Expanded Redstone adds a few machines and tools that make redstone more useful and powerful. They are designed to "feel" like vanilla, but work just as well in a heavily modded environment. This is NOT meant to be a replacement for things like RedPower, and will not have things like new wires, mining machines, and other things better placed in a true tech mod.
The machines can be reoriented by right-clicking them with a BuildCraft/OmniTools wrench or a RotaryCraft screwdriver, or simply breaking and placing them again.
Modes are switched by right-clicking the block with an empty hand or item that has no special effect.