Roundhouse Power

kgsouth posted:

We are doing some upgrades on the layout, Currently all the stalls and storage tracks in the Roundhouse are on a rotary switch individually powering these tracks . We have a suggestion to keep all tracks powered, and do away with the rotary switch.  So, how do all of you handle roundhouse track power?

I had a toggle switch for each track in the locomotive servicing terminal, thus any single track could be shut off. Just my opinion but, allowing power to be constantly on for all tracks is asking for trouble.

Agree 100% with Hot Water. Allowing power full time leaves open the possibility of disaster. I did that and had a Northern take off from its stall and wreck the turntable bridge before diving into the pit. Major repairs followed.

Same here, I have togel switches for every track, currently 12 tracks.  Old picture, before I added the other 6 tracks.

Toggle switch to each track. No need to power all tracks together. 

In my opinion  you have your answer, a rotary switch with a momentary push on switch in series.  This push button switch power only one round house tracks and the turntable track.  This insures only one track in the round house can be powered at a time for safety. 

But I have conventional control and see no need to do it any other way.  There may be reasons, with more modern remote controls and a constant track voltage at all times, for all the tracks to have power all the time. 

Charlie

I also use toggle switches for each track in the roundhouse.  I don't want all the engines to have power at the same time.

Neal Jeter  

I asked the same question here several months ago, and this is what I came up with based on the suggestions.  Simple on-off switches, installed in a diagram on thin plywood, with each track wired separately (common AC- of course).

Hot Water posted:

kgsouth posted:

We are doing some upgrades on the layout, Currently all the stalls and storage tracks in the Roundhouse are on a rotary switch individually powering these tracks . We have a suggestion to keep all tracks powered, and do away with the rotary switch.  So, how do all of you handle roundhouse track power?

I had a toggle switch for each track in the locomotive servicing terminal, thus any single track could be shut off. Just my opinion but, allowing power to be constantly on for all tracks is asking for trouble.

Absolutely. Loco in the turntable pit - or worse - waiting to happen.

Not to mention being a pain to diagnose if a short shows up. I just use a bunch of Atlas toggle/slide switches.

Thanks, Gentlemen, The rotary switch will stay in,  We did it originally for all of the reasons you have mentioned. We found some double ganged rotary switches so I wired leds in to indicated which track has power.  Some of our crew wanted to simplify the wiring but it's already in place so we don't have to change anything . Thanks again.

Radio Shack use to be my source for a lot of my electronic needs, I'm looking for new a source now. I don't have a turntable at this time but I do have sidings & a small 6 track yard. I rarely keep engines not in use on the layout, but it would be more convenient to turn power off to these sections to store a few engines. For a modest layout, set up with DCS & Legacy, where could I purchase toggle switches & what type, to turn power on & off to these sections without degrading the signals.

Thanks,

Joe

Wondering if anyone had an answer to my reply above.

Thanks

Try a SPST switch. All Electronics is a good source

Nothing fancy, just use a rotary switch for my ten stalls and 13 fan tracks.

Mine are all controlled with toggles with an LED indicator for power.

I don't know how a switch might degrade a signal. Points vs slide contacts? Some kinda metal issue?

   Mouser, Digikey, ebay.,.. Grainger, and auto parts, might be local. Even the lamp dept. of a home improvement store might yield something in a pinch.

MichRR714 posted:

Mine are all controlled with toggles with an LED indicator for power.

Wow! This is one of the nicest control panels I have ever seen! What an excellent job!!