Let's See your Control Panels

SDVike May 20, 2021

  1. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

    3,259
    6,172
    70
    Pat self on back!
     
    BNSF FAN and Nil like this.
  2. 308GTSi

    308GTSi TrainBoard Member

    432
    957
    16
    I think this is what you are looking for ...... at the 6:29 point. The whole video is worth watching.
    With the reasonable availability of cheap older iPads and tablets we could be looking at the future of route management on big layouts. I'm not sure how it works as I am a caveman by electronics standards.

     
  3. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

    3,259
    6,172
    70
    Thanks for the video link! That panel is really cool, since you only have to select entry and exit tracks, and it aligns all the switches to get there automatically! I'd settle for just a diagram of my layout (HCD folded dog bone++) with the switch locations as soft buttons that control the respective switch. The routing would be icing on the cake!
     
    Mark Ricci and 308GTSi like this.
  4. Nil

    Nil TrainBoard Member

    30
    55
    2
    I don't know about the rest of you, but I've never seen a tablet with a row of (physical) buttons and a speaker grill on the front. It looks more like some automation interface panels I've worked with. I suspect that the system is based on PC or PLC technology.

    Here is one example for PLCs; I couldn't find a good match for the one in the video.
    s-l1600.jpg
     
    Dogwood likes this.
  5. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

    3,259
    6,172
    70
    Agreed. But with a touch screen display, you would not need any physical buttons. I get it that safety critical systems may eschew soft buttons (touchscreen zones), but this is hardly safety critical.

    Unless your prized, one-of-one locomotive re-enacts Galileo's famous gravity experiment from the Tower of Pisa, causing the operator's cardiac arrest, suicidal depression, etc.

    Sure, it's all fun and games, until a tipsy locomotive decides to go off-roading, and hits the floor (cue tragic, operatic solo.)
     
    Mark Ricci and 308GTSi like this.
  6. sidney

    sidney TrainBoard Member

    1,235
    2,086
    37
    hummm off roading loco hahaha ....some place i saw a pic of a loco that was derailed and driven down town to power the town.......
     
    BigJake likes this.
  7. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

    3,259
    6,172
    70
    Several years ago Montana Rail Link (?) sidelined several locomotives so they could generate and sell the electricity.
     
  8. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

    480
    649
    13
    3 concurrent instances of Android Bluestacks running Engine Driver on Win10 touch screen laptop is the control panel..

    IMG_3456.jpg
     
    sidney, Nil and Sumner like this.
  9. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

    2,798
    5,837
    63
    Never heard of 'Bluestacks'....just looked it up....pretty cool app for windows. I might have to try that out at some point, not sure how I might use it but will give it some thought.

    Thanks,

    Sumner
     
    Mark Ricci likes this.
  10. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

    480
    649
    13
    Discovered BlueStacks a couple of years ago for running Eng Drv rather than using a iPhone. It emulates a Samsung 8. Think this could work for those wanting to use ED on a windows device, possibly as an interim solution for running ED, or kinda do a panel. While now I'm 100% DCC EX, up until last month, same thing was done with JMRI withrottle server is up. Been using virtualization and emulation software for decades and there is no better way to test. Evaluate the newest and beta ED or new software like EX Toolbox on Blue Stacks b4 installing on Android tablet. Great way to explore and determine whether to install on tablet.

    Limited to 3 instances due to having only 4G RAM on this 9yr old laptop.

    Blue Stacks emulator is really a Oracle Virtualbox guest. Make 1 instance all set with the software and then replicate essentially creating x number of Samsung 8s all with the same look and apps installed or use 1 as a template, to copy from and then test.

    o yeah, definitely cool. Hope you try and have fun with it.
     
    Sumner and sidney like this.
  11. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

    480
    649
    13
    Just upgraded JMRI and decided to see if any changes from prior release however decided to explore a possibility for you. Perhaps the use of the JMRI Web Server as shown below would be an acceptable compromise?

     
    sidney, Hardcoaler and BNSF FAN like this.
  12. Bookbear1

    Bookbear1 TrainBoard Supporter

    637
    876
    35
    Nothing at all fancy, just a small (36' x 72") hollow core layout. I just recently re-did the control panel. I have two layouts, and the control panel can be moved from one to the other, sliding into a slot on the layout base.
    The old version:
    upload_2023-7-23_19-13-33.png

    The new version:

    upload_2023-7-23_19-14-26.png

    The yellow pigtail above the Zephyr is for the programming track extension. The old panel base plate was steel, and heavy, with a 45 degree angle. The new one is aluminum, with a 25 degree angle... much lighter, and easier to see at this height (54"). The Digitrax throttle usually hangs off the layout just to the left of the panel.
     

Share This Page