What is a Traverser?

A traverser lets you align a track with one of several parallel tracks with no extra trackage or turnouts.  The device consists of:

• a flat surface (the traverser table) with one or more tracks running horizontally to the view of the operator
• the table can move towards and away from the operator
• one or more tracks, located as you exit one end of the table, that do not move and which are intended to line up with the track(s) on the table
• a mechanism to move the table so that one of the tracks on the table lines up with one of the stationary tracks 

On a small layout, either the movable table has multiple tracks OR there is only 1 track on the table and there are multiple stationary segments.  Larger layouts could enter/exit the movable table at both ends and have multiple entry/exit points.

Why Do I Have One?

To give the illusion of trains entering my world from somewhere else, I needed a few staging tracks but I don’t have the space to support a lot of turnouts that a typical ladder arrangement would require.  A traverser table fills the need .  I learned I could use a touch screen to control the device and provide feedback.  This would mean no extra physical parts like buttons and I could change things easily later.  So, not knowing anything about 3D printer parts, stepper motors, Nextion displays or the Arduino IDE, I forged ahead.

The video below shows my unit in operation.