How did you all build a removable left panel for your track.?

The lazy man's way, the Mianne powered lift-bridge.

There are some good ideas in the Backshop Volume 11 DVD.

-Dave

A piece of 1X6:

A Maytag dryer door-switch is wired into the 120VAC power to the layout. When in place the 1X6 lift-out board depresses the plunger and power is provided to the Pike.

Simple, cheap, quick, fail-safed and.....bulletproof. 

The scrap crafter's way, 1/2" to 3/4" plywood base with 1/4" plywood sides.

Here is the bottom view showing wiring so it will act as a safety switch:

See my Toy Train Layout Wiring - Switches, Page 2

thanks all.  those are some pretty cool ways of doing this.  I definetly need to make pins to make these stay in place.  I thought of quick disconnect wire tabs so I can pass through freely because its my garage.  

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The lazy man's way, the Mianne powered lift-bridge.

omg I cant believe they have something like this.  thats pretty cool.  

Yep, makes it easy to go inside.  I just have to get the real track laid now!

I attempted to make a hinged section to emulate a lionel crossing gate. The red led clusters blink when "gate" down, do not blink when "gate" upright. Approximately 36" wide opening. Table area that hinges up/down is approximately 36" x 48". Plan to have 4 mainlines crossing. Used a magnetic proximity switch and four relays wired such that when you open gate, relays cut power to the mainlines that cross the gate. Hinge point (really rotation point) is located so that the area tilting up does not interfere with the table on the rotation side of the area rotating. I use Gargraves track, and they make a track pin that looks is a blade that is about 2" long and 3/8" wide. Blade replaces normal track pin on the tracks that are part of the stationary table top. I have the blades protruding about 3/8" from the track. On the track mounted on the lifting section of table I undercut the rails so that from the end it looks like an upside down "U", which comes down on the exposed blades to keep the track alinged when closed. Used wiring from stationary table to rotating table for power - did not want to depend on the "U"s, they are just for ailgnment.

I have a swing up bridge and have been looking for a simple way to hold it securely in place.  I didn't want to use latches so I've been thinking about using a steel plate and supermagnets to hold it securely.  This way I wouldn't have to reach to fasten and unfasten the latches.

Jan

MED posted:

I attempted to make a hinged section to emulate a lionel crossing gate. The red led clusters blink when "gate" down, do not blink when "gate" upright. Approximately 36" wide opening. Table area that hinges up/down is approximately 36" x 48". Plan to have 4 mainlines crossing. Used a magnetic proximity switch and four relays wired such that when you open gate, relays cut power to the mainlines that cross the gate. Hinge point (really rotation point) is located so that the area tilting up does not interfere with the table on the rotation side of the area rotating. I use Gargraves track, and they make a track pin that looks is a blade that is about 2" long and 3/8" wide. Blade replaces normal track pin on the tracks that are part of the stationary table top. I have the blades protruding about 3/8" from the track. On the track mounted on the lifting section of table I undercut the rails so that from the end it looks like an upside down "U", which comes down on the exposed blades to keep the track alinged when closed. Used wiring from stationary table to rotating table for power - did not want to depend on the "U"s, they are just for ailgnment.

wow,  thats some effort!