OK here I go showing my dumb side.:tb-biggrin: I have a bunch of track switches that I want to use toggle switches with. The ones that come with the switches I personally think, they are flimsy and unreliable. I have used an OHM metter to try to figure out the wiring in the switch. I would expect that they apply a ground to one side of the switch to get current through the track switch coil. I have tried measuring it every way possible and can not find when the switch is moved to the on position. Since most switches are spring loaded for straight through, I would have expected only needing 2 wires to make the switch work but they have three. No matter what position I place the toggle switch in do I see a change of any kind from the middle to each outside wire. I would expect it to go from open to a short, but I see no change on the meter. I could use a schematic of the switches(track) and toggle switch. I would expect it would be a single through single pole but can not prove it. I have gone through my Life like switches and my other track and can not find what I would be expecting . Any help, or pointing in the right direction would be appreciated.
If there are 3 wires, 1 wire will be common and the other two for throwing the turnout, one for tangent and the other for divergent.
OK-help me understand what you are doing. Are you wanting to power switch motors (machines) and use toggle switches to control them? Or-are you wanting to augment the power contacts when the points of the turnout are closed one way of the other. What brand are these switches and toggles (are you meaning slide switches to control the switch motor?) If you are using the little switch controllers, you do know that you have to momentarily press down on the button when you change the position...that's what makes the motors work. Woodie
Woodie, Most turn outs come with a small flimsy switch. I want to replace that piece with a nice healthy toggle switch. All my turn outs have 3 wire connections. in all cases the outside wires connect to one end of the coil in the turn out.(there are 2 separite coils) The center conductor is connected to power (in my case 9 Vdc). My real problem is that for the life of me I can not get the flimsy switch to read out as I would expect it too. Looking at the back of the switch I can see the actual solder runs. I have included what I have actually seen as to the wiring. In doing so I think I need a single pole single throw.:thumbs_up::thumbs_down:
One thing to remember about the Atlas switch machines, they don't want a continuous current. The Atlas slide switch is a momentary switch designed to be slide across and the pressed briefly (less than 1 second). You then have a visual indicator of the turnout position.
OK, you have 3 wires...one is "ground" and the other 2 control the direction the switch throws. You will need MOMENTARY contacts to do this. As for the flimsy parts, I have known guys who used Atlas #56 switch controllers for 50 years and they haven't worn out. Maybe that's what you need, the Atlas controller. Usually, the center wire is the ground and it can be attached to one leg of the AC on the transformer/power pack. The other 2 wires-left & right-would be routed through NORMALLY OPEN PUSHBUTTONS or something similar. Good luck, Woodie
