Edit topic

Updated your discussion topic below.

Subject
Enter a subject for your topic. Maximum 150 characters.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
Hello all. This is my first post, so be gentle. My 4x8 HO layout, originally described as my 6 year old son's, has morphed into a fairly complex, DC, dual cab, 6 block, 14 turnout affair. He still enjoys running tracks around the oval, but there's plenty of operating interest available for me. I'm using Atlas code 100 flextrack and under table switch machines, that I'll be wiring up to Atlas relays to power frogs and control panel LEDs. The switch machines will be powered off of a Circuitron Snapper. Currently, the control panel is a rather unsophisticated affair, using the Atlas family of switches. As the number of turnouts has expanded, I've run out of room on the panel and have decided to rebuild it, using a sheet of aluminum on a hinged wooden frame. The new panel will have a track schematic, with momentary DPDTs and green or amber LEDs at each turnout position. I've seen plenty of examples that illustrate how to build/wire this. I'll be using center-off DPDTs to selectively route power from the cabs to the blocks. When he saw me putting in insulators, my kid got worried that he wouldn't be able to use the new parts of the layout, but I explained that when he's running trains, he'll just switch all the blocks to a single cab. So far he isn't convinced that dad can actually deliver, hence my questions: 1. Any suggestions for integrating the block control switches into the panel? Should they be overlayed on the diagram on top of the block they control, or arranged off to the side somewhere with numbers to reference the block? 2. I want to provide LEDs indicating which cab is active on a block. I'm assuming that these can be wired onto one pole of the DPDTs. I don't want to confuse these indicator LEDs with the turnout position indicators, especially since they might have to be placed close to the turnout indicators on the schematic. Any suggestions on the color of LEDs to use? Or are these indicator lights redundant? Remember that my operator are still in Kindergarten. 3. I also have six roundhouse tracks that need SPST toggles to allow me to park engines. Should these be arranged in a semicircle that roughly corresponds to the position of the tracks on the layout, or should I stick them in a row off to the side? These won't need indicator LEDs. Anyway, thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
E-mail Subscribe
Check the box below if you want to receive e-mail notifications when replies are made to this thread.

Receive notifications

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader Newsletter See all

Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!

Subscriber & Member Login

Edit topic

Subject

Post Body

Tags (Optional)

E-mail Subscribe

Subscriber & Member Login

Users Online

Search the Community