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Hi Jon. I had done the same thing on my first layout. I used a mechanical type trigger, but a reed switch will work as well. You want reed switchs that are normally open, single pole, single throw and are can be mounted low enough between the rails without interfering with coupler trip pins or loco trucks. The [url="http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=370&type=store"]MAGNET[/url] has to be small enough to clear the guard rails on turnouts and grade crossings and not interfere with truck rotation. Placing them on the loco frame could be a problem. The reed switch will work in either direction, so the control device you make, to work the turnout solenoid, will need a circuit for each direction or polarity. If not, the relay would trip the switch as it passes the opposite reed switch.A capacitor discharge circuit is a must, or you'll burn up the solenoid. The units I built had two capacitor discharge circuits per control unit, one for each direction. The voltage in should be 14 -18 volts AC and at least two amps and 18 gage wire, or larger, to operate the Atlas solenoids. Otherwise the solenoid won't throw the points completely. If clearence is a problem, other alternatives to the reed switch is a light or infrared detector circuit. If using a light detector circuit, photocells are more sensitive than photo resistors. My sources for electronics are [url="http://www.digikey.com/"]DIGI-KEY[/url] and [url="http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=700350&item=RSW-14&type=store"]ALL ELECTRONICS[/url] (p.s. Click on highlighted words for links)
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