# Crappy Bachmann Remote Turnout Extension Wires



## Necro (Nov 19, 2010)

Quick question - I can directly wire the turnouts to a SPDT switch and a momentary button, correct? Or, to two momentary buttons for each state? I'm debating doing this because the Bachmann extension wires just plain suck and even though the switches work (physically) they DON'T work because the wires connecting them to the turnouts suck and don't make contact with the switch without jiggling and fiddling.


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## aionta (Apr 9, 2010)

*turnout power control*

Hello Necro

What you said sounds good but I am no expert and cannot confirm that.

I also was looking for a better way to controll turnouts
and found

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/BullFrog-Manual-Turnout-Control-s/2087.htm

they seem to be pretty simple and are not too costly (but alas, prices are relative to your reality ) 

Have fun

Aaron


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## Bucklaew (Oct 7, 2010)

I just did that to all my switchers and turn outs. I used DPST that way when I turn the switch on it moves the switch to the alternate route. When I shut the switch off the switch or turn out goes back to the main line. It wasn't the 22 GA wiring which turned me off it was the room required by the Atlas switches took up. Toggle switches do not take up that much room. I use a red light to indicate alternate route and a green on for the main route. I am waiting for my resistors to arrive from the online vendor. Once they do I will photograph them in action. I am using a separate 9 VDC power supply to power my switches. I would have liked to use a lower voltage but they would not switch with a lower voltage. Also I apply power to the center conductor of the switch. Being an electronic Technician most of my life I am used to applying a ground to a circuit, if the switch shorts I never have hot voltage on the switches... I know you electricians out there wire the switches into the hot line, but then you are usually not working with DC but with AC. DC if you grab onto it contracts your mussels and tends to not allow you to let go, where as the opposite is true for AC.


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## Necro (Nov 19, 2010)

I actually found another thread on here talking about switch wiring and it seems two kinds exist. One is the double solenoid setup like the Bachmann ones and another reverses the polarity to move...something...to make the turnout move back and forth.

The Bachmann ones require a momentary switch so I'm going to go with either switch and button or two buttons for each turnout. Either should work, if wired correctly.


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## RailMan (Oct 27, 2010)

I just bought on ebay 20 mini momentary switch's for my train control board, tested one out and they work great. let me know If you want a link to the website .


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## Necro (Nov 19, 2010)

Please do - or PM me it if that's taboo here.


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## RailMan (Oct 27, 2010)

Necro said:


> Please do - or PM me it if that's taboo here.


Here you go.
http://stores.ebay.com/Muffin-Fan-Fans-Man/_i.html?_fsub=15&_sc=1&_sop=1


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

What I ahd planned (for the same reasons) was for each turnout, have one center off switch and an acoompanying (sp?) momentary push button. One side of the center off would be the mainline, the other would be the siding/spur/whatever. But to keep from having the power applied to the turnout all the time, the momentary switch would be used. So power would route through the momentary, output to the center off, then out to the turnout. This would also alow me to immediately see what position the turnout was in by simply looking at the switch board.

But maybe I'm overengineering things.


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## RailMan (Oct 27, 2010)

cabledawg said:


> What I ahd planned (for the same reasons) was for each turnout, have one center off switch and an acoompanying (sp?) momentary push button. One side of the center off would be the mainline, the other would be the siding/spur/whatever. But to keep from having the power applied to the turnout all the time, the momentary switch would be used. So power would route through the momentary, output to the center off, then out to the turnout. This would also alow me to immediately see what position the turnout was in by simply looking at the switch board.
> 
> But maybe I'm overengineering things.



You can also hook up a led to your track switch to show which way your turned. I am using a toggle center off for switching and a lit push button on the spurs to show when they are active. All are mini mounted on 1/4" painted popular board.


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