diff --git a/include/osgTerrain/Layer b/include/osgTerrain/Layer
index 68467ad1c..027ebb4af 100644
--- a/include/osgTerrain/Layer
+++ b/include/osgTerrain/Layer
@@ -418,6 +418,51 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT ProxyLayer : public Layer
 
 };
 
+
+
+class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT SwitchLayer : public Layer
+{
+    public:
+
+        SwitchLayer();
+
+        /** Copy constructor using CopyOp to manage deep vs shallow copy.*/
+        SwitchLayer(const SwitchLayer& switchLayer,const osg::CopyOp& copyop=osg::CopyOp::SHALLOW_COPY);
+        
+        META_Object(osgTerrain, SwitchLayer);
+
+        void clear();
+        
+        void setActiveLayer(unsigned int i) { _activeLayer = i; }
+        unsigned int getActiveLayer() const { return _activeLayer; }
+
+        void setFileName(unsigned int i, const std::string& filename) { _layers[i].first = filename; if (_layers[i].second.valid()) _layers[i].second->setFileName(filename); }
+        const std::string& getFileName(unsigned int i) const { return _layers[i].second.valid() ? _layers[i].second->getFileName() : _layers[i].first; }
+
+        void setLayer(unsigned int i, Layer* layer) { _layers[i].second = layer; }
+        Layer* getLayer(unsigned int i) { return _layers[i].second.get(); }
+        const Layer* getLayer(unsigned int i) const { return _layers[i].second.get(); }
+
+        void addLayer(const std::string& filename) { _layers.push_back(FileNameLayerPair(filename,0)); }
+        
+        void addLayer(Layer* layer) { _layers.push_back(FileNameLayerPair(layer->getFileName(),layer)); }
+
+        void removeLayer(unsigned int i) { _layers.erase(_layers.begin()+i); }
+        
+        unsigned int getNumLayers() const { return _layers.size(); }
+
+    protected:
+
+        virtual ~SwitchLayer() {}
+        
+        typedef std::pair< std::string, osg::ref_ptr<Layer> > FileNameLayerPair;
+        
+        typedef std::vector< FileNameLayerPair > Layers;
+        
+        unsigned int _activeLayer;
+        Layers _layers;
+};
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/CMakeLists.txt b/src/osgPlugins/ive/CMakeLists.txt
index 063211542..6f959e3b4 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ SET(TARGET_SRC
     ClusterCullingCallback.cpp
     ColorMask.cpp
     CompositeLayer.cpp
+    SwitchLayer.cpp
     ConeSector.cpp
     ConvexPlanarOccluder.cpp
     ConvexPlanarPolygon.cpp
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@ SET(TARGET_H
     ClusterCullingCallback.h
     ColorMask.h
     CompositeLayer.h
+    SwitchLayer.h
     ConeSector.h
     ConvexPlanarOccluder.h
     ConvexPlanarPolygon.h
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataInputStream.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataInputStream.cpp
index 9f1b58848..a9ae0f18f 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataInputStream.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataInputStream.cpp
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@
 #include "ImageLayer.h"
 #include "HeightFieldLayer.h"
 #include "CompositeLayer.h"
+#include "SwitchLayer.h"
 
 #include "FadeText.h"
 #include "Text3D.h"
@@ -1585,6 +1586,11 @@ osgTerrain::Layer* DataInputStream::readLayer()
         layer = new osgTerrain::ImageLayer;
         ((ive::ImageLayer*)(layer))->read(this);
     }
+    else if (layerid==IVESWITCHLAYER)
+    {
+        layer = new osgTerrain::SwitchLayer;
+        ((ive::SwitchLayer*)(layer))->read(this);
+    }
     else if (layerid==IVECOMPOSITELAYER)
     {
         layer = new osgTerrain::CompositeLayer;
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataOutputStream.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataOutputStream.cpp
index 9facf704b..cd97deca7 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataOutputStream.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/DataOutputStream.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
 #include "ImageLayer.h"
 #include "HeightFieldLayer.h"
 #include "CompositeLayer.h"
+#include "SwitchLayer.h"
 
