Newbie setting up a very basic control panel

[IDRick]

I'm getting back into the hobby after 22 years and want to try some new things.  I will be selling my home in three years so I'm just experimenting on my son's old 5 by 9 layout.  I will set up a basic loop with a yard and a passing track on the other side.  I would use six Tortises to control the turnouts and want to use a bicolor LED to indicate position of each turnout. 

Will this be a good choice for the DPDT switches (Walthers Part # 475-3820005): 

https://www.walthers.com/sub-miniature-slide-switches-dpdt-pkg-5

 

Is this circuitron wall wart a good choice (AC adapter part 800-7212)?

What guage wire should I use in the project for the project?

Any recommendation on which bi color LED to purchase and which resister?

 

Thanks!

Rick

[rrinker]

 Those switches would work but it is more common to use toggle switchs instrad of slide switches - toggles tend to be a bit more robust.

These would work:

https://www.walthers.com/miniature-switches-dpdt-on-on-pkg-6

That power supply is perfect for Tortoises. Easily handle 6 of them.

For LEDs, these would work:

https://www.walthers.com/bi-directional-light-emiting-diodes-leds-13-64-quot-5mm-diameter-red-green-2-leg-style-pkg-5

No resistors needed, you wire them, in series with one of the wires going from the toggle switch to the Tortoise. The color will change from gren to red when you move the toggle and the Tortoise stops moving. If it's green when you want red, just reverse the LED. The Tortoise itself acts as the resistor.

                                                     --Randy

 

[RR_Mel]

Like Randy I prefer toggle switches.  I’ve been buying Miniature toggles from LED-Switch for many years.

 

http://www.led-switch.com/Miniature%20Toggle%20Switch.htm

 

They also have Standard and Sub-Miniature toggles.

 

LED-Switch also has the colored switch caps for the miniature switches.  I color code my switches so that the little ones can run my layout.

 

If you are a eBayer you can do a search for “miniature toggle switch”.

 

This is my control panel.

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

 

[IDRick]

Thanks for the advice Randy and RR Mel, very helpful!  :)

 

I do have another question, how do I wire up a crossover with Tortoise?  The Circuitron manual suggests that it can be done with two tortoises or one tortoise with the remote mount.  They also suggest that the two units is more expensive but an easier job than the niggling setup with a remote mount.

 

I don't understand how to wire for the two units in a crossover.  Can you explain it me?  I'm really new at this and learn easier visuals or a video.  Do you have any suggestions for me as I don't understand the circuit diagrams.  Thanks!