Do many of us do this?

Hook the switches to your command system  No reconfiguration needed

My layout is a "walk around" design, and all the turnouts are manual, i.e. Caboose Industries ground throws. Only those turnouts that are totally out of reach for a normal person (I have pretty long arms, but I figured any visitors would not be able to reach them), are powered by under the layout electric motors, and the toggle switch for those motors is located need where an operator would be standing. Thus, I have no "central control panel".

My 'in progess' layout has plugs every few feet to put the DCC cabs into, with sockets for when the cabs aren't in use. Turnouts are in place and holes are drilled underneath the points, and a big big of blue point switch controllers are at the house with all the hardware to mount them. Manual flex lines will run from the blue points to pull points in the fascia. All that hardware is here as well, just haven't gotten to it yet.

I like to walk around with the trains so all of my switches are manually operated...I prefer it that way.

Alan

My layout is 53x40 & I have different command centers for switches I cannot see from the main one.

I use the #56 remote operators for my Atlas switches, but the #56's are located on the layout near the switches they control. No switch controls at the control panel. I was originally going to hook them to an AIU (probably will still do that someday), but so far my current setup is working pretty well. Everything is command control DCS and Legacy, no conventional.

The layout is still under construction and an expansion is planned for next year (funds permitting), so nothing is cast in stone at this point. I am also still experimenting with a lot of things to try to determine what I like and don't like.

I have 4 control panels. One for each of the divisions and one for the main yard. They are spaced so that people won't crowd each other and still have room to move around. 

I will have both.  Some at the control panel and some at the side of the table near the siding they operate.  I also have some that are manual that are near the edge of the table.

.....

Dennis

I have 21 Ross turnouts on my current layout.

The 6 that I can easily reach from the front of the layout have Caboose Industries manual throws, the rest have DZ1000's.  I have not set up the remote switch controllers to have a non-derailing function, as making sure that I throw the switch, is part of my operating fun.

Jim

Did you say 38x19?…. with my eye sight I would not be able to see the far end…..   38x19 thats a HOUSE holy cow…… LOL  Waite, Spence has a layout 53x40 man I be out of breath walking from one end to the other……..LOL

Why not connect all your Switches to SC2's or ASC's and operate them thru your CAB2. On my last Layout I had 52 Switches connected thru ASC's and numbered. That way as I walked around the Layout I could operate them at will!!! Something to think about!!

FREDSTRAINS

My layout is a non permanent modular design. I didnt want to mess with switch wiring every time I setup or reconfigured the layout. So I operate all my fastrack switches manually and walk around as necessary.

I built the layout for walk around..ground throws for me..i put a small nail on each side of the ground throw to limit the throw at 180 degrees...for prototypical reasons and you can get your finger under it !!

I've got switches on the straight side of a Wye where the 2 curved sides drop down.  When I need to bring a train into the yard I wanted to be able to align the switches without having to drop the Wye.  I ended up energizing 4 switches at the throat of the yard, all other switches are Caboose Industries Ground Throws.

"Fred that makes the most sense but I love to throw those levers lol"

amen brother!

and the boards just look so cool!