The question of why we were implementing this particular style of turnout control was recently asked. After all, it looks like way more work than simply sticking the control cable through the fascia and gluing on a knob or handle to move the Bullfrog, and it doesn't do a more efficient or reliable job of throwing the points.
There are a few really good reasons:
1) Moving the turnout points now feels a lot more like "the real thing". Our experience on the Maine Narrow Gauge RR gave us a taste of how the real railroads did things in the days of steam, and we've been looking for ways to reproduce that sense in the model realm.
2) It adds just a little more time to the operation of setting a turnout. This layout only has 8 turnouts total, so an op session using Peco solenoids or simple buttons would make things go a lot faster. We're trying to slow down and enjoy the process of running trains in a prototypical manner.
3) We would like to implement a feature that would prevent the turnout from being thrown without the extra unlocking step that a real brakeman would have to perform. Again, this is in aid of reproducing the sense of doing things like the prototype did, and slowing down the pace of operations.
Right now I've got all the parts cut up and ready for their secondary operations (drilling, sanding, soldering as required). The plan is to complete the assemblies and start installing them this week.
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