Control Panel guidance needed

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Good afternoon,

So it’s getting to be that time again, fall in central PA and I’ve already been hard at it starting in on my RR when I have the time. Anyhow I’m looking for some information on control panels…building/design, hardware to use…LED’s, resistors, switches etc. and what some of you prefer, I know some of you will have advice from large club layouts and others will have advice for smaller home layouts.

Currently I have started my 2x2 around the wall shelf layout and I’ve just used Atlas Selector switches for each side or section. Then I’ve drilled holes in the fascia and installed LED’s on a track design I did with a stencil. I’ll try to post some pics of the two I’ve done so far. I use Bullfrog turn out controls from Fast-Tracks and that’s what drives my LED’s when I make a switch move.

So I have decent block and light control for my amateur layout and the Atlas SS have not failed on me yet and they’re simple to install and work with.

Here’s my dilemma, I’m considering scrapping the Atlas SS’s and go with a master control panel for my cabs and block control. Which I think would turn out really great(i’ve been watching video’s on YouTube) [:D] but since I’m using Bull Frog manual switch controls it doesn’t make much sense to me to do part of it centralized and part of it decentralized as in the Bull-Frogs. Or am I just over thinking it and it really doesn’t matter that much.

I’d appreciate any advice or websites, tutorials etc that you can pass my way to give me some inspiration.

Thanks,

ARR

2

A few questions:

  • Are you using a walk-around throttle? If not, do you want to change to walk-around?
  • What do you have not for throttles?
  • Do you perform local switching operations?
  • If you are doing any switching, how do you plan to uncouple?
  • Can you see your turnouts and uncoupling spots from the proposed central panel location?

Most important: do you prefer to operate a console based on lights and indicators, or walk around with the train controlling it directly?

Right now, it appears you are set up for walk-around control with the possible exception of your throttles. If you want to continue down the walk-around control path, you can easily build DC walk-around throttles from published circuits for as little as $10 worth of components.

3

I’m a fan of walkaround myself. Back years ago I built some pretty elaborate panels (seemed to be a lot of articles in MR at the time as well on constructing them). But as I got into walkaround, I made the switches manual (no controls, no wire = less cost and more like a switching railroad). I also went from a central block switch panel to putting the toggles along the faschia right where the track it controlled was. So one option is to paint/tape/whatever local track diagrams along the faschia and place electrical switches where needed. I never got into wiring lighted position indicators, because there was no need with walkaround.

If you don’t have one, checkout the electrical books by Kalmbach or others. Also, though I haven’t read it, there’s a pdf download available on the MR shop/digital downloads section that covers electrical how to.

As a background, I used common rail wiring, with SPST center off switches.

4

On my previous layout, I made panels goruped at turnout locations. Like this one:

Pretty simple actually, I used a drawing program (Visio in this case) to draw the lines and label things, and printed it out on thick stock on my inkjet printer. It’s sandwisched between two thin pieces of plexiglas - rather than one thick piece. The switches hold it together. The LEDs are in little black plastic bezels from Radio Shack. I printed out a copy on plain paper in black and white to use as a guide to drill the holes, and I painted the inside of the rear panel flat black.

–Randy

5

You don’t say what type of turnouts you are using. Also, I assume that you are running your layout in DC mode.

I have a DCC system, so I am not sure how good my advice to you will be, but here goes.

I have built a series of control panels at various points on my layout to control yards, passenger stations and sidings.

Here is a photo of one of the control panels that I built. It is a hinged box to hold all of the wiring and to provide easy access for maintenance. I have also installed what I will call sub-panels that are smaller in size and permit me to control the same turnout(s) from more than one location, so that turnouts may be operated more remotely.

The control system consists of DPDT toggle switches wired to Tortoises that control the turnouts. LED’s mounted on the surface of the coontrol panel indicate direction of the turnout point rails. Power is supplied from DC power packs.

Rich

6

I use a similar schematic diagram with toggles. I bought a big sheet of 1/4-inch Masonite with a white plastic coating on one side. This is sold as “shower liner” material at big-box hardware stores. I think I paid $8 for a 4x8 foot sheet. That was years ago, and I still have half of it in the garage.

This is a nice material. It’s easy to drill through for the controls. I make the lines for the track schematic with automotive pin-striping tape from an auto supply store. Again, I’ve still got most of it on the roll, and it cost about $8. I used a router to notch the back of 1x2 lumber, and made a “picture frame” to mount and support the edges of the panels.

