MOMENTARY ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR FAST TRACK UNCOUPLER SECTINOS

Yes there is and your title is pretty close.  A Momentary Contact Switch has the button spring loaded in the open position.  When pressed the circuit is complete, when released the button rises and the circuit is open.  I have used it for putting power to a spur.  Granger shows such switches in their catalog, Amazon probably has them.  John in Lansing, ILL

Toggle switch - center off momentary or called On-On - read detail description to be sure it is spring operated.

I used these for a small control box project - these are the size that you would find on an electric guitar, if that helps. Still have a 6 amp rating. The box is 4.5" w x 6"L

Switches and 2 uncoupler tracks

I only used one ON position and the center pole for the UNC - ran the hot to center and the on hot pole out to the magnet. Track common is ground. Need a common common (ground) if using separate transformers.

A doorbell button works, also. Can get those at the hardware store.

Then, you can go down that road for various button types and shapes. Digikey or eBay for those.

I'm very proud of the the control box you made for my R R  Carl.  It is neat and compact.  Got 4 switches hooked up already using thermostat wire.  

I have the on - on toggles with the spring return.  Th problem as long as the toggle is pushed over to "on" it stays connected until it springs back.  No problem for me but I was looking for something that will connect when moved to the "on" position but if they maintain pressure keeping it "on" it would break the connection with out going to center off position until it was activated again.  I guess I want an auto off to over come the same problem the Fastrack switch has if it gets stuck on.  My youngest grand kid is 5 and she loves to play with control panel.  She runs the trains with no problems thanks to the derail function on the turnout but I do not want to burn out the coil.  Yes I could ask her to wait but she has so much fun I hate to stop her.  Perhaps I should set up a master toggle that will stop all electric uncoupling when she is running alone. Usually 1-4 older siblings are there also  and the uncoupling adds so much to their fun.  Can anyone offer a suggestions?

You need to add a timer, many of them on eBay.  I "think" this is what you need, but reading the descriptions of these products can give you a headache. eBay: 112315731025

than you I ordered 7 of these.  I think they will do what I want.  My question is do you have any idea as to the physical size of these relays?  The delivery time is like forever 1-2 months (from China).  I would like to start working on the control panel so I could use the size.  This was an ebay order and no mention as to size.

Thank you Orkybrown

Well, that Songle SRD relay is 15mm x 19mm, so that should give you a pretty good idea.  I'd guess around 1" wide by around 2.5 to 3.0" long.  Hard to believe you'd go wrong with a bit over an inch wide by three inches long space allowance.  The relay is 15mm tall, and since it's the tallest thing on the board, figure around 3/4" tall including the board itself.

Can two momentary contact switches be installed to control one uncoupled track i.e in case of Lionel, the standard Controller in close proximity to the uncoupled track and via a splice off that wiring, a second switch near the transformers.

I don't see why not.  They're just in parallel, either one will energize the track.

orkybrown posted:

than you I ordered 7 of these.  I think they will do what I want.  My question is do you have any idea as to the physical size of these relays?  The delivery time is like forever 1-2 months (from China).  I would like to start working on the control panel so I could use the size.  This was an ebay order and no mention as to size.

Thank you Orkybrown

I order a lot from china..hong kong 2 weeks..epacket from the mainland usually less.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

You need to add a timer, many of them on eBay.  I "think" this is what you need, but reading the descriptions of these products can give you a headache. eBay: 112315731025

Looks like this would work with Atlas turnout motor switches. I use momentary push button but fear a stuck switch

Yep, a similar situation, and I've seen melted Atlas switch machines.

Thanks for the approx size will got to the drawing board.  I hope the do come that fast.

Thanks again.

orkybrown posted:

Thanks for the approx size will got to the drawing board.  I hope the do come that fast.

Thanks again.

I used these for timed operation of train loops on the Eagle Scout project layout display. (check out the video on page 3, 1/22/17 post - 43 second runs) 

A DC power supply is required to power the board. I cut into that circuit with a momentary button switch to trigger the relay which controls the AC power.

here are the nuances -

1. When you first apply power it triggers the timer which closes the relay for the time interval that has been selected - optimally you would want constant DC board power supplied even when the layout AC power is off. I couldn't accomplish that, so when the layout power is turned on, which also turns on the DC power supply, all of the timers run through one cycle. We can live with that.
2. Every time the button is pushed, it triggers the timer circuit and starts it over. We knew there would be visitors that would stand there and hammer the button. I wanted to keep things simple and, frankly, couldn't devise a method to prevent this. But, we could live with the extended run time of the train that would result.

