Does anyone know any particulars about the TOMIX TCS Electronic Turntable II (N-AT212-15 F)? It's supposed to be a new release. I'm wondering if it's DCC compatible. I can't find much info on it. I know it has it's own control box but that's it. I found a price of around $183. Can anyone add anything......? Thanks, Bill
I found this online in a review of the Tomix turntables. My personal experience with the Walther's index turntable non-dcc version is that the rotation of the table can be powered by a standard n-scale transformer. The actual track "power" can come from dcc. I have been running mine this way since mid 2012. "1621 TCS Electric Turntable N-AT212-15 (2001-2004) - An electrically operated turntable returned to the Tomix product line with this unit. It conforms to the Neo control cabling scheme, so its name includes the "N" prefix as well as the reinstated "A." It has a new, more sophisticated control box in the light blue, rounded-edge Neo style. Since the control power now cames from a TCS cable, its name also includes this. It has a black connector TCS cable and a white connector DC feeder cable that go to a Neo power unit train controller. The control box features a locomotive on-off-reverse slide switch, two position buttons to rotate the turntable, and a circle of indicator lights to illustrate the turntable operation. The package includes an eight-wire flat cable for the turntable, as well as the usual center arch piece, brown G70-W (gapped) straight track, sticker sheet and instructions."
At least quote your source: http://www.trainweb.org/tomix There is a difference between the Roman Numeral "II" version (the subject of the inquiry) and the 1621 version (that you provided). One needs to be careful to know what you are getting, with all of the variations made over the years. Rich K.
"1633 TCS Electric Turntable II N-AT212-15(F) (2009-Present) An update to the 1631 design, this version has the Roman numeral "II" in its title. I have no information on what the difference is. The control box is marked with the "II" designation, and features a micro-controller inside, a reset button, locomotive on-off-reverse slide switch, two turntable position operating buttons, and the light (LED) indicator ring. This version continues the use of the 1632 extension set to add more radial tracks. The use of the optional 5816 eight-wire ribbon cable extension cable (1.5 m long) is also carried over from the 1631, to extend the possible distance between the control box and the turntable." From the same website as my previous post.
The turntable controller has three leads at the back, the largest goes to the turntable, of the other two cut off the black plug (TCS) and connect the wires to a 12VDC power supply and do the same with the white plug only connect it to your track power (DCC or analog, both work) and away you go, easy as that. How do I know? A club member has one on his DCC layout and I set it up for him, it has been operating successfully for about three years now.
Westfalen, thanks for offering an additional opinion that the track power can be DCC and is independent of turn table power and control. I know only what worked for me on my DCC layout on which I ran the Walther's index turn table with standard transformer that I used before I converted to DCC.
Help me understand something please. On my not-yet-running layout I'll have DCC for the lines, but DC accessories, including an already acquired powered Atlas turntable. What am I missing in not employing DCC for the turntable, other than saving a few feet of wire?
I have wondered at why people control their turntable with DCC decoders. For me, part of the enjoyment of having a turntable is to manually control it - or rather to use the DC controller to control the movement of the turntable. My layout is DCC but the turntable (Fleischmann n 9152) rotation is controlled by its analog controller which is positioned near it. When I use the turntable, I want to be there to observe & control it.
Cosmic, On a DCC layout, you should have the turntable track powered by DCC and you might need or want an auto-reversing circuit for it (e.g. PSX-AR). As for controlling the rotation of the turntable, that will depend upon the specific turntable. With DC powered control, you need to stop it where you want it while with DCC control, you tell it where to stop. Either way, you should be watching the turntable while in use.
Not quite right there. The latest Tomix turntable, along with others from other manufacturers, are self-indexing. Rich K.
Correct, the turntable turns as long as you are holding the control in the direction you want it to turn, when you let go it stops at the next track. the Tomix turntable controller, and the upcoming Kato one, have reversing switches so you don't need the extra expense of a DCC auto reversing circuit.
