DCC Specialties Hare & Circuitron Tortoise Switch Machine

Hi Erik, We are now installing Tortoise motors with the Hare decoders, but there is one situation we would appreciate your guidance on please.

In one area we have two main line tracks running parallel with a single crossover. I intend to loop both contacts 11 and 12 of the  two Hares together and connect these to a single PB switch so that both turnouts operate in unison to be either clear or thrown. However we also want to install the Auto Throw feature and again it would be  preferable for the 2 turnouts to operate in unison no matter which track has triggered them. Is there a wiring diagram to achieve this? Merv in New Zealand

Merv, connecting two Hares together as you propose is NOT recommended. Any wiring error will cause both units to instantly smoke. However, there is a much better way to do what you want. 

  1. Designate one Hare Lead and the other Follow. The Lead Hare must be a Hare with Feedback. Check your Hare, if U3 has a part mounted, it is a feedback version, if U3 is empty, it can be the Follow, but you will need to get a Hare with feedback. 
  2. Set both units to the same DCC address. 
  3. On the Lead Hare, connect J3-2 to J3-4 and then connect the pair to Follow Hare J1-11. 
  4. Connect Lead Hare J3-1 to Follow Hare J1-9. 
  5. Connect Lead Hare J3-3 to Follow Hare J1-10. 
  6. Wire the Auto Throw to the Lead Hare (only). 
  7. Set S1 as shown in the Hare directions, but only connect the Clear trigger rail to Lead Hare J1.
  8.  You will make one trigger rail in the Clear frog of each of your switches (two trigger rails).
  9.  Tie the two trigger rails together and connect to Lead Hare J1-4.
  10. If the switches are set to cross, when a train hits either trigger rail, the Lead Hare will move to Clear and then the Throw Hare will go to Clear.

Note: If you follow the above directions and the two Hares are out of sync (one throw and one clear), then set CV49=1 of the Follow Hare.