Wiring Switches

While I'm no expert on AF switches, from the instructions in a reference manual, it appears the turnouts are powered independently of the track power. The yellow and black wires from the turnout controller should be wired to a fixed voltage tap on your transformer; that should allow a fixed voltage at all times to the turnouts for electrical operation independent of the track voltage.

bag: To my knowledge, the AF turnouts use no insulating rail pins as they are not non-derailing switches like a Lionel 0-22 would be. You just use the normal metal track pins.

bag: If you wish to make the AF turnouts "non-derailing" capable, you would need to wire in a AF # 697 track trip;-one for each leg coming into the turnout. 

I am not familiar with the switches you have, but seeing a wiring diagram would help.

Generally, I would advise taking a look at the way the lamps are connected inside the switch, and see if there's a way to wire them independently of the track circuit.  Unless the manufacturer offered that option, it sounds like cutting and re-soldering some leads is the best course of action.

If you can live with using the outside rail for one side (the return) of the lamp circuit, then I can revise what I said above and say "cut and re-solder *ONE* lead."  You would only need to supply fixed voltage to the hot side of the lamp.  It should be easy enough to find where the track circuit hot lead is connected to the lamp socket.

I have 15 three rail prewar AF switches.  I am converting them to non-derailing.  To do this, I had to remove the cover from the switch motor by drilling out the rivets.  Then I cut the wire from the coils that is attached to the frame of the switch and soldered a wire to it and brought the wire outside.  I then made some contacts for the non-derailing function out of thin copper sheet.  I installed these contacts on adjoining track sections and wired them into the wire clips that normally go to the switch controller.  I wrapped the rail where I installed these contacts with tape and then soldered the ends of the copper strip together and soldered a wire onto the copper strip.  You might want to solder the wire on first to minimize the heating of the tape.

The lamps get their power from the center rail, and so they go bright and dim with the track voltage.  I don't have a way to change this without a lot of work.

My apologies to you bag09, and everyone else; my answers were directed to Flyer two rail switches. Completely miffed the "3-rail" designation. Another Sunday senior moment.....