I have just purchased a bunch of the Details West SS-914 low switch stands for use on the SLO&W. The layout is set in the Northeast (Finger Lakes region of NYS) in the year 1925. The stands contain both diamond and round targets.
The questions are: Should I use the diamond or the round targets given the location and era, and should they be painted red or yellow for use in the yard?
Thanks!
since your railroad is protolanced, you can set the standard to suit yourself, so the following is only a suggestion.
Round target, perpendicular to the rails when the points are set straight. Paint green if track conditions warrant, or yellow if within yard limits or otherwise speed restricted.
Diamond target, perpendicular to the rails when the points are set to the diverging route. A train approaching facing points should see a yellow diamond. Trains approaching from the trailing-point direction should see either an all-red diamond or a diamond with red on the straight route side and yellow toward the diverging route.
Alternately, search out whatever prototype data you can find - preferably contemporary photos.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with position-light switch indicators)
Follow the practices of your favorite (or best well-documented) prototype railroad operating in the geographical location. For what it is worth, SP practices were to paint targets red for turnouts on or leading directly onto mainline tracks, and yellow elsewhere. On the SP, the targets were parallel to the track for the normal position. Derail targets were all red.