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How Do I wire turnouts for signal lights

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  • Member since
    December 2007
  • 993 posts
Posted by hobo9941 on Thursday, November 25, 2010 9:03 PM

I use Atlas turnouts, and I use an Atlas relay connected in parallel  with each switch machine. This gives me a choice of contacts to use. Currently, I am using block signals as turnout indicators.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 5:53 PM

wjstix

Well, basically you would be connecting wires up to whatever moves the points of the turnout, not the turnout per se. Many turnout switch machines have auxilliary connections that you can connect to a control panel to indicate which way the turnout is thrown. Chooch makes a ground throw with similar connections.

As wjstix says, the wiring connects to the switch machine that is throwing your turnout.  If you are using toggle switches or push buttons on your control panel to throw the turnout to a straight through or divergent position, you can also wire in an LED on the control panel to indicate the position of the turnout, typically green for straight through and red for divergent.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 5:32 PM

Here you go. . . . .

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/signaling.htm

An example is below.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 4:31 PM

Well, basically you would be connecting wires up to whatever moves the points of the turnout, not the turnout per se. Many turnout switch machines have auxilliary connections that you can connect to a control panel to indicate which way the turnout is thrown. Chooch makes a ground throw with similar connections.

Stix
  • Member since
    November 2010
  • 1 posts
How Do I wire turnouts for signal lights
Posted by TaranRiverBeltTerminalConductor on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 1:13 PM

I am in the stages of designing my layout's electrical infrastructure, and I need help knowing how to wire my schematic panel to show how each switch is thrown? Does it matter DC vs DCC?  Thanks to any who can help

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