9 - Building a switch panel (part 3)

[@LNER1946]

Hi, one of the best control panels seen, very well explained. Glynn

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

LNER 1946 Thanks, Glynn. I really like how it turned out. And I still have another panel for the Tyne Yard to make in the future! Iain

[@ClinchfieldModelRailroad]

I'm using Peco coils. No feedback switch at the coil like seeps. Pushbutton momentary on/off with led's for route identification. Also adding red led's for block occupancy. Using Team Digital hardware to reduce all the wiring down to a single RJ45 eight wire network cable to a loconet connection and power on the layout. This greatly reduces the 50 or more messy wiring to the layout. Also gives the added benefit of being able to move the panel any where on the layout that has a RJ45 plug. Also easy to remove the panel for troubleshooting. Since it's software based, changes can be done without rewiring. You did a really nice job.

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

Thanks, they sound pretty interesting. Looking back, I could probably have done the wiring a little different, and neater, but it's functional and works for me. I can still trace what's going on, and hopefully don't have too many problems over time. Thanks for your comments though, I can certainly the switch panel being something I end up revisiting in the future. Iain

[@allanmartinez1190]

Hello Sir I'm sorry to bother you I was wondering if the panel you built for the Railroad Yard can be done in O-Gauge? Will the panel have the Arduino Block System installed? I'm a brand new Railroad hobbyist even though When I was a little boy and Santa Clause got me my 1st Train Set I played with it for a few minutes and then I went ahead and put it in the closet because I was afraid I would break it if I kept playing with the Set. I asked my Father if he would help me build a Layout with my Train Set but he was so busy with work he couldn't find the time to put one together with me. So I just put it up in the Attic and never saw it again. Recently my sister was cleaning out the house after my parents had passed away and said that I found something that might interest you. When I arrived I saw for the 1st time in years and I forgot all about it the train set I got for Christmas. To this day I still don't know how to design and build a Layout to run my Train Set. The next few months I have been buying Railroad cars on Ebay WOW!!! Is this stuff Expensive and we only have 1Train Shop and they mainly sell old and used solo cars and Sets. Anyway that's enough about me Do you think you might be able to help me? Thank you for your time Sincerely Allan

[@TONYNORTHEASTERN]

Hi Lain my panel was a drop in the ocean. but you have a whole ocean under your panel mate, I'm well impressed and thanks for sharing how you have done wiring from the word go...Newcastle Central is a layout of the future well done. and a one to watch....regards Tony

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

Cheers, Tony! It was quite a ride to get all the wiring done. There's still a couple of niggles left, like needing to upgrade the DCC controller before I can some of the frog juicers, but otherwise I'm happy to be able to run trains! I've been working on the first couple of platforms, so it's really starting to take shape now.

[@SwindonJunction]

great video on the point switches, can i ask do u put in a resistor on each of the leds you installed? Dave

[@DJModelRailway]

Holy moly wire galore! Ha love the progress and switch panel but great design and planning, very important! Keep on modelling :)

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

DJ Model Railway Haha, thanks! It is a whole bunch of wires. I kept it as tidy as I could, but there's still a lot going on. Thanks for watching. I'm slowly making progress on the platforms now that the bulk of the wiring is done.

[@FarlandHowe]

Great control panel. I like it. It is difficult to keep wires looking neat. Once their numbers get to a certain level, it seems to become a birds nest. Rob

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

Thanks, Rob. I think it worked out pretty good. I'm currently fighting with building the first couple of platforms! Iain

[@ozzyd9001]

looks like my panel but i only use grain of wheat bulbs for isolating sections lol but to be fair yours is much more impressive then mine well done

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

paul andrews Thanks, Paul! What do you mean by grain of wheat bulbs to isolate sections? Open to different ideas, as I will still have to build the panel for the Tyne Yard at some point!

[@ozzyd9001]

i am/ was/ now converting to dcc. but when i built my panel and others i used dp/dt three way on/off/on switches with double poles on the back. i used one side for on of for the isolation of the track as per normal. but the other side i weird them up to a small micro bulb you can buy from a model shop called a grain of wheat bulb. or you can use an LED and place it in the track layout like you have done with your point indicators. but colour that track section on your panel different so that you know its an isolating section. look at my short video lincoln stmarks and you will see. hope this helps yours paul

[@ozzyd9001]

sorry i forgot to say how to wire the bulb side. lol wire the on of side with in power to middle tag and out power to rail to top tag. bulb side wire from a positive power source to middle tag bottom tag to bulb or LED then to negative feed i hope this makes scene if not i will do a short video of my panel to show top and and inside for you. yours paul.

[@NewcastleCentralOOGauge]

Thanks, that all makes sense. I had looked at double-pole switches, but for point motor operation when the power is only momentary, when the switch returns to the center off position, surely the circuit is then broken and the indicator light goes off? I guess if you were using it for controlling blocks of track, the power would remain on. I couldn't figure out how else to get power the indicator lights once that switch returns to center so as to avoid burning out point motor (or in my case, preventing capacitor discharge unit from recharging). Would love to know if I just missed something obvious here!

[@ozzyd9001]

not at all. as they make center sprung switches which i thought you had used for your panel. once you let go they spring back to center and used for point control. the ones i use are solid clicked 3 way on/ of/ on you can get them with just 3 tags. or with 6 tags on the back.depending on what you intend on using them for. yours paul