I designed what I call the 'Hidden Switcher' a couple years ago that uses a SPDT slide switch hidden with an object to control the points and the frog polarity of a turnout here... https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Trackwork/page-18.html I liked it but still didn't like that it had to be quite large and I didn't feel that it was 'hidden' as much as it could be. I recently designed a newer version that is smaller and it is possible to use a cover over the switch housing and the control wire to the turnout's throw bar to really hide what is going on. The cover can then be landscaped to the point that the object that controls the turnout looks like something sitting by the tracks. I'll have more info on my website soon along with the print files for the parts and some objects you could use. You could use other objects as long as they are big enough and you can drill a 3/16" hole in the bottom of them. Above or ( HERE ) is a video showing how it all works. Sumner
There were crates. The video shows barrels, crates and at the end ties. Plus you can use about anything that you can drill a 3/16 inch hole in the bottom. I've also designed a couple of different trackside work shacks that could be used and might come up with some other things like what I used on the other version. They would be pretty quick for me to adapt. I wanted to have a lot of hand-throw and turnouts but I really like the way the servo operated turnouts are so will probably use mainly the servo operated ones especially in yard tracks where the throws are very close to each other. Sumner