Rotary Switch

How about a rotary switch?  1 pole drives the switch motors, 2 poles supply power, use a diode matrix to line the switches and contacts on the motors drive the route LED.

SP3T toggle;

They do exist. Remember, one rail of each track can remain powered, and thereby you only need one single-pole, three position switch.  Use the DCC signal available on the selected track to light your LED; lots of simple circuits for that.

Simple, economical, and foolproof.

Blair Smith

It will be more complex

if you want to be able to select tracks and see indications while standing at either end.  That's the problem with both rotary and toggle switch solutions.  So you'll need to decide about that.  Of course, the toggle or rotary handle position is in itself a feedback for track selection.

If you want to use twin-coil switch machines (which allow pushbuttons in multiple locations), then you face the issue that your track selection is momentary, but your desire for an indication is persistent. In this case, power routing track switches give you the option of using DCC fed back from the selected rails to power the indicating LEDs.  It's up to you.

Sorry,

Just re-read the original post.  

Question - why ME turnouts in your staging?

Decision - control from one, or both ends?  Major difference here.  Neither toggle nor rotary can help you if you want control from both ends; then you need pushbutton control.

Beyond that, we need some guidance.

Just a thought

In the old days I would be quick to suggest a diode matrix and switches like others already have but wouldn't one of the Arduino whiz kids we have here be able to knock this task out in nothing flat?

Ok, so...

Ok, good feedback. I think I understand how a three position switch would work. at least for supplying power to the proper track. I don't know how it would work to automatically throw the correct switch machines in the correct direction though. Arduino might be a solution? I'd need a lot of guidance for something like that.

Indicator lights could be powered from the wiring running to the storage track then?

I do not need to have control from both ends. One panel near the interchange tracks will be all I require.

I am using ME turnouts because I want to be able to power the frogs. Last thing I want is a stalled engine in a hard to reach spot. If you have suggestions for an alternative, I'm all ears!

Thanks again gang!

Both ends at the same time?

Is there a chance that one train will be using one end of the staging and another train will be at the other? Your goal of shutting down both unused tracks can mess this up, unless both trains are using the same track.

May be important: are you using DCC or DC?

DrJolS

It may be obvious but just in

It may be obvious but just in case it's not, a Tortoise can indicate turnout position lights. IIRC, a two lead bicolor LED can be used because the polarity of the stall motor is being switched. If not that way then it has auxiliary contacts. Any powered DCC trackage will light an LED although there may be some flicker.

I am just beginning my foray into Arduino's with DCC++ where someone has already done all the work for me. I couldn't tell you how to write the sketch to do what you want but it seems to me an Arduino would be up to the task. People use them for all kinds of applications these days.

What DCC system

Protect your Tortoise

No matter how you do this project, you'll need to connect wires to the terminals of your Tortoise machines. Soldering directly to the fingers can be hazardous to the Tortoise. I prefer to use an edge connector, available from Tony's Train Exchange: TTX Tort Conn  2 Edge connector @ $3.95.  Put it onto the Tortoise and solder to the terminals of the connector. If a tab is going to be ruined, better on the $4 part than on the more expensive green machine.

DrJolS

Digitrax DS64

NCE Mini Panel?

I’ve been looking at this for my own staging yard. 

"I do not need to have

  Hi Matt, I'd just put in a small track schematic panel with toggle(or other style)switches to turn each track on and off separately and showing the position of the two tortoise controlled turnouts at each end. That way you can power two tracks at once if desired or turn off all tracks or any combination of off and on. If you decided to add a 4th track it would just require another tortoise indicator at each end of the control panel....DaveB

Matt are you going to be using...

JMRI at all on the new layout?  If yes, you may not need the panel as you'll be able to run it all from a monitor via a Panel Pro Panel.

I'm going to be adding my Helix, Staging Deck & Return Loops to JMRI and operate from the Panel.

Jas...

What a sweet problem!

Matt,

Really cool layout plan, great job with that. I have a similar situation on my layout, a yard throat interlocking that needs some combination of logic, power routing and signals. Last year I spent $30 on an Arduino starter kit (with beginner's tutorial, lots of experiments and projects). I still haven't decided exactly how I'm going to handle the yard throat, but I have been having loads of fun!

Jeff Allen

Some Answers for you all

Thanks for the amazing feedback so far!  Some answers and thoughts based on new input:

• I've got an ESU ControlCab DCC system. I've considered utilizing that to control the turnouts somehow, but I kind of want a simpler solution instead. However, if anyone has suggestions for control using the DCC system, I'm all ears.
• I can see how separating the power routing and switch machines into their own toggles would be the easiest or most straight-forward method. I'm ok with a bit more of a complex wiring job if it makes the operation of the panel a bit simpler and more idiot proof though. 
• Unfortunately I will not have the option of expanding my yard later as there will be no room for it once the rest of the track and scenery goes in.
• No JMRI. No need to have multiple trains out of staging at one time. (though I can see how it would be nice to have multiple tracks powered at once)
  
  Thanks again everyone!

