any photos of control panels?

I have made a very simple Dispatch Center that shows the status of all turnouts and blocks. This Dispatch center is wired to an MTH 50-1004 AIU which is used to control the turnouts and the blocks.  No hand switches are used.  All turnouts and blocks are controlled by the MTH 50-1001 system using the hand held controller. The Dispatch Center has red, green and amber LEDS for indication.

I also have two separate control boxes that allow me to select turnouts or blocks manually.

To simplify wiring I have built a relay interface board for controlling my layout via the MTH 50-1001 DCS control system.  This board contains 20 high current relays which are used for controlling turnouts (switches) and block feeders. As a standalone interface this relay board could also be used with "manually" operated toggle switches if desired.  However it exactly matches the color coded terminal blocks shown on the AIU Patch Panel. 

Just curious, why do you need high current relays for switches?

The Relay Panel is used since I wire all the AIU Outputs using 12vdc circuits.  This means that the IN terminal on all the AIU outputs is tied to 12v COM (common). The AIU relays carry only about 1/2 ampere maximum which is just enough to activate the relays.

I use the AIU internal relays to control track voltage "blocks" by activating separate external block relays. Therefore the external relays route the TIU track voltage to various location on my layout. 

A second reason for using 12VDC at the AIU outputs is that I use this same signal to power the LEDs on my Dispatcher Board (annunciator panel).  The Dispatcher Board includes LEDs for turnout "position" and "Block" status.

Note 1: I also have a dedicated 12v relay for selecting between "fixed" and "variable" TIU outputs.

Note 2: The MTH turnout solenoids are all powered by a separate 18vac power source. They do NOT use track power.  All the 18vac turnout control circuits are current limited as well as protected by fuses and circuit breakers. Current is limited to 1.5 amperes by individual limiting resistors.  If any fault (short circuit) occurs in any turnout the fault is "cleared" without affecting any other turnout or track functions.

Note 3:  All wiring to the individual blocks are "home run" circuits that use 18AWG "shielded" stranded pairs.  The wire is the same as used for alarm circuits in commercial installations.

The AIU relays are rated at 10 amps @250VAC.  I don't see the need for booster relays on all the outputs.

I use the AIU internal relays to control track voltage "blocks" by activating separate external block relays. No TIU track voltage is routed through the AIU. Therfore 20 volt signals from the TIU remain outside the AIU.  These external relays route the TIU track voltage to various locations on my layout.  

The terminals on the AIU are very small.  I cannot easily connect 18 AWG wire at these points. However my Relay Board uses large "Euro" style connectors which makes wiring very clean and neat.

Note: My "home" run wiring provides cabling that connects to both the center rail and one outside rail.

Actually, I believe the AIU relays are rated at 4 amps.

Doubter!!  I opened up my AIU before I posted.  The printing on the relay shell is UL/CSA 10A @ 250VAC.  There is another symbol (European listing?) of 5A @ 250VAC.  I would say that 10 amps at 20 volts AC is appropriate for our applications.

Son of a gun, I was told they were 4A relays!  That's good to know.  That came up in a discussion of using the AIU to control track power.

I wonder if the PCB traces will support the 10A capacity of the relays, perhaps that's the limiting factor?

Dale, I'm going to have to call you on this point.  I don't see any 10A relays.

 It's been about two decades since I worked there but:

http://www.johnmaggs.fsnet.co....nt/MIDAS%20XL200.jpg

I just can't remember the model number of the Midas control. It did say Supertramp on it!

 I should have been this guy:

http://media.soundonsound.com/..._Live_Legends_05.jpg

 Oh Ben...........

We have uncovered a significant difference!  My relays are also Omron, but they are G5LE-14-ACD with the 10 amp rating for UL/CSA.  Looks to be the same package, just a different rating!  Mine's bigger than yours!!!!    You know, size does matter!

Joe, the audio faders in those consoles are my bread and butter.  I am the North American distributor for Penny & Giles faders that are manufactured in Wales.  Some of the consoles have over 100 input channels and faders!  The big ones are for 3-man film dubbing applications, but there are some 96 fader consoles in recording studios.

I guess we need to be careful recommending more than 5A for AIU's.

I know someone told me the ratings were 4 amps.

Here it is, in Barry's book.

The AIU's relays are rated for no more than 4 amps. If more than 4 amps are passed through an AIU's relay the relay can be damaged. Therefore, the expected amp draw for any tracks controlled by an AIU relay must be less than 4 amps

I bought my (then broken) AIU from Barry.  I have emailed him to see if maybe his was an early unit or if he knows the history of the change.  I don't see any date codes on the assembly, but the ULN2803As have a W99xxx that could indicate 1999.  The PC board is copyright 2000.  Maybe an early prototype/pilot run item?

