Operate your traditional 3-Wire Twin-Coil switch machines with Touch Toggles.
Our Snap-Action Base controls the traditional 3-wire twin-coil switches from Atlas, Bachmann, Peco, and any of the N, HO, or O scale snap type machines that operate on 12-24 volts. This base works with any style of our Touch Toggles.
We offer this base alone, or in a package with four Touch Toggles or Mini-Cup Toggles of your choice.
The built in precise timing and charging circuits ensure that every machine gets the full power it needs, and no machine will ever be left on to overheat. With very short activation times the output should never overpower even a small switch machine. Each Snap Action Base will control up to four 3-wire switch machines, and will daisy-chain side by side with other bases to share a common power supply.
Note: Most twin-coil designs are designed for powerful 16v-18v AC supplies (which actually have a peak voltage near 24v). We offer a 24v High Voltage Power Supply that works well with Atlas, Bachmann, Peco, Lifelike, NJ, and other pre-electronic supply engineered machines.
The outputs can handle a huge surge, so they are quite sturdy against all but a direct short. That way users (like us) won’t ruin their investment or their fun by being too casual about connections. We couldn’t make the output truly short-proof and still give the Oomph needed to throw some of the more stubborn switch machines. We’re sure enough of our gear that if you promise to be careful when you connect your wires, we’ll cover the replacement of your investment the first time it fails from an accidental overload. (Note that we can’t warranty boards against being hooked up with reversed polarity, so be careful).
The Snap Action Base is approximately 4″ wide, 2-1/2″ deep, and 1-1/2″ tall. (70mm x 63mm x 32mm). Mount with four – #6 (5mm) screws.
The Snap Action Base works great at voltages up to 24 volts. Atlas, Bachmann, and LifeLike machines need 18 to 24 volts to operate. Order our Higher Voltage Supply to deliver a bit more punch.
Our Input Splitters let a single Touch Toggle operate two turnouts at a crossover, or four at a double crossover. Wiring each machine to its own output lets the intelligent power management inside each Snap Action or Snap Bipole Base deliver a full charge to each turnout. Our Third-Light Indicator adds an extra light to better match the look of a panel made with Two Light Touch Toggles
Accessories
Use an Input Splitter to operate two or more switches together. Each twin-coil machine should be connected to it’s own output for full power operation. The Input Splitter lets you control 2 or 3 inputs from the same Touch Toggle.
You can also use an Input Splitter and a Relay Base to add contacts to any turnout!
Connect your Snap-Action Base to distant Touch Toggles with 3-Pin Extension Cables
Control a single turnout from multiple Toggles in different locations with a Multi-Input Adapter
Have your turnouts power up in their last position, not green, using our Memory Adapters
Easily place both lights of a two-light Touch Toggle with the Toggle Placement Tool
Have lighted signals on your layout, keyed to your switch settings using the LED Driver for Signals
Power your Snap-Action Base from a distant power supply with DC Extension Cables
We sell Terminal DC Power Adapters, so it’ll be easy enough to connect to your own power supply. Please read About Power for Touch Toggles for detailed information.
Please contact us about any special situation you have. kevin@berretthill.com
Kato and other Polarized Switching with our Snap Bipole Base!
Two-wire polarized machines like Kato and Rapido Trains have special requirements. These machines use a similar design to the 3-wire boards, but have only two wires with reversing current. Read about Snap Bipolar Bases here.
If you are ordering our mechanical Push Button Toggles for Lionel and High Rail systems, these do not have wire pigtails. Be sure to choose the required 3-pin extensions, and Mini-Cup mounts, or LED options in the Push Button Toggle page
Read about our larger 24v supplies here
Current orders for 2.5 and 3 amp 24v supplies should ship by April 20th.
Legal stuff: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer (lead). Unused or retired products should be recycled properly or may be returned to Berrett Hill for disposal in accordance with RoHS standards.
We manufacture our products in the USA. Orders over $140 include free shipping to US addresses.