New Ho train Kit

jbrock27 · February 21, 2015, 11:55:15 AM

Moose is Loose, where did you purchase your toggle(s) from?

Thanks.

jward · February 21, 2015, 12:29:42 PM

what is the circuit board for? are you using the monentary spdt switches?

jbrock27 · February 21, 2015, 12:40:30 PM

If I am not mistaken, that is a power relay for the turnout switch motor. I have seen these on Ebay.

MrMoose · February 21, 2015, 02:50:25 PM

I bought them from Ken Stapleton in Canada.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/Index.html
Check out his site it explains how they operate.

MrMoose · February 25, 2015, 10:33:53 AM

Well I have a sound decoder coming for my 70ton switcher should be a interesting install.
And waiting for my S2 switcher to show up in the mail. DCC with Sound.
And I'm waiting for the screw-in edge terminals to show up so I can solder them to the switch card panels.

Thats it for now. Happy Railroading!!!

MrMoose · February 28, 2015, 09:56:53 AM

I received all the parts to assemble the switch panels. I soldered the pcb edge connectors to the switch panel and then wired up all the bi-color leds and then mounted one switch and leds to the control panel for a test. Wired up all the connections and put power to it and it works flawlessly. I'm happy...

11 more to go...lol

MrMoose · March 06, 2015, 08:56:21 AM

I received the sound decoder and installed it into the 70ton switcher. Very tight fit. I'm still waiting for the right speaker to come so I can finish up the install. I temporarily attached a speaker to it just to test the install.
Everything test ok.

MrMoose · March 13, 2015, 10:18:38 AM

Update:
I finished wiring up all the turnouts to the panel and everything is working ok. Had some power issues at first but I got that figured out. I was using a switching power supply that I didn't know that it was. and when I powered up my panel everything started pulsating on and off (Not good). I ask the Ken Stapleton the man that I got the switches from if he knew was was up and he told me to check and see what kind of power supply that I was using and when I told him he said to swap it out for a regulated power supply, I did and that solved the problem.
So everything is good now....Next is scenery.

Thats it for now....Happy Railroading!!!

kdgrant6 · March 13, 2015, 04:50:29 PM

Hey, Mr. Moose,

I've been following this thread off and on as I have worked with my Echo Valley. I just moved my layout to larger environs because of the expansion factor.

I really like your layout, and I admire the slow, steady process with which you've developed it.

I am wondering about your switching control panel.

I have two crossovers and three turnouts. I have 4 locomotives (not all running at once). I'll admit I find it a challenge to think quickly enough (for example) to go through the combination of EZ Controller buttons to make a crossover switch, then a left turnout, then get one loco moving correctly, and keep another one from going astray.

I think your system of having them on a control panel makes considerably more sense.

Are all of them EZ Track?

MrMoose · March 13, 2015, 08:26:06 PM

Yes they are all ez track turnouts.
I like the switches I got lets me still interact with the layout even if it only throwing a toggle switch...lol.

And I like that I can hookup leds to show the turnout positions. I'm using 3 lead bi-color leds soldered together with the lead from green and red opposite from each other, so when the switch is thrown one way green will show the thru position and red shows the diversion position. Then when I throw the switch the other way, red will show on the thru position and green shows the diversion position.

kdgrant6 · March 13, 2015, 08:27:53 PM

Have you had any difficulty with your left crossover? My right works fine, but the left is temperamental.

MrMoose · March 13, 2015, 08:36:34 PM

No they both work just fine. Check all your connections and make sure that the center wire of the three wire the comes from the turnout is used as the ground wire and the two outside wires are coil A and coil B. Unless your turnouts are DCC controlled then I don't know about the wiring for those or programming them.

kdgrant6 · March 13, 2015, 08:47:42 PM

MM,

I just posted the crossover question as a new topic.

Please read it if you have the chance.

kdgrant6 · March 13, 2015, 08:50:10 PM

To follow up, I'm having virtually the same problem with a replacement crossover. I've replaced track on either side of the piece with no improvement. I think it could be the wiring, but it's nothing I can detect.

jbrock27 · March 13, 2015, 10:46:46 PM

Moosie, 3 lead or 2 lead bi-color LEDs?

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New Ho train Kit