Thanks 'much' Art and Mark.
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Control of turnouts remotely via the dispatcher's panel (PC's FLAT SCREEN) using LCC.
Phase I summary of previous work:
Presently: The turnouts can only be thrown via the original control panel. The dispatcher's panel only indicates which way the turnouts on the mainline are thrown.
Future: With the new LCC (Layout Command Control) Tower CB (circuit board) and logic, turnouts can be thrown via the dispatcher's panel or the original control panel.
Phase II: Running wires from the SCSD-8 CB's to each turnout.
I need to replace the LED test CB with an SCSD-8 (8 output solenoid driver) CB and connect input power to it and output to each of 4 turnout switch machines per board. I need to connect 12 switch machines so three SCSD-8 CB's are need.
This the schematic for the SCSD-8 CB. The input voltage (-V, +V) is the '2-input' connector. The long '10 pin' output connector is for 4 twin coil solenoids plus two common outputs (9, 10).
Input is 25 volts with a capacitor discharge CB to the SCSD-8.
To insure no power loss, 14 gauge wire was run from the capacitor discharge CB to a terminal strip close to the SCSD-8 CB's.
14 gauge wire was then routed to each SCSD-8 input CB. We were getting shorts when connecting the common (9,10) to the twin coil machines. Joe and I found out the output commons (9,10) are positive and, also, not needed for my set up via the original momentary SPDT toggles. Normally common is ground and that is how I have my entire layout setup. On the SCSD-8 CB's common is hot thus I had to reverse input wires going to the original momentary SPDT toggles. Plus no wire is needed to 9,10 as we figure the CB does it internally.
The original momentary SPDT toggles on the main control panel. The new yellow and red wires goes to the SCSD-8 CB so the turnouts can be thrown either by the main control panel or the new dispatcher's flat screen display. 16 gauge wire was used to insure no 'juice' is lost. The gray wires on the right interface with LCC to 'throw' the toggles on the dispatcher's flat screen display.
Thus far, 4 turnouts have been connected so that the dispatcher's screen can now throw the turnouts without having to get up to throw them on the original control panel. Using the mouse to click at the base of any turnout will throw it in the opposite direction. Nice when things start working correctly
This should complete the entire signalling system and dispatcher's panel that was started about a year ago last Fall.
Functions:
1) Scale signalling system indicating occupancy for the next 4 blocks. The signals on the dispatcher's panel will change to the appropriate color as the train passes or the dispatcher can click on the signal to change it's color.
2) Trains show up in red on the dispatcher's panel indicating their location.
3) An 'EAST' or 'WEST' sign will show up above each block indicating which direction the train is proceeding.
4) Control of all turnouts either via the dispatcher's panel or the original control panel.