This should help.
Jim
You need a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) toggle switch. One side goes to the main track power for that rail, and the other side goes to the isolated rail itself.
An Atlas Twin is two double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) toggles. You could use it for what you're doing, but it would be overkill.
Atlas makes a flat-mount unit called the "Connector" which has 3 SPST toggles. If you'd like to stick with Atlas controls, this is the one to get.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The first electrical switches that I used on a railroad were KNIFE Switches.
You have installed a plastic rail joiner and so that stops the electricity from entering the siding.
Now you want to get electricity from the main line into the siding when you want a train to run there.
Just drop this switch in and it will show you what is happening. You can learn electricity very quickly when you can see what is happening.
Then you can join the LION as a MASTER MR ELECTRICIAN:
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/
This is a link to the nmra, a key org to help model RRing. On this link are other links to electrical hookups, including diagrams and thorough explanation on how to do what you are doing.
Richard
I have a 12x7 HO layout that runs easily. I put a plastic joinerer on thet track leading into my siding. I understand this will stop the current. How to get current into the sidiing (so a train can build a consist off the mainline)? Can I use the atlas Twin controller? If so, how/where to install it? Pls explain in basic terms since not an EE, or very mechanically adept.
Cheers,
Lee