control panels

[Medina1128]

I make my control panels out of 3/16" thick masonite. I the entire piece white. When the paint is dry, I layout the pattern matching the track with 1/8" wide pinstripe tape. I cut sections out to simulate the insulating gaps with a new Xacto knife blade. Then, I paint the panel a dark color (I use a dark brown). When that paint is still tacky, I peel the pinstripe off. If you use this method, peel the tape off at a sharp angle. This will help prevent pulling the dark colored paint off.

[jbinkley60]

 

Here's a link to a How-To page for my control panels.

 

[cordon]

These are all excellent examples, and I have gotten some good ideas from them.  I personally prefer putting the panel switches on the track diagram rather than to the side, but the "to the side" design enables a more compact panel.

I'm sticking with DC for now, not just because it's cheaper, but because I find it more challenging.  Setting up blocks is a bit like dispatching and I have to do more "dispatching" to make the trains run.

Besides, it's really hard to have a head-on collision with DC because a powered unit will stop and the overload circuit breaker will usually trip, if a powered unit crosses into a block powered for the opposite direction.

  

[BlueHillsCPR]

Brunton

t would be nice if there was some explanation of what all those switches are doing.

 

Yes, considering the video has audio a little voice over would have been helpful. 

Here is what I got out of watching it.

The switches in the upper right quadrant of the panel are block control for throttle A.  The LED's indicate the powered sections.  The section below that is the block control for throttle B.  Some toggles are two stage switching power to two segments of the same track.

The switches in the lower left quadrant are turnout controls.

The section at lower right contains kill switches for the two throttles and a master kill switch.

Along the bottom from left to right are, yard B turnout control, Crossover controls and a cab selector switch...not sure if it is for a reverse section or what?  At least that's what I get out of it.

Anyway, it looks like the guy spends a lot of time throwing switches and is a bit confused by his own panel on occasion.

 

[claymore1977]

Brunton, 

Just wanted to jump in here and give you some Kudos on that control panel.  I took a close look at it an am in awe at the craftsmanship!  Wow, Good Job!

[Pruitt]

It would be nice if there was some explanation of what all those switches are doing. Some seem obvious, but others certainly don't. Looks like the owner's hobby is building complex control systems more than model railroading (which is fine if that's the case).

[armchair]

 A neat video,nice control panel . Dc vs. Dcc ? I rest My case.................

tgindy

A neat 9-min. "Mythic Mountain Control Panel Demo" on You Tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKMXawcSF6s

[Pruitt]

Here's my control panel:

And a closeup of the lower righthand area:

[larak]

ramoutandabout

would like to see pics and diagrams of control panels

 

 

[nbrodar]

 I use DCC so my panel only has toggels for the mainline turnouts...

 

 

Nick

[tgindy]

A neat 9-min. "Mythic Mountain Control Panel Demo" on You Tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKMXawcSF6s

[ramoutandabout]

ty   anyone know of a good magazine  with lots of detales on these. id love to see more and some in facia

[wedudler]

 This is my control panel for the yard master at Westport. A few turnouts are controlled by the yardmaster.The have a switch and a motor. Other turnouts are manually operated.

You find more with information at my operation site, scroll down.

Wolfgang

[ramoutandabout]

would like to see pics and diagrams of control panels

me id liek to have  bi colored led  and togels around the layout in the facial

 

 

thanks

 

ray