Is there anyway to wire signals to walthers switch machines to show which way the switch is thrown?
Yes. Those two blocks with 3 terminals each near the top are SPDT microswitches that change when the machine moves. Use one for frog power and the other for signals. Even the "Advanced reference manual" for the Walthers switch machine doesn't mention them. But wiring would be the same as hooking 2 LEDs to a Tortoise using one set of contacts. If you look closely at the microswitch, one terminal should be marked COM, this is the common. One of the others will say NC, this is the side that is closed when the servo arm is facing away from that microswitch, and the other will be NO, that's the one that is open when the arm is away.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Additionally it has built in contacts (not the mechanical switch contacts) to handle LED outputs. This allows the use of the mechanical switch contacts for things like frog polarity.
Check section 6 of the manual. It describes how to hook LEDs.
https://goo.gl/24vsBK
May want to read all sections of manual. It has alot of good info and is well written unlike digitrax manuals...lol
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
I read the in depth Walthers manual - they leave out a TON of stuff. Well written? They actually leave out ANY mention of the two microswitches!
I still fail to see what is so bad about Digitrax manuals. The system manuals walk you step by step through which wires to conenct and which buttons to press to make a train go. They cover the function of every switch on the command station, and even button on the throttle, one by one. You can stop there, but unlike a lot of manufdacturers, they ALSO include all the nitty gritty technical details for those interested. Unlike, for example, MRC which doesn't even mention that you need to use POWERED panels after so many throttles are in use. The back part of the NCE manual is just as technical as the Digitrax one.
This myth needs to die, it's not 1993 any more.