Canley Central

I'm scratch building a modern frontage to my Station. It's low relief, about 10cm depth and 35cm wide with mostly glass frontage so you can see inside. The outside shell and roof are on, but I'm stuck for what I should decorate the interior walls with (the two sides and large back wall). I plan on having a couple of rows of ticket machines, seating, the usual information boards and screens, but what/how could I design or what materials are available for realistic modern station decor? Any idea's greatly received. Thanks.

The switches from Brimal make it look a great deal easier to make the panel I'd like. I'm just trying to work out if a CDU can still be wired in, or is needed at all, and whether I can change two points on the one switch to bring a line into operation on the other side of a platform?

So the best bet would be the Sprog 2 or 3 then I could program with my windows PC. The USB Sprog will also work with a USB connection to the Pi if I decided to run it that way in my layout room? Is the difference between Sprog 2 and 3 just power? Thanks Nigel

Using on-off-on switch, leaving the switch in an "on" position, would this cause damage to the point motor and/or affect the charging of the CDU? I'm building a Control Panel and I'm think the on-off-on switches are the way to go, but wonder whether you'd have to remember to put the switch back to the off position. But I'd very much like other idea's of doing it. Ideally I'd like to have a switch and an LED to light up the track line that is open on the panel. I've got all surface mount Peco point motors, the main two switches would fire 2 points together for opening up the line to the other platform. Another question then would be having LED's wired up to the switches that are getting power from a CDU and one is not great a soldering

I was watching the Roco on eBay myself, its creeping up and has bids in double figures. I think I will go down the Pi-Sprog route as I already have a pi 3b+ not doing anything, then I would have the option to expand as I wish. I understand you can download apps and use your smartphone/tablet for a throttle etc. I've been told a Sprog is like a more advanced elink. A benefit to the Pi-Sprog is I see a terminal for a programming track. And as I am not keen of following programming code instructions for setting up DCC++ on a pi, I found you can get the software all ready to go on an SD card ready for the pi in either wired or wifi. Happy days....well fingers crossed. Any tips or advise on the method I've "currently" chosen I'd find very helpful.

Best option for me would probably be picking up a Multimaus Roco if I can source one at around £65, I'd be paying £60 for a Sprog, at least it would be a stand alone system always ready for use. I'm going to have a read into them now. I assume a Multimaus controller would do all I'd need, and be useful for future use in controlling loco's on my layout if required in the future. As I'd rather spend my budget on scenic gadgets than an expensive controller. Cheers

Thank you for all the prompt replies. I was at the Great Electric Train Show, it was ever so busy, trying to penguin my way to the front of a layout, never mind a trade stand was a task, never thought of asking for a demo. I will look at some of the big shops for trying some of the controllers. Great idea. The Sig-naTrak ACE2 looks a smart bit of kit, quite surprised it was only £249, not sure I'd be needing something that flash. At a push for just programming the Train Tech Smart Screens before buying a controller does anyone know of a cheap usb interface for plugging in to the PC or other method of programming them? Cheers.

I recently got rid of my Bachmann Dynamis DCC Controller as it was old and unreliable signal wise, often resulting in a crash at the buffers due to the poor signal. I went straight back to DC. But I miss the lights being on on the locos and how slow they could run under DCC. I recently went to buy some Train tech smarts screens and realised I cannot programme them now without a DCC controller! I only have 2 main lines in a large oval, both lines have a branch off and on again to create 4 platforms at the Station and 2 now derelict lines that went out into the garden. I never made the full transfer to DCC and mostly reverted back to DC due to the garden lines, all my scenic electrics are manually operated at my switch panel. However I'm currently planning a switch panel for my 4 points at the station to operate the PL-11 peco points which all need installing could DCC come in there? I suppose ideally I'd like to get a budget DCC controller that I can programme the Train-tech smart screens and possible using it just to control those and some sound modules also from train-tech, but if I do take the plunge and go fully digital will the controller I get work with all the decoders I already have. (Bachmann and Hornby) I've been told the Hornby Select and Bachmann Dynamis wired controllers only work with their own decoders. Will those cheaper budget controllers be able to program the train tech smart screens anyway? I did like the large LCD and all the information displayed of the wireless dynamis and would have kept it if there had been an option to have in wired. Plus the fact you could name the locos. I'm only now aware of the many DCC brands and the cost to which some of them run, but I'm so confused to which would meet my needs, if any of that makes sense, sorry If it doesn't, I blame it on the Sepsis.