Remote Tortoise Mount | Model Railroad Turnout

Remote Tortoise Mount is designed to provide a flexible way to remotely operate model railroad turnouts using a Tortoise™ switch machine. The Circuitron Remote Tortoise Mount consists of a molded base mechanism where the Tortoise™ is mounted; the Tortoise™ is not included. An adjustable lever arm attaches to the Tortoise™ output and drives a stainless steel wire through a flexible Teflon tube, working in a similar way to a miniature choke cable.

The thin wire connects to a compact actuator mechanism mounted beneath the turnout. A spring wire and brass tube transmit the movement from the actuator to the turnout points above the layout. This arrangement provides installation flexibility when there is limited space directly below the turnout. The mounting bracket with the Tortoise™ can be secured in various positions up to 18 inches away from the turnout points, and it may even be installed above the layout inside a structure when the layout design requires it.

Remote Tortoise Mount requires approximately 1/2 inch of clearance beneath the turnout sub-roadbed for the points actuating mechanism. The mechanism is fully adjustable for different model railroad scales and brands of turnouts, providing flexibility for a variety of layout configurations.

For model railroaders looking for an alternative mounting arrangement for a Tortoise™ switch machine, Remote Tortoise Mount provides an adjustable mechanism that allows the drive unit to be positioned away from the turnout while still transmitting movement to the points.