My point is that these will automatically break the power after the one second interval (or interval set) unless the visitor gets into a multiple toggle or button action sequence. That could result in the magnet being powered for more than few seconds.

If you can sequence the layout power on using DC power first and 1 or two seconds later the AC power, it will avoid the magnets being powered each time the layout is powered.

So, yes, these timers will do what you need them to do to prevent the visitors from cooking the magnets, but not 100%.

As far as I am concerned the best way to do this is to run the uncoupling tracks on fixed voltage and put an undersized resettable fuse in the power feed to the uncouplers. I posted detail on this some time ago.

The principle of operation is simple. You size the resettable fuse so it will definitely trip a few seconds after the uncoupler is energized. If you release the button before that time the fuse never trips. If you hold the button too long the fuse trips, protecting the uncoupler. The fuse then resets a few seconds after the button is released. If the button is never released the fuse never resets. No timers, no relays.

The Fastrack uncoupler draws about 1.8A at 14 volts. If you use a resettable fuse that trips at, say, 1 ampere you will get probably 2-3 seconds of actuation. I use a 1.5A trip fuse, that gives me about 15 seconds. You will need to choose the exact fuse based  the voltage you use to run your uncouplers and the operation time you want. The fuses are cheap, pick up an assortment in the .8 to 1.5 amp trip range or thereabouts and experiment with them.

Note that operating cars use much more current than the uncouplers. If you are using operating tracks this solution may not work for you.

The same solution could also protect switch machines, although I don't know what size fuse would be appropriate.

I forgot about the PTC, but that is a great solution to the issue, and it's dirt cheap as well!

If you use the operating tracks, you can graft the PTC into the coil lead of the uncoupling track to leave the full current to the operating rails.

Guns,

   I can see a need for this only on a limited basis, with the new Command Control type rolling stock and CC FasTrack Switches I eventually want to control everything from my Legacy Hand Held Remote Control unit.  I thought you were working on the Engineering to up grade the older push button type operating rolling stock to Command Control, so all this older engineering could eventually be eliminated.  Unfortunately I am not seeing Lionel manufacturing any large amount of these new Remote Control type Cars.  Do you think this new CC rolling stock engineering will ever really be available, or is this only going to be something available on a limited basis.

I love the CC FasTrack Switches, now bring on the CC type rolling stock and your Engineering to upgrade the older operating cars.

PCRR/Dave

Here's a link to a list of PTC fuses that some forum members use for different things. Part numbers from DigiKey are included.

The list includes the ones PLCProf used for the un-coupler tracks. I believe there is also a link to the original thread where this was discussed, if my memory is still in tact that is...

Dave, since we're speaking of uncoupling tracks and the electromagnet, having command controlled operating cars doesn't really solve the issue being discussed.

PLCProf posted:

As far as I am concerned the best way to do this is to run the uncoupling tracks on fixed voltage and put an undersized resettable fuse in the power feed to the uncouplers. I posted detail on this some time ago.

The principle of operation is simple. You size the resettable fuse so it will definitely trip a few seconds after the uncoupler is energized. If you release the button before that time the fuse never trips. If you hold the button too long the fuse trips, protecting the uncoupler. The fuse then resets a few seconds after the button is released. If the button is never released the fuse never resets. No timers, no relays.

The Fastrack uncoupler draws about 1.8A at 14 volts. If you use a resettable fuse that trips at, say, 1 ampere you will get probably 2-3 seconds of actuation. I use a 1.5A trip fuse, that gives me about 15 seconds. You will need to choose the exact fuse based  the voltage you use to run your uncouplers and the operation time you want. The fuses are cheap, pick up an assortment in the .8 to 1.5 amp trip range or thereabouts and experiment with them.

Note that operating cars use much more current than the uncouplers. If you are using operating tracks this solution may not work for you.

The same solution could also protect switch machines, although I don't know what size fuse would be appropriate.

such a simple solution - thank you prof!