Sounds like an early one, I guess they thought twice about sending 10 amps through the PCB and terminals.

Those large high current plug-in relays are dirt cheap and easily replaceable from any auto parts store.  Compared to sending the AIU back to MTh, waiting a "hundred years" for repair and return plus having part of layout disabled because missing AIU functionality.  AND the fact you don't have to try and get those teeny weeny wires into those AIU connection blocks openings (which seem to get smaller each year).  Rather have an auto relay fail from high current than burnt up traces and light duty relays.

But just my opinion, Your mileage may vary.

John, can you check the date codes on some of your chips? 

Barry wasn't much help in solving the puzzle.

Dale, I'll pull it back apart later and see what I find.  I actually have two of these, I might look in the other one as well, I know one is earlier than the other.

rrman\

Could those relays be used in a similar way to connect the large AWG wires into the Lionel/IC BPCs, etc?

Ralph

The photos didn't come out as good as I'd like, but I think I see some 2007 and 2008 chips in each of them. Specifically, the 74HC154 chips are of 2007 manufacture and the 74HC165 chips are of 2008 manufacture.

They're both also equipped with the 5A relays.

 1st AIU

2nd AIU

Here's my small panel:

I incorporated the Z-stuff switch controllers in the panel.

Panel construction details:

http://bobs-train-blog.blogspo...0/control-panel.html

http://bobs-train-blog.blogspo...0/10/why-switch.html 

Bob

FWIW, a photo of my control panel as it is right now..... but more controls for accessories need to be installed.

Certainly not anything like I saw posted.

I'm sorry, that isn't a photo, but a JPEG of the Control Panel DRAWING.

Here is a current photo of the Control Panel

Here's mine - courtesy of JMRI, an Arduino,  and a touchscreen monitor:

I have added a Power Monitor Board for use with my MTH DCS system.  The Power Board has two identical circuit breaker boxes each having 20VAC voltmeters and pilot lamps.  The circuit breakers are fast acting 5A resettable circuit breakers. 

This board monitors two fixed TIU output channels.

Note 1: Power for turnouts (switches) and accessories is provide by separate power panels. 

Note 2: Power for the TIU is supplied by a separate MTH Z750 brick.

What size resisters for the LED's?

For 12V, you'd probably use anything from a 470 ohm or larger.  Unless you need blazing bright, I'd probably consider a 1K for the application.

For the LEDs in my Dispatcher Panel I have used 560 ohm resistors. My power supply is set at 12 VDC. The resistor value selection assumes about a 2 volt drop across the LED and a 20 mA current through the LED.

I have built an Accessory Power Distribution Board for powering various operating accessories such as stations and towers, etc. I use 14vac for all accessories. The Power Board includes a 5 amp circuit breaker and 4 MTH 50-1014 Terminal Blocks.  Each terminal block supports 12 circuits (positions). I have also added a specific lamp on the power box that will indicate if the circuit breaker has tripped.

I have built a specific power supply and distribution board for powering various operating accessories such as stations and signal towers. This board includes circuit breaker protection and 4 MTH 50-1014 Terminal Blocks for distribution to various accessories. Each block had 12 positions. 

Here is a photo of my revised 12VDC power supply. This supply is composed of a full wave rectifier made from a diode bridge. See Radio Shack 8A Bridge Rectifier. The supply is fused. 

 Yes, I've heard of them. If I remember right they are the best.

I could have used some years ago when the crowd dumped beer into my mixer. Never worked as they should again.

 I never worked on a board with more than about 48 (or 60??) channels. I really can't remember much of anything!

I'm always trying to use some old stuff to make the RR sound better. Guys can't understand why I want to. It's not the volume I'm after. It's the quality. If I were rich, I would have the basement set up as a whole train experience. Lights, sounds, smells and the whole deal!

Mine is pretty basic so here it is.

George

simple, but effective. A simple table 18"w by 8 feet long,

4 feet high. 3-4 ZWs and a work station and a test track.

easy set up, easy running and easy working onn trains during the shows.

run em fast and furious!!

On my control system I have extensive circuit breaker protection.

The outputs from my Lionel KWs all have a 5 ampere circuit breaker.  See the attached photo which shows a power distribution board containing 2 circuit breakers and 2 voltmeters.

I also have circuit protection for the MTH TIUs. For all TIU outputs I also have 5 ampere circuit breakers.

Here is what we have for our control panel at the G&O...

How about tellings us a little more about your set up? Would it run from an iPad? Is your layout HO? Looks really cool.

Trainchief

Does anyone have new control panel photos?  This thread seemed the most recent/active so please reply here.

There was another thread on this topic here https://ogrforum.com/t...panel-s-control-area