Switch w/ aux power problem

When you say you can't get them to "actually move" are you nevertheless getting the telltale buzzing when you throw the lever?

Don't know if practical to try, but how about temporarily operating those distant switches using the Z4000 track output voltage instead of the AUX output?  I suppose you could do this by jumping the #4-#5 terminals on the switch with the supplied metal U-jumper if you still have it...or by moving the red AUX wire at the transformer to a track output.  The idea being you could now adjust the voltage and have eyes on the current too.  I'd think this might tell you if you are on the voltage margin or if there's something more fundamental like a missing connection. 

Thanks for responding, and I am getting the familiar buzz and the lights on the switches work.  What puzzles me (I admit I don't know enough about electricity) is that when I use my volt meter on the switch terminals (at the switch itself) the meter registers 13.5 volts.  The reason I switched to auxiliary power was that when the switches were pulling their power from the track, the signal was very weak.

Check the voltage while the switch is actually activating, if you can.  This is what the switch is seeing under load. 

It appears that between the length of the power supply wiring and the length of the control wires, you have some high resistance in there and the switches are seeing much less than the 13.4 volts indicated.

If you have 4 hands or a facsimile thereof, measure the voltage at the switch when the lever is thrown and it is "buzzing" but not moving.  I'll bet the 13.5V drops substantially and the switch's bulbs dim.

The voltage does drop when I activate the switch because the bulbs on the switch dim

considerably.  I have an extra Z750 transformer that puts out 21 volts.  I think I will just wire the switches to this and position it so that there is a minimal distance to the switches.  Thanks for the help guys!

There's your answer.

The current draw of all of the bulbs at the switches and the controllers must be taken in to consideration when planning your power needs and realizing the total resistance in the circuit(s).