Switch machine wiring help!

[Musepro]

Hello everyone!

I am currently building a 14x14 foot HO layout. For budget reasons, we've chosen to use Atlas code 83 #6 Super Switches, but also purchased 4 of the new #8 Custom Line turnouts for mainline crossovers. These crossovers, along with the #6 turnouts in the hidden staging, will be powered with the Atlas UTT switch machines. I'm not concerned with powering the frog on the #6s because their frogs are short and our loco wheel bases are long enough. However, the #8s have very long frogs that I reasoned needed to be powered. Therefore, I purchased 12 of the standard UTT machines for the staging tracks and 4 of the Delux UTT machines for the crossovers, so that I could use their built in relays to power the frogs. I am operating these machines using a diode grid with SPST push buttons.

My questions is: Is there a way to use red/green LED route indicator lights on the control panel without using Atlas relays? I know I can wire them off of the crossovers with their built in relays, but I also want them for the staging tracks, which do not have relays (due to a 100% increase in price of machine for the built in relays). Thanks for any help!

jt burke

[Musepro]

I got to thinking and I realized that I dont even care if there are route indication LEDs, just some way that I can have point inidcation on the panel. Is there a way to wire an ON-ON toggle switch to twin solenoid machines? A center off momentary toggle isn't any better than push buttons without LEDs. The Atlas turnout control boxes kind of offer point indication, but they're too big to mount on a panel. Perhaps there are SPDT momentary slide switches readily available? (though they're a bit big in size as well) Any help would be great! Thanks!

jt burke

[rrinker]

There are several ways to proceed.

One, use the Atlas relays to control LEDs orlight bulbs as panel indicators.

Two, use a SPDT toggle (NOT momentary) PLUS a NO pushbutton at each location on the panel

Three, Take a look at some of the circuits on Rob Paisley's web site such as this http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/ToggleTwin.html and build one for each turnout. Uses regular toggles and/or LEDs on twin coil mahcines

Four, instead of Atlas switch machines, use Circuitron Tortoises. They can be controlled b a simple DPDT toggle, no momentary action is needed. The machines themselves have DPDT contacts that you can use for signalling, powering the frogs (probably a good idea on the #8's), etc. With a Tortoise you can add panel LEDs jus by putting them in series with the Tortoise motor - the internal resistance of the Tortoise motor is just right to limit current to LEDs, no extra resistors needed - just add the LEDs. Simple.

--Randy