Wiring AF turnouts to use one toggle switch

[Benjamin Maggi]

I have searched the forums and come across lots of posts on various topics about the regular AF powered turnouts. Unfortunately, while there are lots of Lionel wiring books out there I haven't stumbled upon any for American Flyer. Here are my questions:

1.) I have a loop with a passing siding (original, I know) and want to have both switches throw in unison with one toggle switch. I don't plan on using the AF switch control boxes with the bulbs. Can anyone explain to me how to wire the two switches' four-color cables to the toggle? I imagine I need a center-off momentary contact douple-throw switch, but single or double pole? Any wiring diagrams would be excellent.

2.) I am thinking about wiring in a SPST switch for each of the two tracks in the passing siding to cut power should I want to store a train. I understand that. What I don't understand is the optional sliding switch that allowes for power-cutting to the set track. For a spur I could see how it would work, but for a passing siding what if each switch is thrown to one of the tracks. Would they both be powered? Do you create gaps in the middle of each passing track so that if both are fed the trains won't take off on you? Or is using a SPST for each track just easier?

Thanks.

[Major]

I am doing this from memory because I do not have a turn out in from of me.  Four wires go to each turn out. Black, Yellow red and green.  The black is the common and the yellow provides the power to the light.  The red and green when closed by a switch moves the points.  Red for the diverging route green for going straight.  To wire two turn outs so they would operate together you would connect the Black wires from both to the base post, (common) on the transformer and the yellow to the fixed votage post.  If the divergent routes of both turn outs form one route and the straight portion the other route than both red wires would join together on one side of the momentary contact push buttom switch with the other side of the push button switch wired to the fixed votage post.  Same thing for the green.

If a divergent route from one turnout leads to the straight route on the other turn out than the red wire from one turn out would be paired to the green wire from the other turn out when wired to the push button switches.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thanks for the response. You are correct but I think you left off one wire (to the center of the toggle). From memory that is impressive, and it is quite true that if the switches are not being used identically (both straight paths lead to one track, both curves lead to another) but mixed (meaning the main line runs through the straight path of one and the curved path of the other) the wiring for them must be reversed.

Here is the full answer thanks to Thomas Barker, noted AF expert and author:

- Get a center off SPDT momentary contact switch. Wire the center connection to the 15v post from the transformer. 

- From one of the outside poles on the toggle switch run a green wire to both of the green marker positions on the 720 AF Switches. From the other pole on the toggle switch run a red wire to both of the red marked positions of the 720 AF Switches.

- Connect the black marked position of each 720 AF Switch to the Base Post of the transformer.

- To make the lights in the 720 AF Switch work, runa yellow wire from the 15v post of the transformer to each switch where the yellow terminals are.

THANKS AGAIN to both for your help!  

[lionelsoni]

As for the second question, you shouldn't need to do anything beyond enabling the power routing switches on the turnouts.  If either turnout is aligned for the siding, the siding will be powered.  If either turnout is aligned for the main, the main will be powered.  Since you will always be throwing both turnouts together, both for the main or both for the siding, only one of the main and siding will be powered and the other unpowered.  No gaps or other switches are needed.