DOES ANYONE KNOW IF YOU CAN USE ANY ATLAS PRODUCTS (TWIN, CONTROLLER ETC) TO MANUALLY CONTROL A RED/GREEN SIGNAL. I USE DCC SO IT WOULD NOT BE HOOKED UP TO TRACK POWER. MY SIGNALS ARE NJ INTERNATIONAL AND HAVE 2 RED AND 2 GREEN WIRES.
What you really need to manually control a signal is a single-pole, double-throw switch, but not the momentary-contact kind. I don’t think Atlas makes one of those. You can use one side of the Twin with some wiring that will have everyone scratching their heads, but it should work. A Twin is actually 2 double-pole, double-throw switches, but the opposite poles are cross-wired and there is only one pair of outputs. They are used as reversers for DC circuits.
Wire the two power leads to the inputs of one side of the Twin. Run one side of the Red light to one of same inputs, and one side of the Green light to the other input. Then take both of the remaining leads (one Red, one Green) and connect them to the same terminal on the output of the Twin, leaving the other output unwired. (Remember, a Twin has two sets of outputs. Only use one of them.) One light or the other will be on, depending on the position of that side of the Twin.
I’m assuming incandescent lights here, and the right voltage for them. If the signals use LEDs, then you’ll probably need a resistor in series with the LEDs, and you’ll of course have to be careful with polarity.
Instead of the manual switch, though, why not use a relay circuit tied to one of your turnouts? The signal then becomes a turnout indicator, and will throw automatically. If you are comfortable with Atlas products, I know they do make a relay just for this purpose.
Your two green wires feed your green bulb and conversly red wuires feed your red bulb.
Your red and green lights are probably 12 volt bulbs; and ANY switch that provide 2 ‘throws’ will do the job.
Atlas makes a #200 relay that will do the job for you .
http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/Track/Trackphotos/200.gif
but YOU WILL NEED constant 12 volts to light your lights but a momentary (push button) 12 VOLTS to power the relay.
http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/Track/Trackphotos/56.GIF
If this is TOO difficult to understand you will need a ‘How to’ book from Kalmbach, and a LHS to offer more help…