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Numbers or Letters On Switches and How?

Ross writes:

“I plan around 24 switches and want to know the best system or order to number or letter them.”

Add your answer, or view the answers below – click on the COMMENTS link below this post.

5 Responses to Numbers or Letters On Switches and How?

  • David Stokes says:

    I don’t know the definitive answer, however one trick might help. Label the switches numbered from the left to the right or if you use up and down in each station or “district” and add an alpha prefix before the number. For example as one approaches Freeling on the NowWest Bend Railway the first switched would be designated F01, the next F02 down the main. In the yard they would be FY01, FY02 and so on. In Kapunda they would be K01, K02 and KY01 etc. Up from Eudunda I have a junction off to Robertstown. This switch is designated ERJ01. I will have individual control panels at each station, and the junction will be switched from Eudunda with interlocking. My railway will be operated using train orders as it is a single main.

  • Hervey says:

    Ross,
    Any way that makes sense to you is what you need to do. In my case I have five districts so the turnouts are numbered consecutively within the district and there number starts with the district number, District 1 turnouts are labelled 101 to 110, district 2 turnouts from 201 to 205 and so on. I am using DCC so this allows me to use the number to identify the turnout to the stationary decoder.

  • phil johnson says:

    Sorry, no such thing as best. What works for you, its your layout.

  • Frank B says:

    I agree with all of the previous three answers !

    I suggest naming them in a way that makes it easy for you to remember which is which, each being given a code indicated by its function or a nearby feature of scenery.

    E.g:
    Freight Yard – FY1; FY2; FY3.
    Passenger Station – PS1; PS2; PS3.
    Small Town Spur – STS.
    Fiddle Yard – FID1; FID2, FID3.
    Harbour – HB1; HB2.
    Industrial Area – IA1; IA2; IA3.

  • Ross says:

    All good ideas. Identifying the location as Frank and David suggested is the way I will go. Thanks to other contributors too.

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