Model Railroad - How To - Switch machine with LED's

[@jamurphy8386]

Yet another fantastic chewtorial!!! 👍👍🚂😋 Easy to follow, simple execution, and plain language - no getting into theories on advanced electronic engineering!! There's people out there, putting out good instructional videos - but so overcomplicated, they end up losing nearly everyone with unnecessary psychobabble. 😲😵😵😵 So thank you for a brilliantly simple explanation of something that too many people, although sincere, have trouble communicating what they actually want to say!

[@dougwhetstone9037]

Oooops! Where's the blu-tack? Luke, you're a fantastic member of the model railroad community. Thanks for all you do to educate us.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Doug Whetstone lol, yeah this was before I discovered blu-tack! Now I use it for almost everything! Cheers, Luke.

[@josearango7546]

This was a great help as I plan to add led to my switch machins.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

jose arango no worries, I will be doing a video very soon on how I made my switching panel for a small switching layout. You may find it quite useful. Thanks for the good feedback.

[@highlandersixtysix]

You have just saved me an immense amount of grief - thanks!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

No worries, glad you found it helpful.

[@bluerobert22]

Hi ..very good videos looking forward to the next

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

tony crean Thanks Tony, I plan to do many more videos. Thanks for the positive feedback.

[@ThomasjRatajczyk-qf9fd]

hi luke great tutorial....can a spst momentary on switch be used instead of the switch used in your example

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

It probably won't work with SPST, but a SPDT with might work with some changes to the wiring set up.

[@Ronson2k9]

Great Tutorial. You could rest the fence on a couple pieces thin dimension scrap wood before painting. This will not only prevent the fence from sticking to the surface but also let the spray paint pass through the fence (nylon). For an added detail you could use thread as a binder to the fence to simulate the metal ties used to hold the chain link in place?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Ron Foskett Thanks Ron, I'm happy that you liked the tutorial. You have some really great ideas as well. Standing the fence up to be painted would be a lot easier! I'll definitely make sure I do that for the next few fences I'm building. I suppose I could even temporarily glue the fence to some wood pieces to help keep it upright while painting. Cheers.

[@Ronson2k9]

You want to keep an dripping to a minimum I would still lay it down so that the excess paint has a place to 'drip' to without it dripping back on to the fence. Laying it down will also keep the spray more confined you need to be able to catch the excess spray as well. I Like your other tutorials as well.

[@Beliar275]

Hey Luke, do you explain / list in one of your videos what turnout switches you use there - would those be able to switch Tillig turnouts which need constant force to hold the rails together ?

[@PeterCPRail8748]

Luke I see your using a cobalt machine, does a tortoise act as a resistor as well or will I need resistors to protect LEDs

[@CarstenDittrich2014]

Excellent tutorial. Now even I understand how to wire and display directions on my turnouts. However I would love if you could make another tutorial showing same circuit buth then wired to DCC and a turnout RAG signal too. Lol, Too much to ask?? Thanks again. I'm a definite subscriber :-)

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Carsten Dittrich Thanks Carsten, I have a signal I need to wire to the layout, its just a matter of finding the time to get it done. I'll definitely give it a try though. I have a few more scenery video coming up first, and when I get back into the wiring I'll post a video. Cheers, Luke.

[@domenicoromano3642]

The switch machine do you use it's a Cobalt iP Analog or a Cobalt Classic omega?

[@arikiya93]

Il F

[@PaulSmith-pl7fo]

Hi Luke. I'm a little confused: (1) Did you wire the black wire to the anodes of both LEDs, or the anode of one and the cathode of the other (you showed only the wiring of one LED)? (2) How did you wire the switch (unfortunately, you didn't show this and the resolution of the camera was too low to see - yes, I know your video was shot in 2013)?

[@Barny19630]

Thanks Luke for the excellent videos. A lot of things to learn for me !! My question: I like the double light led's. (Green/red) So I have red indication on one route und green on the other. After switching the route, vise versa indication on the control panel. Any solution ??? Thanks in advance for your help See you Barny

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

+Barny19630 Thanks Barny, it's funny you mention this because I just replied to someone that I plan to use bi polar LED's in my next wiring video. I'm planning to make another control panel. Hopefully the tutorial wont be too far away. I'm pretty busy right now with a bunch of other tutorials but it's definitely on the drawing board. Cheers Luke.

[@milepost41railfanproductio24]

Luke, Hi thanks for all of your great videos. I noticed here you do not use a resistor as you mention the machine has it built in. In your video on wiring a switch panel you do use resistors. Which approach do you consider better. Should I use them or not? Thanks Doug

[@nigelferris1403]

Hi Luke, Great informative tutorials. Can you use the same to switch the frog?? Do you have a tut on that? Cheers Nigel

[@bearafly]

I love this. Thanks

[@michaelfjordback921]

Just to make sure I understand what you're doing, this type of wiring only works with a switch machine that has power constantly going to it. A twin coil machine would not work with this wiring, correct?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Yeah that's correct, as far as I'm aware this would only work with Cobalt or Tortoise switch machines. I use this method on all my points however I include a resistor in the circuit to help dull down the brightness of the LED, the room where I keep my layout has poor lighting, the LED's can be a little overpowering if they aren't dimmed.

[@csxmad]

Well done cheers Robert

[@peterleinhos9660]

Thanks for the Video. Do you think at some point adding a Basic Schematic for a brief view on the beginning of your Videos. Thanks again. Spike Ps Your cast off remark about the switch machine acting like a resistor was very helpful, I was wondering how you put 12 volts thru the LEDs w/o Blowing them out.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

+Peter Leinhos No worries Peter, I'm constantly updating my website so I'll look into adding some drawing schematics there to help. Cheers Luke

[@paulalderson6920]

Just the video I need but any chance of more info on how the switch is wired? What type of switch is it?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Paul Alderson Hey Paul, its a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch. You might find one of my more recent videos a bit better, I think I describe the wiring of the switch a little better, here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJq3mKaaqcenZ698ope that helps. Cheers Luke.

[@t147han]

Can you use one switch,to turn 2 motors,,ie,,for a cross over

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

I don't see why you couldn't. I haven't done that yet but I cant think of why it wouldn't work. It would just depend on how you split the wiring, but I'm positive it will work. Might be time for an experiment.

[@emeeatj]

If you are soldering, use a fan to help blow away the fumes

[@Steve-hf2vf]

Awesome. Thanks

[@kingswoodjunction897]

I don't understand how both LED's don't illuminate at the same time..?

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Kingswood Junction thanks for the question, LED are in fact a diode, hence L for light, E for emitting and D for diode, which means the current can only flow in one direction through the LED, so if you connect the LED's in opposite directions then only one LED will illuminate depending on the direction of the current. Hope that helps. Cheers.

[@kingswoodjunction897]

Doh..Of course.. The clue is in the name LOL I'll think before I type in future. Although in my defence, I'll say that's it's a long time since I did anything electronic :)

[@cleartheory9854]

If you use Bi-Color LED's (red, green) then you can get changing colors .

[@JennyKanda]

bi-color LED doesn't exist, RGB led exist (red, green, blu) and they have 16777216 possibilities for the colors.

[@DJ_Andreas]

​@@JennyKandabi-color LEDs do exist

[@yveslafond537]

Z

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

+Yves Lafond ? Cheers though :)

[@jamurphy8386]

Y