I’m using Bachmann ez-track. I had to move a lot of things around in the basement where I’m setting up a new layout and I did a very stupid thing. I didn’t keep track of the connecting switch boxes and wires and the terminal section wires and now I can’t for the life of me find where I put these things. Been looking for the past two days.
I need your help in trying to find replacement switch control boxes for the ez-track switches plus wires and the wires for the terminal track sections.
I have searched google and can’t find anything regarding the switch boxes but have found extension wires for, I believe the switches but not the terminal sections.
I searched the Bachmann site but that too didn’t result in finding any of the above needed items. Some say that Bachmann doesn’t make these items as spare parts.
The switch control boxes can be replaced with simple SPST push buttons. I assume the turnouts still have the green wires on them. If I remember correctly the center wire is the common. Attach a wire from the AC terminals of a power pack to that wire then touch a wire from the other AC terminal to one of the outside wires. The turnout should have changed from one position to the other or should have at least buzzed. If it just buzzed then touch the wire to the other outside wire. The turnout should have changed then. You can have a pair of push buttons do this for you. One wire from the AC terminals will connect to the turnouts common wire (center). The wire from the other AC terminal will connect to the center post of both of the push buttons. Now run a wire from the outside post of one push button to one of the outside wires on the turnout. Now repeat that with the other button going to the other outside wire. Now when you press one of the buttons the turnout will change to one route then when you press the other button button it will change to the other route. You can do this with every turnout. You’ll need two push buttons for each turnout.
The Atlas slide switches, can be used, once you slide them and push the slide button, they will work, BUT, they have a bad habit of sticking and burning up the switch motor. I for one never trusted them, but I have used them in the early 60’s. Your call on that issue.
As Frank said, the Atlas controllers will work. They’re very similar to the Bachmann controllers but they do have a nasty habit of failing. Me myself, I use simple SPST toggle switches to send current to a turnout via a momentary contact center off DPDT switch. It’s simple to wire and it works for years.
I use the Atlas slide switches to control my turnouts. In ten years I have had only one failure of a switch motor when the grandson leaned on the slide switch too long. Other than that accident, the slide switches have worked flawlessly for me on the BRVRR.
Well there isn’t any good news regarding geting replacement Bachmann switch control boxes so I’m going to take the advise from all these posts and try to use the Atlas #56 switch control boxes if I can find out how to wire these things up to the EZ-Track turnouts.
Anyone have the knowledge how to wire these up using the Atlas Switch Control Boxes? Or where to find this information. Not much on Google or at least I couldn’t find it.
PS. Could I use the new Atlas #57 Switch Control Boxes?
The left side of the Atlas #56 has two terminals, those are where you connect your AC power source. The top three terminals go to the switch machine, the top left term. for left, far right term. for right and the center term. for common. That common goes to all other switch machines that you have on your layout. Just daisey chain them all together to each switch machine. That eliminates a need for a center lead on the next control box. You just slide the next control box into the two on the first one and put your left right leads on the second control box to your second switch machine and so on. Your Bachmann switch machine should also have three term…If you want your left and right different, than I explained, just reverse your left and right leads at the control box.
I have not seen a Atlas #57, but I would assume, they have the same terminal set-up, in which case they would be the same, but no problem, if you will get them new, they will have detailed wiring instructions for them, with the control box. Have Fun!
The issue is how to attach the wires on the Atlas Control Box to the Bachmann switch.
There isn’t any three terminal connection on the turnout. A wire comes out from the turnout which has a connector on the end which plugs into the Bachmann Control Box. This connector has three prongs. So how do I hook up the Atlas control box wires to this three prong connector which is incased in plastic…it’s a plastic connector.
Either you will have to find a male connecter to put on the ends of the Atlas control box wires, or cut the connector, off the switch machine and splice into the Atlas wires. Should you do decide to cut the connector off, leave enough wire on the connector, to splice it back to the switch machine, should you want to at a latter time. The three wires should be the same as the Atlas, center common, left, right. If you don’t want to solder the wires, use insulated Butt connectors, they come in Red, Blue and yellow, Red being the one you would use. You can find them in Auto Stores, or should be in Big Box stores.