 #include <osg/Notify>
 #include <osg/io_utils>
@@ -1289,6 +1290,10 @@ void DataOutputStream::writeLayer(const osgTerrain::Layer* layer)
         {
             ((ive::ImageLayer*)(layer))->write(this);
         }
+        else if (dynamic_cast<const osgTerrain::SwitchLayer*>(layer))
+        {
+            ((ive::SwitchLayer*)(layer))->write(this);
+        }
         else if (dynamic_cast<const osgTerrain::CompositeLayer*>(layer))
         {
             ((ive::CompositeLayer*)(layer))->write(this);
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/Layer.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/ive/Layer.cpp
index 73aa79b8c..c5467a92b 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/Layer.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "ImageLayer.h"
 #include "HeightFieldLayer.h"
 #include "CompositeLayer.h"
+#include "SwitchLayer.h"
 
 #include <osgDB/ReadFile>
 
@@ -108,6 +109,10 @@ void LayerHelper::writeLayer(DataOutputStream* out, osgTerrain::Layer* layer)
         {
             ((ive::ImageLayer*)(layer))->write(out);
         }
+        else if (dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::SwitchLayer*>(layer))
+        {
+            ((ive::SwitchLayer*)(layer))->write(out);
+        }
         else if (dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::CompositeLayer*>(layer))
         {
             ((ive::CompositeLayer*)(layer))->write(out);
@@ -150,6 +155,12 @@ osgTerrain::Layer* LayerHelper::readLayer(DataInputStream* in)
         ((ive::ImageLayer*)(layer))->read(in);
         return layer;
     }
+    else if (id==IVESWITCHLAYER)
+    {
+        osgTerrain::SwitchLayer* layer = new osgTerrain::SwitchLayer;
+        ((ive::SwitchLayer*)(layer))->read(in);
+        return layer;
+    }
     else if (id==IVECOMPOSITELAYER)
     {
         osgTerrain::CompositeLayer* layer = new osgTerrain::CompositeLayer;
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/ReadWrite.h b/src/osgPlugins/ive/ReadWrite.h
index d8cb86d41..773f6299a 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/ive/ReadWrite.h
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/ReadWrite.h
@@ -135,8 +135,9 @@ namespace ive {
 #define IVETERRAINTECHNIQUE             0x00200008
 #define IVEGEOMETRYTECHNIQUE            0x00200009
 #define IVEVALIDDATAOPERATOR            0x0020000A
-#define IVEVALIDRANGE                    0x0020000B
-#define IVENODATAVALUE                    0x0020000C
+#define IVEVALIDRANGE                   0x0020000B
+#define IVENODATAVALUE                  0x0020000C
+#define IVESWITCHLAYER                  0x0020000D
 //#define IVETERRAIN                      0x0020000A
 
