Where and How are your panic buttons installed?

George,

I have a switched power strip under the shelf that holds my transformers - LOVE the big button idea!

Gotta get me one - so cool. I'll put it in a prominent place.

Where did you buy it?

@Lionelski posted:

George,

I have a switched power strip under the shelf that holds my transformers - LOVE the big button idea!

Gotta get me one - so cool. I'll put it in a prominent place.

Where did you buy it?

I also have a switched power strip that holds my transformers, but it's not quickly reached in an emergency - hence the request.

I haven't bought it yet.  It's over on *mazon.  Search for "emergency stop button".

George

Couple options- put the button behind a cover like this.

or recess the buttons below/ in the fascia of the layout so that it's accessible but won't get hit accidentally.

Bob

I mirrored GRJ's setup from this thread...  https://ogrforum.com/topic/let...e-your-kill-switches

Mine has been in place for 35 years as soon as the main benchwork was in place. It’s just a good quality household type on off light switch. One wire of the house current has to pass through all 4 switches. Any one of them flipped off shuts everything down. The wire runs through metal conduit from one box to another under the layout so there’s no way you can confuse it with layout wiring.

This is a timely post. Wanting to get more into operations. I know where they all are. But they are not marked for visitors that may have trouble finding them.

A power strip by the transformers under the layout or (6 feet away from this), the wall switch which cuts power to the power strip.

Peter

I installed multiple EPOs around my 4x4’ CNC but have not gotten to it yet on my RR layout.  On the CNC, I have 3 EPOs that are connected in series and the switch in each EPO is normally closed.  That way if any single EPO is pressed, the continuous circuit is opened which cuts the voltage that feeds the coil of a relay, which in turn stops everything.  

@Dave_C posted:

Mine has been in place for 35 years as soon as the main benchwork was in place. It’s just a good quality household type on off light switch. One wire of the house current has to pass through all 4 switches. Any one of them flipped off shuts everything down. The wire runs through metal conduit from one box to another under the layout so there’s no way you can confuse it with layout wiring.

This is a timely post. Wanting to get more into operations. I know where they all are. But they are not marked for visitors that may have trouble finding them.

I did a similar continuous string, also using that type of switch, about 25 years ago;  at that time it was possible to buy a plastic red faceplate with EMERGENCY heat stamped on the face in black.  The store didn't have enough of them in stock, so for the rest of the switches I used plastic white/ivory  faceplates painted bright red.

But I did all of this in low voltage DC;  I personally would never run 120 around a layout, no matter how well protected.  Flipping any any switch down drops out a relay which in turn opens relays on all cab and aux outputs.  Restoration not only requires the ES switch to be restored, but a 'reset' pushbutton on the main control panel -- the ES string is the seal in circuit.

Best regards, SZ

Right after I posted I found and ordered these from Amazon. With the green fascia these should stand out.

@Steinzeit posted:

...But I did all of this in low voltage DC;  I personally would never run 120 around a layout, no matter how well protected.  ...

I'm not an electrician, but have watched Youtube videos.    I have done some of my own basic house wiring.  Wondering if running 120 under a layout (even in conduit) would violate code.  And if it violates code, could it cause issues with a claim on one's homeowners insurance?  Maybe one of our resident electricians could weigh in.

@Mallard4468 posted:

I'm not an electrician, but have watched Youtube videos.    I have done some of my own basic house wiring.  Wondering if running 120 under a layout (even in conduit) would violate code.  And if it violates code, could it cause issues with a claim on one's homeowners insurance?  Maybe one of our resident electricians could weigh in.

Personally if done correctly I see no issue of 120V ran under a layout. In most homes NM cable (romex) should be fine. At the club we had a member that is a master electrician run MC cable and boxes under our new permanent layout. (Being a metal building I’m pretty sure MC is required or EMT conduit).

just how I see it; I am a HVAC/R tech (IE: Mechanical contractor) so while I dabble with the NEC on a regular basis it is a very small part of my normal scope. And definitely do not pretend to know a lot.

@Mallard4468 posted:

I'm not an electrician, but have watched Youtube videos.    I have done some of my own basic house wiring.  Wondering if running 120 under a layout (even in conduit) would violate code.  And if it violates code, could it cause issues with a claim on one's homeowners insurance?  Maybe one of our resident electricians could weigh in.

@zhubl posted:

Personally if done correctly I see no issue of 120V ran under a layout. In most homes NM cable (romex) should be fine. At the club we had a member that is a master electrician run MC cable and boxes under our new permanent layout. (Being a metal building I’m pretty sure MC is required or EMT conduit).

just how I see it; I am a HVAC/R tech (IE: Mechanical contractor) so while I dabble with the NEC on a regular basis it is a very small part of my normal scope. And definitely do not pretend to know a lot.

As @zhubl posted. These methods are fine and do not violate any codes. Proper wiring methods are all that is required.

All AC power for my 15x19-feet L-shaped layout originates at two AC wall outlets. I installed wireless ON/OFF devices at each outlet and use the hand-held remote controller as a PANIC BUTTON.  Admittedly, it's not as quick as a PANIC SWITCH mounted at or near the control panel, but a Lionel trackside control box does most of the PANIC work anyway.

Mike   LCCA 12394

I use an RF wireless receiver to turn off master power as well as individual transformers.  The kill switch can be anywhere I want it to be.  I have four of these laying around at various points, I can also stick on in my pocket for quick access.

The individual transformer controls allow me to reset the PH180 transformers without having to go to the transformer, just a power cycle from the remote and I'm back on the air.

I went with a setup similar to GRJ with two wireless handheld remote controllers and 5 remote on/off units. I use #1 for a master kill everything on the layout. #2 & #3 control my two MTH Z-1000 Transformers. #4 controls an Scott's Odds and Ends (unfortunately out of business) 12 volt AC Transformer for running power to remote turnouts, uncouplers, and AC accessories.  #5 controls an salvaged PC Tower ATX Power Supply for DC Power for LED's and DC Track accessories having available 3.3, 5, and 12 Volt outputs. I have one of the handheld units to use when running trains, and the other is velcroed to my wiring board under the layout so I can turn things on and off for testing, when working on a problem, or adding a new accessory. At almost 66 and disabled the less times I have to get up and back down under the layout helps my back, knees, and legs a lot.

For ones who use wall switches for emergency shut offs, you can either get red emergency face plates, color a light color switch (white, tan, ivory, etc) with a Red Sharpie, or go to an Electrical Supply Company and purchase Red Switches, you might find them in a big box store also or online.