Control Panel for a Hi-Rail layout

Control for our 26 x 17 Hi-Rail layout, using Tortoise Switch machines, Bi-Polar LED's, DPDT toggles and SPST toggles for block power. A "How To" so to speak as to how it was built and how we are using it for the layout.

[@davidsamuels1954]

GREAT work! I have looked at a lot of these how to about control panels. Yours makes the most sense and is by far the most efficient way to get the job done. Pretty much going to follow your idea. Thanks Dave.

[@Laidoffsick]

David Samuels thank you

[@Laidoffsick]

The Volt and Amp meters came from LED-Switch, about $12 each, and the company is in Arizona. As far as the terminal strips, they were my father-in-law's, and I found them in a box of his stuff. They are probably 30-40 years old....but still brand new and work fine. To buy them new they are not cheap, especially ones of that size.

[@rancocaskid]

Slick Thank you for a very complete tutorial video. I used plexiglass for my first CP also Found out the hard way you need to use special drill bits on plexigals and run them counterclockwise. Charlie

[@blueeyes46539]

Excellent and clear explanation and demonstration!

[@FrankGrimaldiRR]

Excellent video, like your neat wiring and color coding. Like just having the video on the control panel, it rates it own video. Good job.

[@ATSF1317]

Fantastic explanation. Really helped a lot. Thanks Dan

[@steverolfe9427]

great video, excellent, patient explanation too. Thanks for this, sure is going to help a lot of people !

[@hovermotion]

Very cool control panel very well though out.....jim

[@paulm3965]

Very informative, thank you. we could use you in the UK.

[@only1smurf]

Well done. Excellent piece of work.

[@Commandelicious]

As we use Windigipet/a PC to control our machines this looks like a sweet something. Really nice.

[@trainsgalore885]

Wow very nice, wish I could make a nice panel like that! Thanks for sharing it!

[@Laidoffsick]

It's not hard at all, just takes time.

[@arthurhouston3]

Very nice work. This is 20th century approach. Simpler and cheaper to use computer control panels. Does bring back memories of ones i built in 80s.

[@hansorlajensen239]

arthurhouston3 AA

[@ScarySnowflakes]

Really cool!!!

[@stephen65la]

I'm new in this model HO scale. I am doing the Atlas #25 Great Eastern Trunk, but doing it 4'x8' but making it an 4'x16" so I can put more building and longer running trains. I was looking for an better way to do an control panel, I like this one way better. thanks, I will try to do one like this one. Thank you for sharing.

[@brentseizer1019]

I am so using this technique. I think I will try and buy a pre-made 20x30 frame and hopefully find a lexan piece that will fit. I would really like to see more specifics on the wiring. I enjoyed the discussion of crossing the wires on the back of the switch to reverse the polarity. As far as getting the power to the LED, how do you make sure that the light does not come on until the turnout has made the full transfer? How do you know if the turnout blades moved all the way over if your tortoise broke, or because there is debris on the track preventing the turnout blade from making full contact. I dont think you would want the LED to light up if the blade was not fully engaged. I assume that there has to be some way to pull power from each side of the turnout, and so the LED would not light up if the blade did not make a full connection. Thank you.

[@danielflynn8689]

Thanks again!!

[@pacbeltrr38]

Nice, and nicely wired too! As far as painting Lexan/polycarbonate, normal paints WON'T stick... If you go to a Hobby Shop that sells R/Cs, they sell paint MADE to adhere to Lexan, permanently. R/C cars take a LOT more abuse than that board will ever take!!

[@robertraby927]

Very nice, I'm stealing your design. ;)

[@gntlmn1956]

VERY nicely done. I like how neat and organized the whole Panel is turning out. I do have a couple questions tho. Could you tell us where you got your Volt and Amp meters? And where to get those long terminal strips?

[@nickltrains6952]

Nice video enplaning your control panel. I have a 10x101/2 ft. layout. Was thinking of building a control panel. I have SPST toggle switches to control my round table siding, staging yard and main sidings. Your video makes it look easy to build. I like to connect to my Lionel switches to block signals. Do you know what type of bulb to use with the switches? Thanks for sharing.

[@billferguson7455]

Very nicely done, great instructional video, I think you just answered all my questions... Thx...

[@robertraby927]

So I'm starting this project this weekend but I'm using the DZ1000 controllers that came with. My first question is what did you use to cut the Lexan to size ?

[@johnpowloka5078]

Like set up got space for a lay out of 14 x 20 feet. What size is yours? And do u have track plans. Other than on the control panel? Ty

[@Laidoffsick]

John Powloka ...26 x 17. Our track plan was done with RR Tracks and is one of the layout video updates in my channel.

[@allenpurse9782]

How did you wire up the Amp and Volt metres

[@KS-xx4dx]

Where did you order your LED covers from? Thanks.

[@Laidoffsick]

chrome LED bezels from EBay

[@HungryGuyStories]

Why would you want to turn off power to any part of your layout??? Is this something peculiar to "Hi Rail" layouts?

[@Laidoffsick]

Hungry Guy pretty standard to any scale of model railroading. park engines, lighted cars, caboose etc and turn the power off to them. we have 15-20 engines sitting on the layout at any given time, why risk burning up bulbs or smoke units if the engines are just sitting there? park a whole train in the siding and turn thenpower off. when you want to run it again, flip the toggle to power up the train.

[@HungryGuyStories]

Okay. Makes sense :-)

[@Laidoffsick]

Computer control huh? We don't use a smart phone to run our trains, nor do we need a computer to run the layout. You knock yourself out with all the new technology.