.................................. Return to Sumner's Home Page....

Return to N Scale RR Main Menu........... Return to Building UP's Canyon Division Menu

=========================================

...............Previous Page.............................Next Page If There Is One

=========================================

…................--- Upper Level Control Panel ---

=========================================

I needed a .....

...... control panel to control the turnouts (1-6) and the crossing in the area outlined by the dotted red line above. I also wanted it to work with DCC and DC. The polarity on the 6 turnouts is controlled by a limit switch on the servo brackets (I have an number of options for the servo brackets on my website ( HERE ) that you can print. I've also in the sawmill yard controlled the polarity on the crossings frogs with a second set of limit switches on the servo bracket. This works if there is only one approach to the crossing from either direction.

This isn't the case above so I added a 3PDT switch to the panel to control the crossing. One pole is for the routed selected through the crossing LEDs and the other two poles handle the frog polarities to match the route selected.

If you throw turnout #1 above turnout #2 also throws and you use the crossing toggle switch to match the route. The same happens if you throw turnout #3 turnout #4 throws. The reason this works is that there is no place to park a train going or coming from the crossing on either route so the train will have to proceed past the second turnout.

Turnout #5 (to a passing siding) and turnout #6 to the track elevator or the run-around track throw independently of any other turnout.

Above the mountains/tunnels have been removed to lay and wire track.

I use 0402 pre-wired LED's (cheap per LED) for the indicator lights. They are placed just into the holes in the 3D print and glued with CA. I usually let it sit overnight at this stage.

Two of the toggle switches above throw two turnouts at the same time and control the route LEDs also. You throw the toggle and the route LEDs will light up and push the button switch and the turnouts throw.

A number of resistors were needed for all the additional LEDs that would be activated when you throw a switch. The answer was a long solder pad (easy to make in a few minutes) and 1206 3K resistors that were soldered on with the $65 hot air solder station.

The LED wires were soldered on first followed by the larger dia. wire. I could use 30 gauge for the larger wire but 26 gauge is easier to work with so usually use it..

Lots of soldering joints. Couldn't get all of this in this size panel without the solder pads (probably).

More info on controlling servos this way ($10 for all the parts per turnout) ( HERE ).

The elevator is just to the left of the Elevator Track Panel and the track the Upper Level Control Panel controls is just to the right of that panel.

Above two red LEDs are lit showing which route the crossing polarity is set for. Since none of the turnouts are set to use it the toggle switch should be set to the center 'off' position and no lights would be lit.

To be continued and a link to this whole build ( HERE ).

=========================================

..………………………......Next Page If There Is One