I am considering if a “mix” of switch controls is appropriate- some Caboose 202S sprung ground throws for switches in yard and engine servicing locations and some Tortise undermounted electrical controls where longer track lines exist. Has anyone done this?
Also, regarding Caboose ground throws, there appears to be one that has electrical connections?
Anyone know more about that?
I use a mix of Tortoise and hand throws–Tortoise for turnouts on the main line (into switching areas or sidings) and hand throws off the main. For hand throws I mostly use Caboose Industries 202S’s but I have one area where several turnouts are beyond easy reach where I used Blue Points under the layout with push/pulls in a panel with red/green LED’s to indicate the point positions. While the Blue Points work fine, if I had it to do over again I would use Tortoises–it is easier to string wire to a panel than the push/pull rods.
Good luck!
Keep in mind that if you are trying to be true to scale, (HO?) the caboose throws are too big.
Yes, the caboose throws with electrical connections include an electrical switch for a signal, panel indicator lamp/LED, frog polarity, etc…
The trend I am seeing with many modelers these days, seems to be to use remote, manually operated, turnouts wherever possible and employing fascia mounted controls to avoid having to reach into the layout at all. Wolfgang Dudler is even modeling operating targets that change with the turnout and had a great article on that very subject published in the January 2010 issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine.
I’m one who uses manual control of switch points that are only used when the train crew is right at hand. My electrical machines (twin-coil, not Tortoise) are operable from three places, the Main (think CTC) panel, the Zone (think this town or yard) panel or up close and personal (pushbuttons on the fascia.) My manual controls are electrical switches, mounted in niches in the fascia with subterranean linkages. My electrical machines are also mounted just inside the fascia line, and all the wiring runs along the L-girders. I do my electrical work sitting on a chair in the aisleway.
With my general lack of fine coordination, arranging to keep the meathooks out of the scenery was a no-brainer.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I happen to have 96 double coil or tortoise, and 14 hand throws,(which are within easy reach of the four Power district & switch controls. Each district has 24 double terminals, with a grounded touch probe to operate them. The use of DCC to control the switches, was not feasible, with that may switches. Bob Hahn 
I have a mix. The ones I can reach easily from the operators console are hand operated, the ones on the far side of the layout are remotely operated (twin coil units). I don’t see any reason why you have to be all one or all the other.
That said, I probably will eventually wire remote operators to all of my turnouts, For the reason stated above: there’s always some klutz (usually me) who will create the Godzilla effect by reaching onto the layout.