Organizing switch levers in switch tower.

[kpolak]

I am completing a toy train layout with a dozen or so switches.

Tracks inclued a Main line, Inner passenger loop, passenger station siding, and a couple of other sidings.

I have seen pictures of Switch towers with banks of switch levers (I believe), but I can't tell how these are grouped.

Can anyone tell me how these levers are organized (grouped) as they pertain to the switches/sidings?

I hope this makes sense.

Kurt

 

 

 

[Anonymous]

I worked in several interlocking towers.  All of these had a linear display above the switches or levers.  The furthest left and right ones usually operated signals, the inbetween ones operated switches, crossovers, and sometimes derails.  The operator would get the track all lined up and then clear a signal on the left for a left to right movement or a signal on the right for the opposite direction.  A cross over move would require a different signal to be cleared as opposed to a through track routing. A track crossing the left/right route would have the track work intermingled or separated as the signal maintainer saw fit.

Never worked a CTC installation but they were much the same but encompassed a longer length of track.  Again there was a linear display of the trackage with the switches/levers sometimes right on the display. The latest incantation uses monitors mounted in a row on a wall with a TV-like display showing the track diagram and just where trains are.

Most model railroads are loop affairs. Some prefer a linear display; break the loop at some convenient spot, straighten it out and you have a typical tower look. Some prefer to have a pictorial display and so the loop stays intact. Placement of switches is at the discreation of the owner but if you have track occupancy detection, the lights are usually on the display.

I'm sure others will post comments; there are a lot of opinions on how these things are best done so read them all and choose what suits you best.

Art

[Anonymous]

With model railroad layouts, it can be frusterating, but if you stick with it you'll get it.

[kpolak]

Thank you for the help!

I don't mind the frustrating parts, I'm pretty new to this stuff and I expect to find things I don't completely understand....I am trying to build something simple that the kids can use, and still be interesting and complex for me to use, and do a little teaching along the way.  Its worth the trouible.

Who knows, I might spark a young engineer, and when I'm 90, they'll call me for a ride up front.

Thank you,

Kurt