My Little Railroad Buddy

Turnout Test Module

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, July 10th, 2009 at 07:08 AM (2135 Views)

Turnout Test Module

I'm planning to build a couple of control panels for my layout. In the interim, it's a real pain running trains when I have to throw every switch by DCC command and visually verify switch positions. So I built this test module. It incorporates two LED's and a pushbutton for turnout indication and control.

The module was simple to build. I used a five pin header, a five pin housing, crimp terminals, two SMD LED's, a tactile pushbutton and four conductor wire. I bent two of the header pins 90 degrees to mount the LED's. I soldered the components to the header and crimped wire into terminals and slid them into the housing.

I plan to build several of these and use them until I have a real control panel built.

Tags: indicator, panel, turnout, wiring

Categories: Special Projects , DCC & Electronics

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Comments

gregamer - July 11th, 2009 08:09 AM
Wiring diagram in relation to DS64 and Tortoise motors
gregamer - August 19th, 2009 12:47 AM
The TTM is wired up and acts as an interface between the DS64 and the Tortoise Motor. I finally got one all wired up and it works as intended.

Turnout Test Module Yellow and Green Indications

Now I just need to get motivated and wire up a dozen more.
gregamer - August 19th, 2009 05:09 AM
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhaMLyJB6QI"]YouTube - Turnout Test Module[/ame]

This is the first video I've uploaded. I just got a new camera that takes video and its pretty awesome.
gregamer - August 19th, 2009 10:23 PM
This is how it will look installed on the layout.

Riverside Lead with TTM installed.

It's probably a better idea to install red and green LED's since this is being used to give an indication at a trailing point location entering a main track.
gregamer - August 19th, 2009 10:23 PM
Union Wye with TTM installed.
gregamer - August 26th, 2009 05:58 AM
Riverside Lead with TTM

I built new signals with red or lunar indications to indicate stop or proceed at restricted speed.
Alan C. - January 4th, 2010 10:19 PM
I just found this! I found this page and may help you solve the last piece of the puzzle for tortoise turnouts, Its a heavy duty switch that you can add to power the frog and use the DPDT on the turnout for other apps.this whould also protect the tortoise from burnt contacts. This page has alot of good info and what you are looking for is on the bottom 1/4 of it

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/sw_ctl.htm#tort_conn

Hope this helps everyone good luck ~Alan C.
gregamer - January 5th, 2010 12:31 PM
Thanks for the tip Alan. I haven't had a need for extra contacts with the Tortoise motors I have installed. Interesting point about burning out Tortoise contacts, I have no idea what their contact rating is.

I am going to use a micro-switch to route frog power with some of the servo motors I'm now using as turnout motors.