 // osgFX classes
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c7da9f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/* -*-c++-*- OpenSceneGraph - Copyright (C) 1998-2008 Robert Osfield 
+ *
+ * This library is open source and may be redistributed and/or modified under  
+ * the terms of the OpenSceneGraph Public License (OSGPL) version 0.0 or 
+ * (at your option) any later version.  The full license is in LICENSE file
+ * included with this distribution, and on the openscenegraph.org website.
+ * 
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the 
+ * OpenSceneGraph Public License for more details.
+*/
+
+#include "Exception.h"
+#include "SwitchLayer.h"
+#include "Layer.h"
+
+using namespace ive;
+
+void SwitchLayer::write(DataOutputStream* out)
+{
+    // Write Layer's identification.
+    out->writeInt(IVESWITCHLAYER);
+
+    // If the osg class is inherited by any other class we should also write this to file.
+    osgTerrain::Layer*  layer = dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::Layer*>(this);
+    if  (layer)
+        ((ive::Layer*)(layer))->write(out);
+    else
+        throw Exception("SwitchLayer::write(): Could not cast this osgLayer::SwitchLayer to an osgTerrain::Layer.");
+
+
+    out->writeUInt(getActiveLayer());
+
+    LayerHelper helper;
+
+    out->writeUInt(getNumLayers());
+    for(unsigned int i=0; i<getNumLayers(); ++i)
+    {
+        if(getLayer(i))
+        {
+            out->writeBool(true);
+            helper.writeLayer(out, getLayer(i));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            out->writeBool(false);
+            out->writeString(getFileName(i));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void SwitchLayer::read(DataInputStream* in)
+{
+    // Peek on Layer's identification.
+    int id = in->peekInt();
+    if (id != IVESWITCHLAYER)
+        throw Exception("SwitchLayer::read(): Expected SwitchLayer identification.");
+    
+    // Read Layer's identification.
+    id = in->readInt();
+
+    // If the osg class is inherited by any other class we should also read this from file.
+    osgTerrain::Layer*  layer = dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::Layer*>(this);
+    if (layer)
+        ((ive::Layer*)(layer))->read(in);
+    else
+        throw Exception("SwitchLayer::read(): Could not cast this osgLayer::Layer to an osg::Group.");
+
+
+    setActiveLayer(in->readUInt());
+
+    LayerHelper helper;
+
+    unsigned int numLayers = in->readUInt();
+    for(unsigned int i=0; i<numLayers; ++i)
+    {
+        bool readInlineLayer = in->readBool();
+        if (readInlineLayer)
+        {
+            addLayer(helper.readLayer(in));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            addLayer(in->readString());
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.h b/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05f4dcacc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/ive/SwitchLayer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef IVE_SWITCHLAYER
+#define IVE_SWITCHLAYER 1
+
+#include <osgTerrain/Layer>
+#include "ReadWrite.h"
+
+namespace ive
+{
+
+class SwitchLayer : public osgTerrain::SwitchLayer, public ReadWrite
+{
+public:
+	void write(DataOutputStream* out);
+	void read(DataInputStream* in);
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/CMakeLists.txt b/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/CMakeLists.txt
index 3c55676d6..f5c3bd3da 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ SET(TARGET_SRC
     ImageLayer.cpp
     HeightFieldLayer.cpp
     CompositeLayer.cpp
+    SwitchLayer.cpp
     Layer.cpp
     TerrainTile.cpp
     GeometryTechnique.cpp
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/SwitchLayer.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/SwitchLayer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e22e96bf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/osgTerrain/SwitchLayer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/* -*-c++-*- OpenSceneGraph - Copyright (C) 1998-2008 Robert Osfield 
+ *
+ * This library is open source and may be redistributed and/or modified under  
+ * the terms of the OpenSceneGraph Public License (OSGPL) version 0.0 or 
+ * (at your option) any later version.  The full license is in LICENSE file
+ * included with this distribution, and on the openscenegraph.org website.
+ * 
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the 
+ * OpenSceneGraph Public License for more details.
+*/
+
+#include <osgTerrain/Layer>
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+
+#include <osg/Vec3>
+#include <osg/Vec4>
+#include <osg/io_utils>
+
+#include <osgDB/ReadFile>
+#include <osgDB/Registry>
+#include <osgDB/Input>
+#include <osgDB/Output>
+#include <osgDB/ParameterOutput>
+
+bool SwitchLayer_readLocalData(osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Input &fr);
+bool SwitchLayer_writeLocalData(const osg::Object &obj, osgDB::Output &fw);
+
+osgDB::RegisterDotOsgWrapperProxy SwitchLayer_Proxy
+(
+    new osgTerrain::SwitchLayer,
+    "SwitchLayer",
+    "Object SwitchLayer Layer",
