RMweb Gold RFS Posted February 26, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26, 2016 Is access to your layout's control station via a lift-up flap? Then like me you live in fear of the day you forget to lower it when starting the layout, and your favourite loco attempts (unsuccessfully) to jump the gap. It's only happened to me once with a new loco, but fortunately I'd discarded the packaging carelessly and it landed on a heap of bubble wrap. Phew! Since then I've been thinking about how to prevent that happening again. The other night I went to fridge, and when I opened the door the light came on. I then realized here was the solution! The light is controlled by a "push to break" switch so something similar could be installed under the flap. A quick search on Ebay revealed plenty of "cupboard switches" designed to switch on the lights when you open the door, eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311290201462?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Here it is installed under the flap. My Lenz DCC system has the facility for a wired emergency stop button, and the wires from this switch go to its E and M terminals. Lift the flap, or power on with the flap up, and the Lenz goes into Emergency Stop mode. If your DCC system doesn't have this facility then a simple expedient would be to connect the two wires to your bus, thereby triggering a DCC short when your flap is up. And I'm sure you could do the same with DC systems, although you may need one switch per crossing track. Now I can sit back and relax safe in the knowledge that my locos are firmly grounded! Best £1.99 I've spent in a long time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnb Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 My preference would be to use the switch or switches to break the supply to the track at a stopping distance from the drop on any type of system. Simply put, no volts = no movement. Simple and more or less foolproof. Inducing a short circuit strikes me as a method of putting stress on the system. Yes I know it happens and regularly, but would much rather not use it as a preventative measure. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RFS Posted February 26, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26, 2016 My preference would be to use the switch or switches to break the supply to the track at a stopping distance from the drop on any type of system. Simply put, no volts = no movement. Simple and more or less foolproof. Inducing a short circuit strikes me as a method of putting stress on the system. Yes I know it happens and regularly, but would much rather not use it as a preventative measure. John The switch automatically makes a circuit when you lift the flap. How you make use of that is up to you. As my Lenz DCC system has an official method of installing emergency stop switches, that's what I've used - no short circuits involved. There are also a couple of red push-to-make switches also connected to this circuit elsewhere in the room. For example, an alternative method might be to wire up the switch to a 12v alarm powered from an auxiliary socket on your DC controller, so if the flap is up when you power on the alarm sounds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 That looks like a useful piece of kit. I always find mounting switches to switch a lifting section in a place where they don't rip my jacket to be a challenge. Switching a short isolated section of track approaching the lift out gap is my preferred option, about 3 to 4 feet in 00 is good but when I finally get my Dyna drive clone West Country working it might need 20 feet. The drawback to the fridge switch is it operates when the plunger is extended. Car interior light door switches work the same way and are smaller and easier to mount, but my preference is for a fairly hefty microswitch or change over reed switch which can be operated by a magnet set into the end of the lift section. Both these will operate an isolator directly and if you wire them right can also short the isolated section to help the braking effect. Another consideration is when the train smacks in to the raised lifting deck which might be easier to manage with DCC but could make quite a mess of some current models and possibly bend the front coupling on 60 year old models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Interesting and good topic to have started/posted. My lift up section is currently "uncontrolled". I am working on the principle that I usually check my "stupid" character trait at the door to the layout room. Obviously NOT a good long-term solution. I try and keep the DCC system disconnected when the lift is up, but I know it's one of those inevitable things. I've been pondering many options, some more sophisticated than others, my system is NCE Powercab and there's no global Emergency stop just current selected loco, otherwise I'd use that. In the mean time I'm thinking that the bus sections either side of the lift should be controlled through something like a micro-switch connected to a heavy duty relay that does the bus power switching. Nice to see thoughts, opinions and options being discussed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted February 27, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 27, 2016 I made my liftup so that it was powered at both ends with a plug and socket on a short lead, using a Hi-Fi 1/4" plug. Beyond the lift out one of the rails was gapped a long way down (about 1 flex track length). Opposite sides gapped on each side. With the plags in, the North rail was powered from the right, passed through the lift out, and powered the gapped section on the left. Reverse for the South rail. With short enough leads, the plugs had to be disconnected before the lift could be done. Disconnecting even one plug killed both sides. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I can't leave my 'lift-up flap' in the open position, as when it is open it has to be held there, so it has to be returned to close position - no problem (- ish !?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I can't leave my 'lift-up flap' in the open position, as when it is open it has to be held there, so it has to be returned to close position - no problem (- ish !?) Sounds like a plan, but surely a bit awkward when friends come to see / operate? I have the opposite, a big plywood catch for the upper level and a bolt for the lower so the flap does not fall on anyone, but with car bonnet hinges on the upper and one car bonnet hinge (Ford Escort) and one domestic door hinge on the lower getting in and out only takes around 17 seconds. The car hinges give a lot more accurate alignment as they are screwed to the sides of the framing and not the top or baseboard surface and are a fraction of the width. Wandering off topic I wondered about a cupboard door scenic treatment for a lift out against a door which opened outwards where the scenery behind the track swung out wards with the shed door, the scenery in front swung open into the shed and only the track lifted up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Yeah, 'tis a 'bit awkward', but there's sufficient room to hold it ( the 'lift-up flap' that is) up while others file in one by one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted February 27, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 27, 2016 Glad you started this topic, lots of great ideas. The layout I'm building has a lift out section, so I'll need to use one of the ideas above. PS the layout is G-Scale, so if a loco went off the end there would be a mighty big crash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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