# pics of my new switch panel



## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

Don't know if this is the right area for this post. Just got my new switch panel 99% finished and wanted to show it to some other model railroaders. I don't have the right kind of fascia to implement my layout and switch control onto so, I went another direction. I have a duck under layout with operating opening in the center. I wanted something that would be easily hid when not in use. I drawer tracks and built a drawer type concept, with router grooves for holding the lexan panel. I used dual color 3mm
LEDs, r&g, to indicate turnout direction, not block indication. I located the LEDs beside of the corresponding turnout, red for thrown against the straight, green for thrown for the straight run through. Of course when I install my signals, they will be prototype aspect for my line. I used wire terminals for all connections, for easy removal of the unit when work is needed. I installed a main power indicator and automotive type auto reset breaker inside a Radio Shack project box, for the input power. I am using tortoise machines so, my supply is a 3,6,7.5,9,12 vdc selectable wall wart. I have made a c&o decal for the bottom right clear area. I haven't decided whether to apply a white background or do a type of luminescent glow background, which would lightly glow through the clear track diagram. I hope someone thinks it's pretty good. I am in the process of fabricating some coal stacker tubes for one of my tipples, I will post a pic of them when I am done.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Neat job Bishop

Like the drawer idea,
out of the way when you don't need it.

Love those dual color LEDs.

Hope you don't have the headaches I do with
those milk plastic terminals...the screws don't
fill the wire cavity enuf and wires have a tendency
to work loose.

I'm mistake prone. So I control my yard turnouts
with a diode cascade or matrix. On your board, if I wanted my 
switcher to go to the track where your red LED glows, I would
push that button and all of the ladder turnouts would
go green. Or maybe I'm lazy.

Don


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## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

*thanks*

yeah, I had used the euro style terminal strips for my other electronic & electrical builds. Depending on the weight of the wire, I strip off about 2" of jacket, fold the wire a couple times and dip in melted solder. About the diode cascade or matrix idea, I would like to do something like that, but I don't know if I'm electronically handy enough. 

thanx for looking and the tips


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

A cascade or matrix schematic looks forbidding...but it's actually
very simple. 

Let's say you have 4 tracks thru 3 turnouts in your ladder. tracks
1, 2, 3 and 4. Turnouts A B & C.

You have Straight (S) or Divergent (D) wires from your
terminal boards to the turnouts. 

You would have just one button to push in each track on
your board.

You push the button in track 4. It powers S for turnout 3.
It also has wires in your terminal boards to power S
for A and B. 

But you cannot actually make wire connections to all 3 S Terminals
because when you pushed the button in track 1 it would also
power all three turnouts as S. That's where the diodes
come in. A diode permits current to flow in only ONE
direction. It has 2 connections. Thus instead of a piece of wire connecting your TERMINALS you use a diode. That way pushing
the button in track 1 would power D on turnout
A but would have no effect on turnouts
B & C since the diode won't send current backwards.

That is the simplified description. You really don't need
any electronic experience. Since you already have the
terminal boards you would do all the diode connections
on them.

And diodes are super cheap. Just yesterday, I bought
an assortment package of 25 for 3.59 at Radio Shack. 

The cascade, as described, works on twin coil turnout
motors. You would use an off/on switch instead of the
button for Tortoise motors.

I power my matrix with a Capacitor Discharge circuit
that protects the turnout motor coils from stuck
buttons etc.

Don


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Correction....the cascade matrix as described does
work on twin coil motors...after thinking about it...
Tortoise motors are totally different and an on/off
switch would not work. Not sure what would.


Don


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Right on the money.....


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## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

*oh*

sounds interesting, might delve into it, thanks for the explanation!


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