+    SwitchLayer_readLocalData,
+    SwitchLayer_writeLocalData
+);
+
+bool SwitchLayer_readLocalData(osg::Object& obj, osgDB::Input &fr)
+{
+    osgTerrain::SwitchLayer& layer = static_cast<osgTerrain::SwitchLayer&>(obj);
+
+    bool itrAdvanced = false;
+    
+    osg::ref_ptr<osgTerrain::Locator> locator = 0;
+
+    unsigned int i;
+    if (fr.read("ActiveLayer",i)) layer.setActiveLayer(i);
+
+    do
+    {
+        itrAdvanced = false;
+
+        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Object> readObject = fr.readObjectOfType(osgDB::type_wrapper<osgTerrain::Locator>());
+        locator = dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::Locator*>(readObject.get());
+        if (readObject.valid()) itrAdvanced = true;
+
+        unsigned int minLevel=0;
+        if (fr.read("MinLevel",minLevel))
+        {
+            itrAdvanced = true;
+        }
+
+        unsigned int maxLevel = MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_LEVELS;
+        if (fr.read("MaxLevel",maxLevel))
+        {
+            itrAdvanced = true;
+        }
+
+        if (fr.matchSequence("file %s") || fr.matchSequence("file %w") )
+        {
+            layer.addLayer(fr[1].getStr());
+            fr += 2;
+
+            itrAdvanced = true;
+        }
+        else if (fr.matchSequence("ProxyLayer %s") || fr.matchSequence("ProxyLayer %w"))
+        {
+            osgTerrain::ProxyLayer* proxyLayer = new osgTerrain::ProxyLayer;
+            proxyLayer->setFileName(fr[1].getStr());
+
+            if (locator.valid()) proxyLayer->setLocator(locator.get());
+            if (minLevel!=0) proxyLayer->setMinLevel(minLevel);
+            if (maxLevel!=MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_LEVELS) proxyLayer->setMaxLevel(maxLevel);
+
+            layer.addLayer(proxyLayer);
+
+            fr += 2;
+
+            itrAdvanced = true;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            osg::ref_ptr<osg::Object> readObject = fr.readObjectOfType(osgDB::type_wrapper<osgTerrain::Layer>());
+            osgTerrain::Layer* readLayer = dynamic_cast<osgTerrain::Layer*>(readObject.get());
+            if (readLayer)
+            {
+                if (locator.valid())
+                {
+                    readLayer->setLocator(locator.get());
+                    locator = 0;
+                }
+
+                if (minLevel!=0) readLayer->setMinLevel(minLevel);
+                if (maxLevel!=MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_LEVELS) readLayer->setMaxLevel(maxLevel);
+
+                layer.addLayer(readLayer);
+            }
+
+            if (readObject.valid()) itrAdvanced = true;
+        }
+        
+    } while (itrAdvanced);
+        
+    if (locator.valid()) layer.setLocator(locator.get());
+
+    return itrAdvanced;
+}
+
+bool SwitchLayer_writeLocalData(const osg::Object& obj, osgDB::Output& fw)
+{
+    const osgTerrain::SwitchLayer& layer = static_cast<const osgTerrain::SwitchLayer&>(obj);
+
+    fw.indent()<<"ActiveLayer "<<layer.getActiveLayer()<<std::endl;
+
+    for(unsigned int i=0; i<layer.getNumLayers();++i)
+    {
+        if (layer.getLayer(i))
+        {
+            const osgTerrain::ProxyLayer* proxyLayer = dynamic_cast<const osgTerrain::ProxyLayer*>(layer.getLayer(i));
+            if (proxyLayer)
+            {
+                if (!proxyLayer->getFileName().empty())
+                {
+                    const osgTerrain::Locator* locator = proxyLayer->getLocator();
+                    if (locator && !locator->getDefinedInFile())
+                    {
+                        fw.writeObject(*locator);
+                    }
+                    
+                    if (proxyLayer->getMinLevel()!=0)
+                    {
+                        fw.indent()<<"MinLevel "<<proxyLayer->getMinLevel()<<std::endl;
+                    } 
+
+                    if (proxyLayer->getMaxLevel()!=MAXIMUM_NUMBER_OF_LEVELS)
+                    {
+                        fw.indent()<<"MaxLevel "<<proxyLayer->getMaxLevel()<<std::endl;
+                    } 
+                
+                    fw.indent()<<"ProxyLayer "<<proxyLayer->getFileName()<<std::endl;
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {     
+                fw.writeObject(*(layer.getLayer(i)));
+            }
+        }
+        else if (!layer.getFileName(i).empty())
+        {
+            fw.indent()<<"file "<<layer.getFileName(i)<<std::endl;
+        }
+    }
+
+
+
+    return true;
+}
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
index 81de5eac9..2796a5e66 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
@@ -566,3 +566,25 @@ osg::BoundingSphere ProxyLayer::computeBound(bool treatAsElevationLayer) const
     else return osg::BoundingSphere();
 }
 
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// SwitchLayer
+//
+SwitchLayer::SwitchLayer():
+    _activeLayer(0)
+{
+}
+
+SwitchLayer::SwitchLayer(const SwitchLayer& switchLayer,const osg::CopyOp& copyop):
+    Layer(switchLayer,copyop),
+    _activeLayer(0)
+{
+}
+
+
+void SwitchLayer::clear()
+{
+    _layers.clear();
+}
+