Happy New Year all...
I have both a PR3 and the QSI Programmer and I seem to recall a MRR article a while ago that showed how someone had multiple USB programmers and he built a switch and had the switch and programmers mounted on a piece of plywood, along with 1 programming track. Depending on which programming unit he needed to use, he used a radio shack type switch to select the proper programmer.
Does anyone remember this article? Anyone remember what issue or can point me to a link as I'd like to build this.
Thanks in advance.
This would be really easy to achieve. Since there are 2 track leads from each of the programmers you would just need a Double Pole Double throw switch. A toggle would be nice, perhaps with a center off position.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
For more than 2 options you'd want a 2 pole x position (6 is common) rotary switch, NON-SHORTING (there are shorting and non-shorting types available, the non-shorting disconnects the previous selection before the contacts make for the next one, very imports so as not to accidently connect the outputs of two of the programmers together). Not sure what ones Radio Shakc has anymore, but if you buy one from a known electronic supplier it will be part of the specification.
With a 6 position 2 pole switch you could select between track power, DCC system program track, DCC program track plus booster, Loksound programmer, and QSI programmer. Or whatever combination of devices you have.
With just 2 devices, a toggle will work fine.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.