This installation guide is suitable for the motorised turnout drive TR8051 from TrainTronic

The TR8051 is switched via two buttons. The behaviour of a button can be simulated using an optocoupler.

Note: Direct connection to the switching outputs of a CTC turnout module should be avoided, as it is unpredictable whether this could cause permanent damage to the TR8051 or the CTC turnout module.

On the CTC turnout module with the article number WI-M-4L-U there are three cables, to which a suitable adapter was soldered in the example. The adapter (see circuit diagram below) consists of:

• a 2-channel optocoupler LTV-826
• three 2.2 kOhm resistors
• an LED for indicating the switching impulse
• and a 3-way screw terminal.

Installing and connecting the CTC module

The CTC module is mounted on or under the model railway layout.

Here’s how to connect the drive to the CTC turnout module:

• Connect the middle terminal of the adapter (both emitters of the optocouplers) to terminal 9 (button/LED) of the TR8051
• Connect the two outer terminals (each collector of the optocouplers) of the adapter to terminals 8 (button/LED 2) and 10 (button/LED 1) of the TR8051.
• Connect terminals 6 and 7 (power supply/DCC) of the TR8051 to the track or the power supply.
• Connect the brown wire to the negative pole of the power supply or the track.
• Connect the red wire to the positive pole or the other track.
• The yellow wire from the turnout drive is connected to both anodes of the optocouplers.
• The two blue wires are each connected to one of the cathodes of the two optocouplers.

Note: turnouts and drive can also be connected to different power supplies.

The following picture shows a right turnout with a built-in turnout drive and CTC turnout module.

A signal or another turnout can be connected to the remaining three individual wires (2x blue and 1x yellow). Two IR balises can be connected to the four-pin socket.

Registering the CTC Module in the Wi-Fi

If the CTC turnout module is not yet registered in the model railway Wi-Fi, you need to do this first. You can find the instructions for this in the operating manual in Chapter 3.1 “Registering Modules in the Wi-Fi”.

Open Configuration

You can find a registered CTC turnout module under its name in the module list in the CTC app. There, you click on the pencil icon to open the “Switchbox Configuration”.

There, you click on the button “Change Config”:

Adding a Product

The TrainTronic TR8051, with the help of the CTC adapter, looks like a classic double coil drive.

In the Config dialog, click on the plus button to the right of “Connected Products” to choose what kind of product you have connected:

Select the product catalog “universal-turnouts” and then click on “Apply”:

Give your turnout a meaningful name, and select the appropriate product and product configuration. Then click on “Apply”:

Connect product

Now you have to specify which connections of the CTC module the turnout is connected to. The plug used above is soldered onto “W1-green” and “W1-red”. You select “W1-green”:

Then you can check whether the turnout switches and in which direction by clicking on the “Test” button. In my example, W1-green switches to straight. Therefore, I now select the line “straight” at “Connections and Parameters”. By clicking on “Connect”, you assign the connection “straight” to the left marked “W1-green: Output-Pin #16”:

Then you connect “W1-red” (Output-Pin #17) in the same way with the connection “turn”:

Upload Configuration

Once all pins are connected, you can click the “Upload” button to save the changes to the Config on the CTC turnouts module:

The CTC turnouts module restarts.

Turnout on the Control Panel

After a few seconds, the newly configured turnout appears on the control panel: