Ideas for indicator lights on Atlas turntable whisker tracks and small electrical connectors (1.27mm)

I have the same issue.  I initially thought of a pole at the end of each whisker track, but then I wanted something not quite so obvious.  I laid out this little LED indicator panel, each 1" x 1/2"  square can be individually powered from one of the whisker tracks.  My plan is to find a little building to put it in so it won't jump out at you, but be easily visible from the operating point.  The panel has all the resistors and diodes to protect the LED panels, so just connect directly to track power on each whisker and you're done.  I have 16 whisker tracks, so that's what I designed for.

That looks neat. Sorry but  here come the usual questions.

1) if i understand the dimensions, is the whole panel roughly 4x2?

2) I am not familiar with the "self contained led panel including resistor and diode" concept. Is this a commercial item or did you design / build these items and integrate into the panel (breadboard?) with the connectors?

3) the 16 panels look translucent, can they be numbered or identified? Is that a breadboard underneath with some type of cover?

The individual 4-lite parts are a little over 3/4" wide, the whole PCB is 2" by 1.25".

That LED displays are a commercial part, the Lite-On LTL-2820G.

I designed the PCB they're mounted on, and it also has all the dropping resistors and a couple of reverse voltage protection diodes for the LED's.

My plan is to print black numbers on a clear transparency to number the tracks, typically I just use Microsoft Word for stuff like this, it's the same process I've used to make numberboards.

Using lighted LED toggle switches in the control box might help (since they are rated at 12v you might need to wire a diode in place to limit current to the LED light if you are running at 18v for command mode).

Are lighted bumpers at the end of each whisker track an option ?

If you're controlling them with discrete switches, Richie has the obvious solution, just make your panel with indicator lights.  In my case, I'm controlling the tracks using the Lionel SC2 TMCC boxes, so there is no switch panel.

I considered lighted bumpers, but depending on where you were, you might not be able to see the lights.

Thanks for all the input. I am always amazed at the ideas and details the forum members have. GRJ, that is quite the "elegant" design!

In retrospect, I should have used lighted toggles on the control box since that would have been a plus.  But it is still a big advantage to be able to look quickly and see a specific track is powered.  One plus for these light poles is that they can be tall enough to be seen above an engine on the track. On lighted bumpers, I am space constrained on several of the whisker tracks so I was hoping to avoid losing the inches they take up.  If you look closely at GRJ's whisker tracks, he is using a space saving design for bumpers. Here is a thread on what some folks have done with track or whisker bumperswith space constraints.  I was planning on a combination of these ideas and the taller lights.

I kept the whisper track selection simple, low cost, easy to install and fool prove for my conventional control layout.  The whisper tracks were wired to a Radio Shack rotary 10 position (15 & 20 position switches are available by other manufactures on eBay) switch to select the track to be powered.  A momentary contact push button switch (with black push button) was installed on the control panel and wired in series to allow the selected track and turntable bridge track to only be powered when this switch is held down.

The turntable track and all the Round House/stall tracks have common outside rails.  The center rails of the Round House/stall tracks are each wired individually to a spot on the rotary selector switch on the control panel (see Picture below)  thus allowing only one stall track to get power at a time.  The rotary selection switch does not have to be put in a track plan diagram like mine.

It can be located any where.  It it is not required to number or label the whisker tracks if one has only a small number of tracks as my layout has.

Charlie

I have a rotary switch that I'm going to put on a panel to allow me to manually run the TT.  It's on the back burner since I got it working under command control.

I'm not sure I understand the idea of having to hold a button to power the whisker tracks and TT bridge, that sounds really annoying to live with.

John

There has to be a way to only power the TT and RH stall selected to only be powered when necessary.  If an engine is on the TT or the selected RH stall and those tracks are always live with the track voltage they will operate with the use of that transformer for any use.  I used a momentary push button switch to eliminate that switch being left in the ON position unintentionally.

Charlie

I power the TT bridge all the time that the TT service loop track power is on.  Of course I run strictly command locomotives, so that's no issue.  I do want to only power the whisker tracks that I actually intend access, so those are individually controlled.  I don't want all the TT whisker tracks coming on and powering up sixteen locomotives!