Newman Atkinson says:

Hi Frank,
Here is how I am working my switches. I am setting main line switches and I am using as you call under the table tortoise switch motors. In the yards where it is not as important to switch the switches a head of an operating train most of us will use Caboose Hobby manual switch throws where you reach to the switch and turn the handle. Something I am doing is installing household electric light switches in the blue plastic electric boxes and mount them under your switch and run a wood dowel rod to the edge of the table for a push pull control. If you modify it with a household 3 way switch you have s circuit using the 3 contacts to either feed and power the frog, or like you say have indicators to show which way your switch is thrown, I am personally building my own switches myself and installing them on the main level But i have 31 atlas number 6 switches all over the staging level. Nothing wrong with atlas switches but I recommend getting out of number 4 switches as most long cars and engines do not like them as they are too sharp. .I assume you are still running DC. But as you wire your new layout wire it to be DCC ready as the thing now is powering with DCC systems and running computer chipped engines. It is more realistic and actually the wiring is is simpler and more dependable. As far as Question 3 The tortoise has 2 separate circuits to wire signals to the panel or as I am planning to do to mine is wire LED Dwarf signals on each direction of a switch and wire the green from one direction with a red for the other direction and when the switch is thrown the colors switch to the other track You can als link these into a control panel as well. Be sure to use the resisters with the LED Bulbs. If you wire your new layout to work for DCC systems this will ensure lots of connectins along your tracks every 4 to 8 feet aparts is recommended. This uses a Buss Wire system that just follows your rails and you install a drop wire to the rails above every 4 to 8 feet. This reduces power droppage along your route. I use Number 16 gauge trailer wire or better for your buss wires and I use phone house wire for my drops. If you are powering multiple tracks you might want to follow each rail with a different color wire to keep them straight. The plans for the house hold electric manual switchplans were found in an article of Model Railroader in about a January issue of Model Railroader magazine about 4 years ago ( without going back and looking. I have installed 4 on my layout so far and they work great. The cost in materials is only about 3 dollars and a little work. The plans call for a standard on/off switch and that will work but a 3way switch will give you the circuit to light the signal lights like you want or power the frog. (do not get a switch that is a dimmer as these are not spring loaded. The nice thing about them is that the electric switch is a spring loaded switch and will hold the rail switch in place when thrown. Unlike atlas switch motors where some will drift and cause derailments. A Tortoise motor can be 18 to 20 dollars,and it has 2 extra circuits, where the atlas are usually a snap switch motor and will need a momentary switch to operate and those will run 12 dollars or so. That electric switch I was telling you about is only about 3 dollars or so im materials. Just Saying…. Hope this helps from Newman