# Turnout Switches - Push Buttons?



## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

Hi Folks,

I've asked a lot of dumb questions in the past, and learned a great deal from the generous members of this forum. Here's another.

I'm now at the point of building the "yard" section of my layout, which will have at least a dozen Peco turnouts. One of the things I have learned is, getting parts in this world of model railroading can be frustrating. Although I managed to secure a boatload of PL-10 switch motors, so far I can't find a CDU in stock anywhere. And more importantly in the short run, I'm coming up a bit short on the PL-26 switches (switch levers, whatever you call them).

I seem to recall somewhere reading about someone going to Rat Shack or somewhere and getting some push button switches. This makes sense to me and I would like to build a control panel with "buttons" to push. Push once, the switch goes this way, push again, it goes that way. Etc. 

I realize, this is... well not an advanced question. Electronics have never been my thing, which of course is ironic, given the hobby I've taken up.

But... can anyone point me to any guidance on what kind of switches might work for me for this? I have one PL-26 which I got working for one PL-10 that I had, so I see how the basic wiring works. But what kind of buttons/switches can I use that will be push button and perhaps easier to get my dirty little hands on?

Thanks!

Mark


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

PL-10 switch motors are just twin solenoids, correct?

I use these CDUs attached to the toggle switches themselves. They are compact work good and the toggle position indicates the turnout direction or you can add LEDs.

They are made and sold by a guy on the web named Ken Stapleton. He will sell them pre-assembled or you can buy a bag of parts and put them together yourself. The schematic is on his web site if you want to 'roll your own.'


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## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

Thanks for the response, Bob. Do you actually then have a separate CDU for each switch motor?


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

Yes each switch CDU assembly controls one turn-out.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Mark

A good Capacitor discharge unit should serve every Peco on your
layout. You do not need more than one. Radio Shack has all of
the inexpensive parts. I have the Model Railroader with the
circuit in it. Would have to mail it to you, my scanner is not working.
It's a very simple one transistor, 1 cap, and a couple diodes unit.

Go to Radio Shack and check their momentary push buttons (normally open).
They are perfect for panel operation.

It sounds like your yard is much like mine. You can make your switching
operations much more enjoyable by using a diode matrix to throw your
turnouts.

Say you have a ladder track with 5 yard tracks off of it. You want your
loco to go to track # 3. You push the ONE button in track 3 on your panel.
All turnouts in the path to track 3 are thrown to give you a clear. You
don't need 2 buttons for every yard turnout. You would most likely
want 2 for turnouts on your main. 

This is not complex electronics, or expensive. Radio shack has cheap
packs of diodes. You would need a terminal or barrier strip with enough
points for all of your yard turnouts. That, and the buttons are all you need.

Diodes pass current in only one direction. So they are used to
route power from your #3 button to each turnout in the path.
Since they are one way, any push of a # 1 or # 2 button would
have no effect on the #3 turnout.

A buss carrying the CDU circuit feeds all of the push buttons on your
panel.

Don


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

This article gives details of a diode matrix as described in Don's post.

http://rail.felgall.com/dm.htm


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## markgrecco (May 27, 2013)

Hi Mark,

Here is a link to get the parts and printed circuit board to build a CDU

http://talkingelectronics.com/projects/CDU-2/CDU-2.html

It's less than $20 with shipping but you have to use the click here button to send an email to the guy. You'll have to pay him through pay pal and then he'll ship it to you. I've bought from him and never had a problem. Having the printed circuit board is the way to go because all you have to do I solder the parts on. Keep in mind diodes and capacitors have a polarity.

As for switches I really like Don's idea of one button to flip everything to get you to the correct spur. I'm actually thinking of doing that myself now (thanks Don). If you go with a switch type like the one pictured above make sure you get something that is a double throw and that it's a [spring on]-[off]-[spring on]. It needs to be in an off state normally if you use a solenoid type turnout motor i.e PL-10.

Mark


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

markgrecco said:


> Hi Mark,
> 
> Here is a link to get the parts and printed circuit board to build a CDU
> 
> ...


That looks good, and you get all the correct parts. A couple hours
sitting down assembly, nice chore.

I am fearful of those center off switches tho, they make the cap discharge
mandatory...well, actually, so do the push buttons. Those twin coil
turnout motors go quickly with just the lightest too long power burst.
The Cap unit costs about what each burned up turnout motor does.


Don


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## porthole200 (May 14, 2013)

My scratchbuilt CDU finally crapped out two weeks ago. Built it about 30 years ago so I guess it paid for itself. I started searching for a new one (already built as my scratch building days are behind me) and discovered that CDUs are hard to find. I finally located one on the "auction site", if you know what I mean. It was made by a company called Miniatronics and cost about $40. The company is still in business but they stopped making the CDU. It works very well and is able to fire 10 switch machines at once. The model # is PDC-1. Because a lot of people are using slow-motion turnout machines, the market for the CDU is very limited which makes them hard to find. I think Walthers does carry it, but I am not sure......Hope this helps


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## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

You guys are seriously over-estimating my intelligence (wish my wife would do that). 

Seriously, thanks for all this help. Really. I will study all this stuff and try to figure out the best path for me. Most of my turnouts will serve more than one purpose (hard to explain), and it's not likely that I will always be switching particular series of turnouts together. The ones that need to be done on the fly with more than one will have a little distance between them. I don't mind individual buttons for each one. I do need a CDU of some sort, and will look at all the options above. 

My son and I spent the last two evenings working on the layout and also working on our Walthers roundhouse model. Whatever model railroading costs, I'd gladly pay it many times over for these times with him. I think they will last us both our lifetimes.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Just-a-Guy said:


> My son and I spent the last two evenings working on the layout and also working on our Walthers roundhouse model. Whatever model railroading costs, I'd gladly pay it many times over for these times with him. I think they will last us both our lifetimes.


You are so fortunate.

My son waited until he was in his 50s to visit me and run
trains on my lay out. He's good at it tho.

Don


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