make a big hole in my baseboard to give place for the motor. My experience is that time to time a motor has fails because the coil got overheated and the motor needs to be replaced. Luckily it happens rarely, maybe once per 1-2 years, so far only about 5 times in past say 10 years. BUT, to replace a motor in that position without taking the turnout and track is a nightmare. You need somehow to get the 4 pins of the motor and the drive pin all in the opening, while you basically cannot see what you do. So far each time I managed it without having to breakoput the turnout itself. Remember everything is clued due to the track bed stones. So, when PECO came with this new P1001 I saw as benefit the easy replacement of the motor drive in future failures. For me that is the only benefit, a potential easier replacement when a motor has failed. The installation is maybe also easier, as drilling 3 holes is easier than cutting a big rectangular hole. So, with soon installing 10 new turnouts in an expansion of the layout I have to consider this new P1001 as an option.
Hi HaSaKo. That is an awful lot of point motors! I know exactly what you mean about holes in the baseboard, I was keen to avoid that on mine as I will be shifting my layout design quite a lot as time goes by. Yes getting underneath and fiddling around under a baseboard is a challenge. It will certainly be easier to replace failed motors, they literally just twist in and out and then you just disconnect the wires, which is also easy with a screwdriver. The only slight negative is they do cost a bit more, but in my mind (and of course it depends how many motors you are doing at once) it is worth it for all the positives. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes. AHJ
@@AberHaltJunction Hi ABJ, I have installed the first Twistlok motor drive at a rather difficult point. I did changed the procedure a bit. Instead using the paper mall I did following. 1) I measured where the pin hole had to be and made a 10mm hole versus requested 8mm. I marked on the turnout track support bars, where exactly the 1mm hole would have to be positioned, then I installed the trackbed and the turnout on it and fixed them permanent. Only then I drilled the 1mm holes. Overall relative easy.
Hi HaSaKo, thanks alot for the update, glad to hear you found it really easy to do. I think making the hole a bit bigger is definitely a wise choice, no need to be as tight as Peco was suggesting. If a difficult one was relatively easy for you , hopefully the remaining ones are easy. Happy to hear it is going well, keep me updated. AHJ
Thank you for the brilliant video. I have also recently bought these but I am struggling how to wire the polarity switch. Could you please help. Thank you so much
Hi Odd Socks, glad you enjoyed, thanks for the nice comment. I've done quite a bit of wiring instruction on the microswitch in the PECO Electrical Wiring Video. ua-cam.com/video/cKQGAm3LhzQ/v-deo.html . That should help you out, if you're still stuck give me a shout.
@@AberHaltJunction thanks for your quick reply. I also saw that video. How every you mentioned in the video next time I am going to show you about the micro switch pl 1005. I can't find the video. Sorry
Thank you Bryce, perfect suggestion, I have 5 more to do, was just going to replace them for Phillip’s but that seems a bit wasteful. Thanks for the view and great comment!!
I only just found this and it is really interesting.
I have a small layout approx 10x9 and have about 20 points, all Peco insulfrog.
When I built it I was very unsure about tge electrics and still am but decided Ibwoukd avoid the electrical points based on the perceived complicated installation and cost.
So I am now intrigued and look forward to watching your further successes. Thanks for sharing
Hi Charlie, thanks for the view and nice comment. 20 points! Now that'll be a fun wiring up experience, if you go for point motors! Maybe start with the ones that are a bit awkward to get to? I hope I have further successes to share! Doing lots of scenics at the moment, which was certainly not my forte before starting out! Getting there though. Good luck with yours!
Thanks for the video. I’ve been looking into buying these over the last few weeks but wanted to see someone to do a review first. Cheers
Hi Warren, yeah I was exactly the same before I took the plunge, unfortunately I had to take mine blind :) . I’m going to be switching them pretty hard over the weekend I’ll let you know if I come across anything, from an installation perspective they certainly do what they say on the tin. Thanks for the comment I’m really happy you found it useful, that’s the reason I started UA-cam. Cheers.
very nice great to see you at work very nicely done cheers for now al 😁🙋♂️👍👍
Thanks Al, appreciate your view and comment as always 👍
Hi Alan Morton, in my infinite wisdom I somehow deleted your message while trying to respond to you. I love my iPhone! Luckily I still have your comment. That’s a real shame that your pin is not long enough, it’s strange, my board is 18mm and I use 5mm foam. And it fits just perfect. I don’t know of an easy way to install a new pin. What I would recommend is doing what have done on my dock area (27mm wood + 18mm ply) is to use a drill bit to reduce the depth of your board, I know this is a pain and I’m really surprised it didn’t fit for you, it’s a shame. I can’t think of another easy way around it though.... I’ll do a vid in a couple of weeks to show the way I got around it, but with 18mm you should be ok... damn.