Yes, panels, plural. I have 4 of them, spaced around the layout. The first two were done that way to separate the controls for the underground subways from the above-ground railroad. I added a second pair, again with the over-under distinction, to control Phase 2 of the layout, so that I could keep the systems isolated in case the layout ever has to be moved.

There’s a fifth panel, too, with toggles for the structure lighting, street lights, signals, programming track and so on.

7

I used a large photo print glued to an aluminum panel (.080") and mounted mini toggles to control the turnuout motors (Tortise). The panel is hinged for easy access during wiring and also for repairs (yes, they do happen!). I also like to use terminal strips to keep everything organzed and easy to trace.

-Bob

8

I pretty much followed the approach in Jan ‘12 MR "Build a Control Panel, much like Bob’s approach above. My layout is 5’ x 10’ HO, DCC, but not controlling turnouts with the DCC.

I ordered the 5/64" aluminum piece online (about $15 plus shipping). I used mini DPDTs for the Tortoises, with bicolor LEDs (about 50 cents each) attached. I drew the diagram on a piece of large graph paper, then used a nail to punch a dent where the line angles changed, then drew the diagram in pencil on the aluminum, drilled the DPDT and LED holes (easy with aluminum), then primed and painted white, then masked the lines with 1/8" pinstriping, then painted black and removed the pinstriping.

I did make a change after the fact, adding a couple of tracks (2 more turnouts) at the single track siding at the upper left. It worked out ok (blended in when the clearcoat was applied). I added some lettering with Woodland Scenics dry transfer lettering / numbers…very easy…and sealed that with some more clearcoat.

It was a fun project…I thought perhaps beyond my skill level…but it just took some care and time. The toughest part is wiring the smallish DPDTs, adding the cross-jumpers, etc. Works great and looks cool, I think. The credit goes to all the advice from the forum and MR.

9

My sincerest apologies for not responding to some of your questions and posts sooner. I’m “any day away” from having a new daughter and my mind has been else where. I really do appreciate all of your contributions and as soon as I get a second to breath I will jump back into the discussion.

I’m using Atlas snap switches with Bull-frog turnout machines in DC mode. It’s a 9x9 around the walls shelf with a big duckunder in the front.

I totally forgot that I WAS planning on going with a walk around throttle prior to the build and lost focus when I saw other panels including the master panels.

Thanks again everyone, wish me luck. :slight_smile:

ARR

10

I happen to have 96 electrically controlled turnouts, divided between 5 Power Districts, using double probe with a common ground, for five operators to operate. I also have about 14 manually controlled turnouts that are within easy reach of each of the 5 operators. There are far too many turnouts to see and operate them from a central control panel, on my 24’x24’, (around the room) garage loft layout. Bob Hahn

11

Eh? A Control Panel? Here is what the LION built.

Ok, maybe you do not have 14 scale miles of tracks. But having built this machine, I have some thoughts on controls large or small. (My layout operates automatically, I only start the trains from the 242nd Street Terminal.)

LION likes the GRS machines, but you do not have to build the whole dang tower.

If you are using walk-around throttles, then using toggles switches to represent the GRS levers at each interlocking location. The GRS protocols are this:

The signals are controlled by RED levers: down is the normal position which displays a RED signal entering the plant.

The Signals (red levers or switches) are on the outside of the row of levers. Trains moving from left to right have their signal levers on the left end of the row through out the plant. Trains moving right to left are controlled by levers on the right end of the row.

The points are controlled by black switches and are numbered from left to right throughout the plant. A switch in the normal position equals a turn out in its normal position. Moving the switch or lever moves the switch points. Align the points first, and then clear the signals.

The GRS machine has electric interlocks and a logic interlocking bed made of brass rods and levers so that no switch or signal can be can be in conflict with the rest of the plant. Yes one can model it, but I did not bother. Once you know how it works, it is a simple matter to run the layout correctly.

So an interlocking plant consists of the tracks, switch points, switch machines, and signals. The one I built controls the whole layout, but that would rally be incorrect as there should be a tower for each interlocking plant. But then, I do not walk around with the trains, and so what I really have is a “Master Tower” but using an old (1920-40s) vintage machi