Last night while I was pushing all of the turnout wires under the foam I had an : I plan to have a short block at the end of my stub end yard tracks so I can: Pull a train in engine first Drive a 2nd engine up behind Pick up the cars Shunt them somewhere else Allowing the engine to escape I thought “hmm”: Rather than put the electrical switch on the control panel why not put it where I put the rail gap. It can be painted ground color or maybe off grey. I intend to use Rocker switches though for this purpose I’m thinking maybe cheap slide switches or maybe micro slide switches might be just the ticket. I was also thinking about doing this for an engine terminal. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Any suggestions? [ January 17, 2006, 07:30 AM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
grey, never heard of doing it quite that way before. the only problem i see is making sure you have a switch rated high enough to handle the power if it is thrown with the throttle turned all of the way up. i haven't heard of it, but i am planning on doing something similar on my onetrak yard, having a dpdt switch to turn one siding from a programming track to a full useful track. then if i happened to be running dc instead of dcc, it would allow me to kill power to that block. beast
If you are going to mount the switch on the layout surface, be careful that it doesn't get gunked up with scenery schmutz (paint, glue, ground foam, etc.)
HI STEVE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR: Unless I grossly misunderstood your post: You want the switch in question to kill power to loco in the last short block? If I am correct, how about using an 'electric eye' circuit, which kills block power as loco's nose breaks the beam and make the circuit re-settable via fascia-mounted push button. My 2 cents....
Thanks Old Tom! Happy New Year to you too! Yes, you have it right. Um, how much and where should I look for such a cool toy?
HI AGAIN: Let me check in '06 Walthers catalog for photo-electric cell circuit and I'll get back to you on this....Old Tom
Steve, with a stub end track you can use a diode in one rail across a break to allow the loco in and have it stop automatically once the last wheelset has passed over the break. Then have your switch in series with it to allow the loco out at will. A rocker type with a spring action where you need to keep it depressed to close the switch will give you the control to allow the loco out later but not be left accidently on. An inexpensive option for you.
Grey, I swear you are reading my mind these days. Or else projecting your thoughts into my brain. I was also thinking of ways to isolate stub tracks so I could store non DCC engines as well as DCC engines. I have been pondering putting my control switches right on my layout and making the whole layout kind of a giant control panel. Today I start looking around and find your post about this. Twisted minds think alike. I am finding myself spending as much time pondering wiring as I used to spend with track design.
To prevent dust and stuff from fouling these switches, why not set a small building over them? Glue a couple of small strips of cloth at a couple of places along a side that is out of sight of visitors and so they will act as hinges in the correct direction to allow the building to tip over on one side. You can set one or more of the switches, then tip the building back in place so it looks good and hides the switches. 3 sides of the building can have shrubbery to hide any crack between building and table top, the building would go behind the bushes when in place. Nothing is needed on the 'hinge' side, it is out of sight.
watash, i like that. it could be a handy thing for me on my layout b/c i plan on going with ground throws for now, and adding tortoises in a few years..... beast
Using small buildings, parked semi-trailer trucks, hay stacks, boulders, and old well weathered box cars work well to hide things and prevent having a 'same-o' look around the layout that is a dead give-away to observant visitors. Sometimes two nails or short pieces of wire can be used to locate and maintain position instead of a hinge. The only drawback is, you have to find some place to put the 'cover' while you operate the hidden controls and be able to see the holes to replace the 'cover' easily. I like the hinge, but it isn't always possible to have the space to tip the 'cover' over. The pin method is especially useful when you need to replace a burned out light bulb in a building. The pins can carry the current, so you don't have to contend with a power cord while trying to handle the bulb.
some bushes to conceal a caboose ground throw, with a dead branch sticking up, glued to the throw handle..... hmmm...... beast