Interesting system! Cheers Onno.
Thanks for the view and comment Onno. I appreciate it. Good to hear from you again.
Thank you for the video. I have loads of PECO switches on my layout with the old PL-10WE, but planning to use the PL-1001 for my new switches. Great to see confirmed that a 15-18mm board with trackbed above still works. What I do realize is that once you have drilled those position holes the switch must be placed 100% in same place, a bit readjusting the track as I was used in history is clearly not possible anymore. Do you already have experience with how it still works after your entire track and trackbed is glued in place ?? How do you avoid your track during final gluing in place is not accidental moving a few mm.
Hi HaSaKo, this is a great question. It was certainly easier for me as I was placing the motors prior to fixing my track locations to the nearest mm. There is a few mm play in the small screws that are placed below the board, but you are right there is not much movement. If you already have PL10’s then I assume you can use the same hole that you already have drilled in your boards? As long as you centre on that middle hole you should be okay. The other advantage is if you do move the track a few mm on gluing, the holes on the outer part of the template are only 1.5mm, that way they can be easily redrilled in a few minutes. I think you’ll be fine, but I would be really interested to hear how you get on. Why are you switching from PL10’s? Excuse the pun!! Thanks for your view and your really great question.
@@AberHaltJunction Dear, I have today about 50 PECO turnout on my railroadlayout and all have the motor directly mounted under the turnout. So, I have to make a big hole in my baseboard to give place for the motor. My experience is that time to time a motor has fails because the coil got overheated and the motor needs to be replaced. Luckily it happens rarely, maybe once per 1-2 years, so far only about 5 times in past say 10 years. BUT, to replace a motor in that position without taking the turnout and track is a nightmare. You need somehow to get the 4 pins of the motor and the drive pin all in the opening, while you basically cannot see what you do. So far each time I managed it without having to breakoput the turnout itself. Remember everything is clued due to the track bed stones.
So, when PECO came with this new P1001 I saw as benefit the easy replacement of the motor drive in future failures. For me that is the only benefit, a potential easier replacement when a motor has failed. The installation is maybe also easier, as drilling 3 holes is easier than cutting a big rectangular hole. So, with soon installing 10 new turnouts in an expansion of the layout I have to consider this new P1001 as an option.
Hi HaSaKo. That is an awful lot of point motors! I know exactly what you mean about holes in the baseboard, I was keen to avoid that on mine as I will be shifting my layout design quite a lot as time goes by. Yes getting underneath and fiddling around under a baseboard is a challenge. It will certainly be easier to replace failed motors, they literally just twist in and out and then you just disconnect the wires, which is also easy with a screwdriver. The only slight negative is they do cost a bit more, but in my mind (and of course it depends how many motors you are doing at once) it is worth it for all the positives. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes.
AHJ
@@AberHaltJunction Hi ABJ, I have installed the first Twistlok motor drive at a rather difficult point. I did changed the procedure a bit. Instead using the paper mall I did following. 1) I measured where the pin hole had to be and made a 10mm hole versus requested 8mm. I marked on the turnout track support bars, where exactly the 1mm hole would have to be positioned, then I installed the trackbed and the turnout on it and fixed them permanent. Only then I drilled the 1mm holes. Overall relative easy.
Hi HaSaKo, thanks alot for the update, glad to hear you found it really easy to do. I think making the hole a bit bigger is definitely a wise choice, no need to be as tight as Peco was suggesting. If a difficult one was relatively easy for you , hopefully the remaining ones are easy. Happy to hear it is going well, keep me updated. AHJ
Thank you for the brilliant video. I have also recently bought these but I am struggling how to wire the polarity switch. Could you please help. Thank you so much
Hi Odd Socks, glad you enjoyed, thanks for the nice comment. I've done quite a bit of wiring instruction on the microswitch in the PECO Electrical Wiring Video. ua-cam.com/video/cKQGAm3LhzQ/v-deo.html . That should help you out, if you're still stuck give me a shout.
@@AberHaltJunction thanks for your quick reply. I also saw that video. How every you mentioned in the video next time I am going to show you about the micro switch pl 1005. I can't find the video. Sorry
An old trick to try, dip the screw driver head in vaseline as it helps hold the screw till you get the threads to bite in.
Thank you Bryce, perfect suggestion, I have 5 more to do, was just going to replace them for Phillip’s but that seems a bit wasteful. Thanks for the view and great comment!!