Need to be able to switch on and off 12 solenoids...while keeping the existing s

dc42:
How much current do the 24VAC solenoids need? You can almost certainly use opto triacs to switch them, which would be quieter, cheaper and smaller than relays. For example, http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1244301.pdf will switch 0.9A.

They appear to actually be 24 volt DC latching relays as the drawing of the control box shows a diode being used to half wave rectify the 24vac to drive the latching relays.

Lefty