Wiring Question

I believe that if the switches are anti-derailing switches, you don't need to do that.

If your engine is travelling cc around the outside loop and gets to the first A switch and it is set for divergent to the inside loop, then the second switch A will automatically allow the engine onto the inner loop. Same with the B switches - if the engine is travelling cc around the inside loop and gets to the first B switch and it is set for divergent to the outside loop, then the second switch B will automatically allow the engine onto the outer loop.

Jim, your plan appears to use FasTrack.  If so, yes it's easy to wire the pairs of switches so that each connected pair operates in tandem.  If you're using FasTrack, you'd connect the Remote Control's 4 wires as normal to one turnout.  EDIT: [Then you would need to run 3 additional wires from the Out, Ground, and Thru terminals on the first turnout to the same 3 corresponding terminals on the adjacent turnout.  A paralleled connection between the RSC Lights is unnecessary (this is either a +5 or -5VDC signal output from the turnout that controls which color the light is in the remote.]

This is known as wiring them in parallel (sometimes also referred to as parallel operation).

If using some other type of switches and/or machines, please provide the make and model of the switch machine.

EDIT: Richie posted while I was typing. He is right that you could rely on the Anti-derail feature instead of parallel wiring.

Thank you both.  It will give me something to think about, and do some digging online to make sure I'm doing what I want to be doing. 

@JimR34 after thinking about it a little more, it would be better NOT to connect the RSC Lights Out (outputs) together between the two turnouts.  See my Edit in first reply.

One other thing to mention about relying on the FasTrack Switch's Anti-derail feature to change position through the second FasTrack turnout.  I have seen when sometimes, due to poor conductivity of the lead wheels, the anti-derail circuitry in these switches will not fully throw the points to the opposite position.  The next time a train enters that partially thrown switch from the opposite direction, it can derail on the partially thrown points.

Steve, it has been my experience that Fastrack switches' nonderail feature works whether powered or not. Once a train goes through, there are no partially thrown points anyway. The only derailments I have had with 26 Fastrack switches have been due to not having a section of straight track entering the switch when thrown diverging. I have a RK Hudson that sometimes will pick the point because the lead driver is hugging the inside of the rail because of the curve. I like using them on reversing loops because they automatically switch and allow the train to go into the loop in the opposite direction of what it exited on the previous pass, without any manual interaction. I have had my present layout since 2014, and have only had to pull one up for repair, and that one had a melted wire when I bought it used and installed it without testing. In my  opinion, they are pretty much bulletproof. This is certainly merely my experience, and others may have different results.

"due to not having a section of straight track entering the switch when thrown diverging"@John H  Have I created a derailing problem in my switches?  Or is this something I can deal with by setting a "speed limit?"

Thanks!

I only had the problem with the steamer, but bending the point rail slightly helped in the spots where I couldn't put in a straight piece. In one instance, just a 1.75" piece solved the problem. I can't attest to a speed limit, but I would guess it might help.

@John H On the switches that you had issues with derailments coming out of a curved section heading into the turnout points end, set to diverge Out, what was(were) the curve diameter(s) of those switches?

@John H posted:

Steve, it has been my experience that Fastrack switches' nonderail feature works whether powered or not. Once a train goes through, there are no partially thrown points anyway. The only derailments I have had with 26 Fastrack switches have been due to not having a section of straight track entering the switch when thrown diverging. I have a RK Hudson that sometimes will pick the point because the lead driver is hugging the inside of the rail because of the curve. I like using them on reversing loops because they automatically switch and allow the train to go into the loop in the opposite direction of what it exited on the previous pass, without any manual interaction. I have had my present layout since 2014, and have only had to pull one up for repair, and that one had a melted wire when I bought it used and installed it without testing. In my  opinion, they are pretty much bulletproof. This is certainly merely my experience, and others may have different results.

That is an excellent feature and is visually appealing by having the train go up one side the first time and then the other on the next pass.

I had most of the problems on O36 switches on an earlier layout. I have had it happen once on my present layout, but bending the rail slightly solved the problem. Present switches are mostly O72, with a couple of O60s. The problem was on an O72, where I didn't have room for a straight section.