Basic control panel ideas?

[Rusty_08]

Hi everyone,
Still relatively new to the hobby and very new to wiring. Looking for a basic concept for a panel that has DPDT switches for my tortoise machines. Not really interested in anything elaborate with LEDs etc but will consider it if they are an absolute must. Thanks in advance.

 

[timlange3]

I've seen people drill a hole in the fascia and mount the switch in front of the turnout, with or without led. If there are several turnouts in the area I've seen a track schematic mounted on the fascia with switches mounted at the turnout locations. I've seen switches mounted with the lever vertical next to the turnout. and switches far away from the turnouts, in another room to represent a distant controller. The distant ones had to have at least two people, one managing turnouts and one running the train. In the case of what I saw, there were two people on the control panel and about twenty running trains. It was a big basement!

 

[Rusty_08]

I've seen people drill a hole in the fascia and mount the switch in front of the turnout, with or without led. If there are several turnouts in the area I've seen a track schematic mounted on the fascia with switches mounted at the turnout locations. I've seen switches mounted with the lever vertical next to the turnout. and switches far away from the turnouts, in another room to represent a distant controller. The distant ones had to have at least two people, one managing turnouts and one running the train. In the case of what I saw, there were two people on the control panel and about twenty running trains. It was a big basement!

Thanks Tim. Ideally I think I'd just like to have all of the switches in the same area of the fascia with a number that corresponds to the turnout. Hopefully that would work ok. My layout will never be too complicated, it is just 4x8 right now with an eventually plan way down the road to add another 4x8 table, alter the layout slightly and make an L-shape.
Appreciate the reply.

 

[Smudge617]

This is mine, Peco PL26R passing contact switches for the turnout's, mounted in Peco PL27 switch module's. The spdt's underneath are for the turnout ground signal's, I did have LED's for those signal's but removed them, the ones on the left control the layout's lighting.

If you don't want to make your own, you could use one of these, a point motor switch box.

I assume you'll install a CDU for your turnout's?

 

[Rusty_08]

This is mine, Peco PL26R passing contact switches for the turnout's, mounted in Peco PL27 switch module's. The switches underneath are for the switch ground signal's, I did have LED's for the signal's but removed them, the ones on the left control the layout's lighting.

View attachment 166498

If you don't want to make your own, you could use one of these, a point motor switch box.

View attachment 166499

I assume you'll install a CDU for your turnout's?

That looks great. Can I ask what made you take the LEDs out? The switch box looks down my alley. Yes, I will install CDU.

 

[Smudge617]

That looks great. Can I ask what made you take the LEDs out? The switch box looks down my alley. Yes, I will install CDU.

Simply two much wiring, the LED's were powered by the SPDT's, so I had 3 SPDT wires for each turnout, plus two wires split into them, and a ground wire, plus the three wires for each turnout lever, I'm rubbish with wiring, as you can see, mine was a flipping disaster, so I took them out.

 

[Smudge617]

The switch box looks down my alley

Much easier to install, I didn't know these were available when I built mine or I would have used them myself.

 

[Mixed Freight]

Thanks Tim. Ideally I think I'd just like to have all of the switches in the same area of the fascia with a number that corresponds to the turnout. Hopefully that would work ok. My layout will never be too complicated, it is just 4x8 right now with an eventually plan way down the road to add another 4x8 table, alter the layout slightly and make an L-shape.
Appreciate the reply.

Just a thought, but if I were in your situation, I would consider ground throws or similar manually-operated turnouts on all that were in easy reach of your operating station. Just power the ones out of reach. That would save some money on the Tortoises and wiring components.

But, I can also understand the fascination of having ALL turnouts powered, whether they're close by or not. And if you don't have a lot of turnouts to start with, it probably wouldn't break the bank to power them all, anyways. Have fun, either way you go.

 

[Rusty_08]

Much easier to install, I didn't know these were available when I built mine or I would have used them myself.

Right on, thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Rusty_08]

Just a thought, but if I were in your situation, I would consider ground throws or similar manually-operated turnouts on all that were in easy reach of your operating station. Just power the ones out of reach. That would save some money on the Tortoises and wiring components.

But, I can also understand the fascination of having ALL turnouts powered, whether they're close by or not. And if you don't have a lot of turnouts to start with, it probably wouldn't break the bank to power them all, anyways. Have fun, either way you go.

I already have 3 tortoise machines so may as well hook them up. I get what you're saying tho. Appreciate your response.

 

[hunslet040]

Here's my control panel.
It was made by drawing a track plan using a free track planning software and then printed out and taken to a local shop where it was laminated in plastic. Text was added for switch reference and decoration before lamination.
The plan could also be drawn using a drawing program or free hand with a pen and ruler.
The laminated sheet was then stuck to a piece of plywood and holes drilled for the switches and LEDs.
I used push button switches but there is no reason why toggle switches cannot be used.
Ignore the lights above as it is part of an Infra Red control system which parallels the switches.

 

[Smudge617]

Here's my control panel.
It was made by drawing a track plan using a free track planning software and then printed out and taken to a local shop where it was laminated in plastic. Text was added for switch reference and decoration before lamination.
The plan could also be drawn using a drawing program or free hand with a pen and ruler.
The laminated sheet was then stuck to a piece of plywood and holes drilled for the switches and LEDs.
I used push button switches but there is no reason why toggle switches cannot be used.
Ignore the lights above as it is part of an Infra Red control system which parallels the switches.

View attachment 166503

Nice, I like those type of control panels, no need to remember which lever controls which turnout, something I have trouble with on some days.

 

[Lynnb]

Hi everyone,
Still relatively new to the hobby and very new to wiring. Looking for a basic concept for a panel that has DPDT switches for my tortoise machines. Not really interested in anything elaborate with LEDs etc but will consider it if they are an absolute must. Thanks in advance.

Well seeing as you mention tortoise machines. I use ds64’s and the tortoise switch machines are controlled by either hand controller with my dt400 or the other option which I just completed not long ago using push buttons mounted on the fascia board. Very inexpensive and sooooo much better than using my hand controller now.
I have done the dpdt toggle panels in the past but find push buttons across from the switch makes life so much better.

 

[Bigboy57]

My layout is medium sized and I chose to mount the toggle switches to a rigid board (Masonite in most cases) and the panels that just have the push buttons for turnouts, I used the thin vinyl fascia material. My layout is a walk around type layout of which I rarely sit and I have spotted the control panels in adjacent areas.