Using a generic toggle switch with a Lionel Fastrack remote switch

ChooChoo1972 posted:

Can a generic toggle switch be substituted? Would a simple SPDT switchwork with just the two leads that control the turnout direction?

 SPDT center off momentary...  (on)-off-(on).

2 wires if you use common ground, 3 wires(including the black) for simple straight home-run connection.

ChooChoo1972 posted:

What about the switch illumination which I believe the other two wire leads are for?

The black is common, so again if you use common ground you can build indicator lights with LEDs using just the one RSC wire. It does take the "simple" out of your initial question, though.

Momentary is a must.   You will burn the switch motor with a constant on toggle switch.

The black wire is common for the switch pole and the red and green are the throws. The yellow wire is +5 vdc for green and -5 vdc for red. The black is again common for the yellow wire. You will need resistors and diodes as shown below on the Lionel controller for the LEDs, red and green.

Frank,

  CJack is correct do not try to use the SPDT without re-engineering, you will burn up your low voltage FT switch.  

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

CJack is correct do not try to use the SPDT without re-engineering, you will burn up your low voltage FT switch.  

No engineering necessary if you use  SPDT center off momentary...  (on)-off-(on) and ignore the yellow wire.

Rob,

  Please explain how this works.

PCRR/Dave

There are three connection terminals on a SPDT center off momentary  (on)-off-(on) switch - here are the connections on the bottom of a FasTrack Remote switch:

"GND" connects to the center common terminal
"THRU" & "OUT" connect to the other two respectively.

The "RSC LIGHTS" connection on the bottom of the switch is left unconnected.

For direction indication, the RSC line can be used in connection with the controller circuit diagram posted earlier if you want to make your own, but then you are back up to the bulk(and then some) of the original cheesy controller.

Honestly, I don’t see anything cheesy about the original controller. It’s retro model train and a really nice lighted display of the status of the switch. But, the diagram says all of you want to replace it.

  You could also use two momentary buttons instead of a 2 pos. momentary toggle. 

I haven't used a FT controller, but I do like how they look; it's the trademark L. 

 Is your comment a comparison to the old ones or based on FT experience alone? I find the old brown ones have a cheaper look and feel too. But over time, I'll admit, they do seem just as reliable as the older black ones despite my original perception being they wouldn't be.

Rob,

   Thanks much for the education!

PCRR/Dave

I like the idea of a small SPDT center off toggle and a 2-pin bi-color LED. That will substitute for the control and give you the switch position indication.  Just add a resistor around 220 ohms in series with the LED.  The LED connects to the RSC Lights on the switch to ground.

I like the idea of the bipolar led. That’s great with the +\- 5 vdc RSC yellow wire.

Rob and all, OK I am going to ignore the yellow wire, since I can't see the indicator, and just use the grn blk rd to move the turnout. I think I can use these switches:

http://www.wiringproducts.com/...pdt-mom-off-mom.html

Frank

Wouldn’t the indicator be next to the toggle switch?

ChooChoo1972 posted:

... I think I can use these switches:

http://www.wiringproducts.com/...pdt-mom-off-mom.html

AHH! Wow that's a serious cash investment. Try these instead:

SPDT (ON)-OFF-(ON) MOMENTARY TOGGLE SWITCH, 15A

Why such huge switches for this task?  Price is much more reasonable as well.

SPDT Momentary-Off-Momentary Mini Toggle Switch

Jack both the wife and myself are blind (wife legally and me total) so the LED is really just unneeded fluff.

Rob, thanks those look good and cheaper too.

Oh...now I’m thinking about other ways to tell the state of the switches...if it were desired of course.

Chuck and all, if you can think of another means of determining the state of the turnout I'm all ears and it would be muc appreciative. Right now I am drawing a blank.

thanks