Can I replace the Atlas momentary switches with SPDT Momentaey toggles On my control panel? How would I wire them?
Yes You can…the only drawback being…unless You can see the turnout, You would not know what position the turnout is in, without a relay for turnout indicator lights, but they do have circuits for that.
A diagram, for the wiring:
http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/images/toggle.jpg
Some more info for You about that:
http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/solenoid.html
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Another question, I purchased a PECO Switch with a PECO above table switch machine (has Rd,Gr,Blk) wires. I had the same running from the Atlas control switch to the Atlas switch track. Can I just hook up to the PECO switch?
Well if it worked ok with the Atlas component, I see no reason why it would not work. A switch is a switch…no matter who it’s made by. Just wire it the same way. Red & Green + and Black -.
A point to remember about the toggle switch…that if You want the turnout to be in the straight position when You move the toggle handle up…You must put Your wire on the bottom term. of the toggle and for divergent route You put the wire on the top term. of the toggle…think of a baseball bat…when You move the handle of the bat forward, the barrel of the bat touches the bottom term. of the switch. Toggle switches work the same way.
I use normally open push buttons with relays to control the route selection lights, on the control panels.
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
With momentary switches you cannot tell which way the turnout is set. Wire things so that when you move the toggle down the turnout in question will be in its normal position. Push it up to reverse the turnout.
This way you can check your route by pusing all of the toggles down before your train arrives and reverse only those turnouts that you will need.
LION says you can make your own switches where the lever will remain in position and the turnout motor receives only a momentary contact.
ROAR
I use normally off push button switches. I put them on a control panel with a track diagram. If you want to go straight push the straight button,if you want the divirging button. Simple to use etc several are at switches that are not easy to see. I got the switches at my local Home Depot.
Another option would be to use momentary contact push buttons. When there were Radio Shack stores around, they had them, and they are available from a number of on line electronics suppliers.
For indication of turnout position, Atlas makes a #200 Snap Relay that can be installed along with any twin coil switch machine. It can send power to panel mounted LEDs or other indicator lights.
We posted about the same time, but Home Depot will have push button switches, Lowes and Menards do not. Home Depot has a fairly good selection of Electrical stuff.
I use momentary push buttons on a control panel to route my Atlas and Peco switches. I bought them from LED switch.com (no I dont wprk for them). I bought over 150 of them and use them with and without the snap relay. I have panels all over the layout. LED lights are hooked up to the snap relays. Works great, my panels look good, and when I have operating sessions, it makes it easy for the guys to set the routes they want.
Neal
Radio Shack is still around…they just closed a lot of their stores. You can go to the store location finder and see if there is one close to Your area or shop on-line:
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Maybe, maybe not. The wiring is the same, and whatever form of SPDT momentary toggle you use will work. But, a Peco switch machine needs more power than an Atlas, because it has that spring that holds the points to the stock rail, and overcoming the spring tension is more work.
So, as long as you’re doing all of this, get yourself a Capacitive Discharge unit if you don’t already have one. A CD circuit stores energy when not in used and then releases it all at once to throw your switch machines. The result is a nice solid pulse that will throw even Peco machines with ease, as well as Atlas. After that, the circuit protects your switch machines in case a toggle sticks in the closed position.
You can buy a CD circuit like the “Snapper,” or you can make one yourself with 2 capacitors and 2 resistors.
I added a CD unit for my Peco machines and use the push button switches. The Peco wiring diagram shows you which is your common. then wire it with your toggle or pushbutton switches.
Neal
Are CD Units all the same? Do Model Train sites have them for the PECO?
Yes, they are pretty much the same, at least in principle. I built one from a circuit I found online and simplified down to 2 resistors and 2 capacitors. I used an old train transfomer to provide power, and put a bridge rectifier on my circuit to convert the AC to DC.
You can get one called the Snapper from Circuitron. I’m sure there are others.
One CD circuit should suffice for most home layouts.