DS64 with a control panel

Ok, so am I understanding right that you can use a DS64 with a control panel to control the switches? The DS64 is programmed using your DCC system but it can run separate from it?

A simple answer

Matt, you and I both like simple. Here is a simple way to deliver what is wanted: light for each storage track is ON when power is routed to that track; power is distributed to the tracks and the switch frogs by the Tortoise machines.
This is entirely separate from your DCC. Also, power to the staging tracks is only from flipping the turnouts.

Shown are the Tortoises for one end of the storage yard. Each of these is connected by two wires to the Tortoise - T1 and T8 - at the other end of the tracks it controls. The Other Torts each use one DPDT to control power to their Frog. Each pair of Tortoises is controlled by a DPDT toggle, and power can be from a 12VDC wall-wart.
Rails, not tracks, are numbered. Rails 12, 14, 16 have a double gap at their far ends where they meet their second turnout. Other notation is shown by: "Tortoise 1 drives turnout Sw1 which has F1 Frog."

Lights to show track power are simplest (one device) if they are incandescent, at least 16V and preferably greater - 18 or 24V - for longer bulb life. If you want LED instead, then a resistor is needed in series with each one, at least 1500 ohm but maybe better at 2000 or so.
Wiring schematic of Tortoises is shown. Wire connections go from terminals, T1 thru T8, to the rails numbered at each terminal on the diagram.
That's a lot of soldering to the terminals. See my previous post about using an edge connector. It has another advantage - for the second Tortoise just solder the two wires to the ends  of the connector and install it. If the turnout moves in the wrong direction just reverse the connector.

DrJolS

The diagram provided by

The diagram provided by DrJoIS will work. With this wiring, you will only have 1 track powered at any time and you will not be able to shut off power to all tracks.

I would recommend having the option to align each end of your staging tracks independently from each other. This will allow a train to enter/depart from one end and another to enter/depart from the other. 

To keep the controls simple and easy to identify their purpose, I would use a rotary switch to choose the designated track (1 for each end) and a toggle switch to turn the power on/off to each track. The toggle switch could be a lighted version to indicate if the track power is on or off. The tortoise can still provide frog power with its contacts (break before make).

Q: How are you operating the other turnouts & other "power off areas" on your layout? To keep these "systems" standard, I would use the same techniques as a starting point on this project.

I can work up a wiring diagram for my suggestion if requested. 

Thanks for the diagram

Thanks so much for the diagram DrJoIS.  This along with everyone else's responses has gotten me much further along than I would have been before.  I'm going to put some thought to this and I'll come up with some more questions in the coming days.

Wazzzy, The rest of the layout will have hand-thrown turnouts with frog juicers where necessary. The only other area where I plan on having the ability to turn the power off is on my engine servicing track and that would be operated by a simple switch 

Video Tutorial

Just an update: I found a step-by-step video guide for exactly what I was looking to do on a MR Video Plus Project Layout Series which includes utilizing a DS64 and a push button panel.  Let's see how far this gets me! 

http://mrv.trains.com/how-to/wiring/2017/07/canadian-canyons-series-part-14--wiring-staging-yard-turnouts-to-a-stationary-dcc-decoder

http://mrv.trains.com/how-to/wiring/2017/07/canadian-canyons-series-part-15--building-the-panel

http://mrv.trains.com/how-to/wiring/2017/08/canadian-canyons-series-part-17--wiring-the-staging-yard-panel

Access to the staging?

Not germane to the discussion. It looks like it is going to difficult to gain access to entirety of the staging yard if you need to do maintenance. Just a thought.

Matching up turnouts with your flex track

"I am using ME turnouts because I want to be able to power the frogs."  You sought alternatives if they were available, and you're using Atlas 83 for the flex.  Atlas code 83 #4 and # 6 turnouts have frogs which can be powered also...simply tap the hole in the frog casting for a 1-72 thread, and insert a 1-72 x 1/8" machine screw. Wrap the wire around it and tighten.  Whatever these black cast frogs are made of, they won't solder worth a hoot, but the tap and screw method works just fine.  The #8 Atlas's have a small copper ring outside the rail opposite the frog which you can solder a wire to, to power those frogs.  And if you use Atlas 83's, then all your track's heights will match exactly.

Joe Berger

Great Northern Railway (HO)

Cascade Division

DCC wiring

ME does not make 'electrofrog' turnouts,  He must mean PECO.