Has anyone ever tried to include points in a block section for occupancy
The points are designed for it but has anybody actually tried it

Translates as 'switch' in Americanism.

Hi Evan
Seems to me you don't provide enough information:
- which track (3 rails, 2 rails)
- which brand
- which type of operation (analog, digital, computer control).

Generalities on turn-outs / points
- turnouts on Märklin C-Track and K-Track are rather easy to be modified for adding occupancy
- turnouts and DSSs on Märklin M-Track are rather difficult to be modified for adding occupancy
- turnouts in 2 rails pose absolutely NO problem for occupancy provided using current detection and resistive wheel-sets

Generalities on automatic operation
- blocks are zones where the trains may stop and having a switch in a block poses no real problems (normal digita)l or could be tricky (computer control) but has some drawbackx
- the key issue is the train stops on the switch this means that the switch position must be decided before the train occupies the block and then, when the train is in the block, only those itineraries given by the switch position must be allowed
- detection usually poses no problem as when done on both sides of the swich it works pretty well
- installing a brake module may pose a problem
- in such a case, slave blocks and virtual blocks may be very helpfull (Rocrail for instance)

Cheers
Jean