I finally installed my upper level control panels. They are mounted on a hollow 1x4 shell to push them out from the fascia( as the material behind the fascia can't be removed; structural beam). I can finally run without having to reach up from underneath and throw the turnouts manually.
The panels are made of two pieces of polycarbonate with a computer-generated diagram (on plain printer paper) sandwiched in between. The push-buttons are normally open and connect to the inputs of the DS-64 Stationary Decoder (I only use these on mainline turnouts). Indication is done with 3mm Red and Orange LED's. They are wired in series with the tortoise switch machines. This is made simple using the Daughter card i made. It makes all the connections, to the tortoises and to the panels, screw terminal connections. It also simplifies wiring and lets me build the panels on the bench. The wires going into the DS-64 directly are the push-button wires.
Here are the two latest panels:
And the electronics behind them:
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Very clean and professional looking.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes, very nice work.
Sheldon
And now it's got me rethinkign my plan to put the controls right in my fascia and use tape to lay out the track diagrams.
If I do individual panels I don't have to stand the fascia off so much, the required depth would be found in the control panel mounting. On the other hand, if I did individual panels there wouldn't be a continuous track diagram on the fascia, and I'd have to make about a dozen panels PLUS install a fascia