Is it possible to build a control panel like this with bi-colour L.E.D's?

[topsy11]

Hello.

 

I'm just going through the thought motions with building a small control panel for part of my layout. As this is the first time I've built a layout I'm trying to plan things the best I can before starting the building process.

 

This is just a small area of my layout on the mainline leading down to two station sidings. Its the area furtherest away from where I sit so I'm quite keen to get this part point motored up and with some signals fitted.

 

I'll be using tortoise point motors and have ordered some CR signals. I've decided to use DC to control the points and signals and want to build some sort of diagram with L.E.D's and switches. I'll have to build a second one later on in the build but want this little one for this section of track for now.

 

Now I'm not sure if what I want is possible or if it is how complex it'll actually be.

 

My other concern is if I'll have enough power/current to run all the L.E.D's plus 4 point motors and 7 signals from a 12v, 1 or 2 amp supply??

 

I've printed this diagram off anyrail which is the track plan...

 

 

What I'd then like to do is mount this on and then install bi-colour (red/green) L.E.D's along the track plan which will indicate which route is set (green) and which is blocked (red)

 

So in this diagram both mainline routes are set and the switch over and point to the station is closed...

 

 

However if I change the points so a train can leave the station siding (curved point on right) and go on to the inner mainline the L.E.D's change to reflect this on the control panel as per this diagram...

 

 

It all seems quite complex whilst I'm sat here typing - I'm fine with soldering but not sure how I'd even begin wiring something like that up. I'd be using DPDT switches to control the point motors and L.E.D's. 

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Best regards

Mark

 

 

[DCB]

The concept is fundamentally flawed in that the road set up is much less obvious than the ones bocked.  

 

I would illuminate the whole diagram with clear LEDs and insert coloured LEDs between to indicate which roads were set up.  

[topsy11]

I don't think it'll be too hard to see what route is set? There would be enough led's to see which route is red/green.

 

I'm just wondering if it's possible to wire something like this up or if it's require some type of circuit board/controller to change the to each indicated route.

 

I can of course stick to conventional one red/one green led for each point but just fancied doing something a little different :-)

[martink]

This would actually be quite easy to do.  Deciding whether or not it would be worth doing is purely a matter of personal preference.  

 

If LEDs are run at full brightness (say 470 ohm resistors off 12V DC), 50 of them would draw 1 Amp.  At reduced brightness (say using 1K resistors), the same 50 would draw 0.5 Amp.  Check the rating of your power supply, leaving at least another 0.5 Amp or so for hlaf a dozen tortoises.

 

Switching one or several LEDs together is basically the same problem - just wire them and their resistors in parallel (i.e. each LED is wired to its own resistor, then control wire A is connected to all the LEDs and control wire B to all the resistors).  So, you can design the panel assuming only one LED at each node, and then add more as required.

 

A-----------------

      |       |       |

   Res  Res  Res

      |       |       |

   LED  LED  LED

      |       |       |

B-----------------

 

Functionally, the panel would look something like this, with point switches shown by letters and unique LEDs by numbers.   LEDs 1 are permanently green, 2 and 3 are wired with opposite polarity off switch A, 4 and 5 off B, and 6 and 7 off C.  The only complication is that if you would want both 6 and 7 to stay red if B is set to the main line it gets a bit more complex.

 

---1---A--------2--------------------

            \

             3

               \

---2-------------1----B----4--------

                               \

                                5

                                  \

                                   C----6----

                                     \

                                      7

                                        \

                                          ------

[Ray H]

I've done something similar with our club layout using 4PDT switches but I've also incorporated indications of which switches should and shouldn't be operated because others have set up conflicting routes.

 

I worked on the basis that we used green to indicate a set route (or part thereof) and only used red to indicate when catch/trap points were open.

 

I'd certainly suggest experimenting with just the green LEDs first because I think they'd be sufficient. It would also solve the problem of wanting to not indicate a clear route when part of the route was blocked by an inappropriately set point.

[Brian]

I can never really get my mind around why modellers want both red and green panel indications to portray set and unset routes?

The real thing doest do this, so why do modellers need it?

Simplest IMO and with far less wiring and LEDs is to use just white or yellow LEDs to just illuminate the path of a set route.  All other (non set route) LEDs are extinguished and not noticeable.

If wiring one LED to the next and so on in the same route is a problem due to the amount of wiring involved, then consider using LED strips for all or parts of a route.

[arff999]

Im making one for a 17 road fiddle yard showing only green for the route set and all the rest go to red done using bi coloured leds 1k resistors and diodes

john

[Suzie]

There might be some value in using different colours to show the directionn the the route is set for, and using different colours for the top line and the bottom line when set to distinguish them at a glance

[Ray H]

I put as many visual aids on the control panel diagram - that is as new to scale relative to the track layout as I could make it and not a schematic - as I could because the (club) layout may see the exhibition circuit one day and I was endeavouring to minimise the number of derailments through wrongly set points and abrupt stops because the sections weren't turned on. What happens?

 

"Operators" still seem to have a "flick any switch and see what happens" mentality, looking at the actual set of points they're trying to operate rather than what the control panel tells them. Grrrrr!

[big jim]

i kept it simple with my hidden points, 12v led strips from maplin wired via the point frog so when set one way the red ones light up and the other the green ones light up, no switches or anything and does the job

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69543-big-jims-new-build-shed-layout-now-with-running-trains/?p=1100325

 

have a look on my thread above (video on the next page along from the linked page)

[Black Sheep]

When I finally build my big layout I'll be wanting to show which controller a section is set for. Route indication will be by where the point switch is pointing!

 

The real thing doesn't usually have multiple users trying to share track as far as I'm aware...

[topsy11]

Well I've made a very basic start although I think I'll just stick to a single red/green l.e.d to show which way the point is set...

 

http://vid37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/ecossepeugeot206/IMG_1818_zpsgjdogv8z.mp4

 

I would still love to build a panel as listed above but can't even begin to think how I'd wire it all up, and as for a 17 yard fiddle road!!! 

[Crosland]

I can never really get my mind around why modellers want both red and green panel indications to portray set and unset routes?

The real thing doest do this, so why do modellers need it?

The same reason we use electric motors in kettles

 

The same reason many run with permanantly fixed, or non-existent, signals

 

etc...

 

Andrew

[Brian]

The same reason we use electric motors in kettles

<snip>

Andrew

I have an element in my kettle! :-)

 

I still cannot see the need to have 'red unset' and 'green set' indication LEDs all brightly lit to show the operator the point positions.  All that's needed is one or more LED(s) in a row that illuminate to show the set route, nothing more. If they are not lit the route is not set! Simples

 

Edit to correct a typo.

[cpman46]

Brian

 

I agree with you. Only need to indicate the route set. This is a picture of part of a control panel for an 11 road 'O' gauge fiddle yard built for a customer to his spec. DPDT toggle switches control Tortoise point motors and panel LEDs.

 

 

Lit LEDs indicate the route set. The operators of the layout have commented on the ease of seeing the route(s) set.

 

[topsy11]

cpman46 did you build that control panel?