I finally decided I needed remote control of the switches in my RR mostly because of the nature of the terrain and my preference to not have to climb over the landscape. The first given was that the Airwire Linker and Activator would be used because I use Airwire in the locos. The second given was pneumatics…personal preference there. So the undecided was whose pneumatic parts. I know of two that are advertised in hobby in the US one in my mind uses hobby grade cylinders the other re-markets a commercial brand. Having been in the industrial control business for 25 years this was something I knew something about. In the end I went to my local distributor of the Clippard line of products. A very fine product in my mind. I was able to buy every thing I needed to automate 24 switches including 500 feet of tubing for just about $1000…that works out to $41.66 per switch. It does not include the Airwire products…that could add $31 per switch. After that minor stuff including building little house for the gear. I expect to have 3 buildings in the RR doing the distribution of the air signals. There may or may not be better or less expensive ways to do this…this is just my way…like the thread title says I like the product, know it well and it makes a nice clean organized installation. Pictures for your viewing pleasure. More as work progresses. View of the solenoid valve, manifold and cylinder
Solenoid
Cylinder
End view mounted to a SVRR #8
Top view
Floor of first housing
Top view showing lines from solenoid manifold to the bulkhead fitting
Outside view showing 8 point distribution bulkhead and air supply inlet bulkhead.