This page shows how to configure your track switch motors in nControl.

Start by creating a model of your train track layout. If you're not sure how to do that in nControl, this video should get you started.

If you have never used a particular controller, nControl will not know it and you won't be able to use it in the track switch tile configuration. You can register the controller by connecting to it. To do so, click on the button in the toolbar.

The dialog box should tell you the number of controllers it has found. Connect to the controllers by clicking on the Connect button.

Now nControl will connect to the controllers and the information on the controllers will be shown in the table. The status icon should switch to green, indicating that the controller is now connected. In nControl, you will refer to a particular controller with its Alias. By default, the serial number is used as alias. You can customize the alias by double clicking on the alias in the table, this will turn the alias field editable. Type the name you want to use to refer to this particular controller, in this example we used SwitchBox_1.

Now that the controller is 'known' to nControl and we have given it a proper alias we can Close the controller manager window.

Start by selecting the switch you want to motorize in your track layout. You can select the switch by clicking on it with your mouse; the switch should turn blue. In this example we're going to start with the switch in the upper left corner of our layout.

Now click on the button in the toolbar. This will open the Add Tile dialog window. Select the Track Switch tile and click the OK button.

This opens the dialog box with the track switch tile properties.

• The Label specifies the name of the tile, the label has to be unique. nControl will suggest a name that has not yet been used, you can change it if you like.
• The Switch Type specifies whether the switch is a left-turn or right-turn switch. Our first switch is a left-turn switch so the default selection is correct. The setting does not only affect how the switch is represented on the tile, it also affects the signals that are sent to the motor to flip it, so make sure you select the correct type.
• The Orientation specifies how the switch is represented on the tile. If you want you can change the orientation so that it matches the orientation of the switch in your layout. The orientation only affects the image on the tile, it does not affect the behavior of the track switch motor.
• The Controller specifies to which controller the motor of this track switch tile is connected. For this example, select SwitchBox_1 in the drop-down list.
• The Channel specifies the port of the controller to which to motor of this tile is connected. The channel number is written on the controller. Select the channel to which you connected the motor in the drop-down list box.
• The Track Segment specifies the identification number of the track switch in the layout. If you select the switch before creating the tile, nControl will enter the correct track segment id.
• The Use a custom action box only has to be checked if you want to modify the default behavior of the tile with a custom Python script. This is a function for advanced users.

Once everything is set-up, click the OK button to create the tile.

To configure the second switch, start by selecting it in the track layout. Now click button to create a new tile. Select the Track Switch tile and click the OK button.
In the switch tile properties window:

• change Switch Type to right-turn switch by clicking on the corresponding icon. The switch type in the Tile Preview will now show a right-turn switch.
• click the Orientation button twice to orient the switch in a similar way as in the layout. The icon in the Tile Preview will be updated everytime you click the button.
• select SwitchBox_1 as Controller
• select 2 as Channel

Click the OK button to create the second tile.

You should now see two tiles in the tile layout. The motorized track section are also marked with a gear icon.

You are all set now! You can go to the Operational Mode by clicking on the button in the toolbar. Click the track switch tiles, that should activate the motors and flip the switches both in your layout and on your screen.