3POLE ROTARY SWITCH

Hi Ralph

On my previous layout I had 10 OTC tracks.  To minimize clutter on my control panel, I purchased a rotary switch (single pole with 12 positions)from Radio Shack.  Each OTC was numbered on my control panel and I would dial the number on the rotary switch (1 thru 12) and then press a momentary on push button (similar to a door bell button) to send current to the respective OTC.  Both switches were rated for 9amps.  If I needed more power I would just hold down the button and slowly increase the voltage from a ZW (usually post C).  Most operated at around 12 to 14 V.  I ran the hot from each OTC to the respective position of the Rotary switch.  Run the hot from the transformer to the push button.  From the push button closed terminal run the Hot to the center position of the rotary switch.

I am in the process a building a new layout (10x40 with 3 levels) and will use the same approach to power my OTCs.

Hope this help. 

Good luck

If you just want to control electromagnets, as Tony implied, you just need a single wafer rotary switch. If you want to do the control rails too, then a 3 wafer rotary is needed. I forget how the Lionel controller is wired, but I think one of the 4 wires is common. The other 3 wires would go to the wiper on the rotary, one to each wafer. Then you'd need 3 wires to go back to each of your operating tracks.

Elliot, you only need 2 wafers to control the magnet and the rails.  One of the rails is tied to the magnet and gets AC Hot.  The other control rail is Hot for uncouple and Common for Unload.

Although you need just 2 wafers, you will need two pushbuttons, and one of these should have a normally-closed contact (Form C).

One wafer (A) goes to the magnet and one control rail.  The wiper for this wafer goes to the "normal" (Form A) pushbutton.  This pushbutton has AC Hot on the other terminal.

The other wafer (B) goes to the other control rails.  The wiper for this wafer B goes to the swinger of the Form C pushbutton.  The normally closed contact connects to the wiper of wafer A.  The normally open contact connects to AC Common.

Press the Form A pushbutton to Uncouple.  Press both buttons simultaneously to Unload. 

If you just want single-button operation to Unload, you can use a 2-pole Form C button and wire the second pole to do the same thing as the Uncouple button - apply AC Hot to wafer A's wiper when it is pressed.

You could also use a single 2-pole center-off momentary contact toggle switch.  These switches are designated (ON)-OFF-(ON).  Your controller then becomes a simple panel with the rotary knob and a toggle switch.

Thanks Dale, I do stand corrected.

For my layout, I've been hoarding 027 electromagnets (no control rails) and inserting them into Gargraves track. To activate them I have a small track diagram with small carriage bolts. By touching a hot probe to the bolt head the magnet is activated.

My comments were for the Lionel versions. 

I am looking at the Gargraves control tracks, and there may be some differences.  I haven't sorted that out yet.  Apparently they use 3 buttons and you must press the middle and one outer button to activate a function.

Wafer = row = deck

Wiper = the contact that moves from contact to contact.  One terminal connects to a sliding contact that rides on a conductive ring with the wiper tip actually making contact with the other contacts.

Thks Dale. If you get any info it would be greatly appreciated, including how/where to get the correct rotary with the right specs 

Ralph