I am totally new to RR - I have a bunch of N scale stuff including Rix switch machines for my Peco switches - will they work with a very long lever arm? (long enough to go through 2-3" of foam risers and roadbed etc…)
First things first [#welcome] to the forum and to the hobby. You will find a great deal of knowledge here and a great number of people willing to share that knowledge.
You have a couple of options with regards to the Rix machines:
A. Carve out the foam under the turnout.
B. Use a longer throw on the switch machine. However, for this to work, you would need a fairly large hole to allow the piano wire to move.
I would recommend carving out under the foam and mount the switch machine no more than about an inch under the turnout. Distance is not that critical but keep it close to that.
Good Luck!
Tom
I’ve been laying Peco track over 1/2" foam. I’m using Peco’s PL10E switch machines that have an extended pin. I’ve had success mounting these underneath the plywood but the pin only sticks up an inch. In my experience, I wouldn’t mount a machine greater than an inch below the TO. This is probably very unreliable, but you can try if you want. If you really want a thicker foam base, consider mounting the machine on top next to the TO.