Thanks Charlie

Thank you for sharing your layout.  I am building a large layout and your layout progress articles and videos have inspired me to get out of the chair and into the basement.  This summer have have been able to get a lot of  bench work constructed and track down and have began small OPS sessions.  My layout is still a "plywood pacific" as far as scenery.  It is nice to see that you are moving forward on your layout construction.

My own layout progress will be slowing down because of my current (un)employment situation, and the majority of my layout progress was from supplies stock piled while I was working away from home.

DPDT Switches in the simplified control panel

Great Progress Report!

You mentioned on the simplified control panel you used "…DPDT switches – the first pole operates the Tortoises while the other poles are cascaded to illuminate a LED showing which of the nine tracks is selected."  Sounds like a great idea, Any chance we can get a sketch?  

Thanks!

Bob Courtney

Nice control panel...

Charlie,
Thanks for sharing information on your layout progress. It's nice to know that I wasn't the only using technology/computers to help with the design of a layout, particularly with control panel. I also have created control panels on my PC using Corel Draw software and printing them on photo paper, affixing them to 1/8" thick masonite with Super 77. I also sprayed a protective clear coat. See my attached example.

In regards to your control panel though, it would be great if you came up with an article on how you went about wiring the panel itself more in depth. I know I had a lot of "fun" with my limited electrical knowledge getting mine to work for me. So things like what LEDs and switches you chose, along with basic wiring schematics would be a great asset for us novice electricians.

Thanks,
Steve Rigelhof 

A little different approach to switch panel construction