Nice touch..

I vote for vertical.

How will you cut the square holes those things need?

pqe

@ pqe

LOL pqe, that is the next question! The fascia will be 1/8" Hardboard and I am hoping I can use my dremel with router attachment to make the holes. The corner will be curved and not square but was hoping it might work with a small enough bit.

The other option is to eat the cost (I bought 5 units at 99 cents per unit of 5 switches for a total of $5 for 25 switches) which wouldn't break my heart or the bank but I kinda like the look of them. 

Switches

I would leave them vertical.......however set them up so that the line would be for straight line routing thru the turnout and the circle for the diverging route.

Another option is rotary switches

 ​I used rotary switches with knobs that pointed to the selected route.  You can see more at this link:

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/6498

@Rick

Never thought of rotary.... makes sense though. I will have LEDs to indicate route but a nice pointy knob would be nice too.

What I did

Hi Greg-

You may remember this photo of my switch panel?  I used toggle switches with big black handles, oriented vertically.   The long handles help the operator see pretty clearly which route is selected.  The mounting holes for these are round, so easy to do.  I liked this look more than the typical little metal handle toggle switches.  I used these switches, but they are not currently in stock where I bought them.  But, web searching shows plenty of similar looking switches.  Not expensive.  Easier than rectangular openings.  I have mounted my panel recessed about 1/2" from the plane of the fascia to protect the handles from getting bumped and broken off.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009IS86ZG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dennis

I agree with Pelsea.

Vertical.

Does a nibbler open up to 1/8”?

Nick

Square corners...

My nibbler only has a 1/16" bite. Micromark sells a corner punch that should work well on hardboard.

I just added color coding to my turnout panel:

This is just a bit of shrink wrap on key toggles. The red ones indicate the switchback to the top level, the blue are for the engine service area. The colors help me orient on the proper control quickly.

pqe

Some good looking control

Some good looking control panels. The more I think and the more I price tools to make square holes, I might decide to go with something else. I have found these switches and like the low profile look:

Switch & Signal Tower

Some good ideas there gentlemen. I have a couple switches that are too far to reach so have been looking for a blade switch that would represent a tower lever. Something with additional contacts would be nice to send a signal to an Arduino for future logic and signaling. 

PQE’s & Dennis’s panels are pretty typical of what others have done and is sort of a simple modelers ctc panel. Rick’s is more like a tower operator style but I wonder if anyone has done a design similar to a tower (signal box). I’d love to see some examples. 

Switches recommended.

Hi Greg,

The round switches you have chosen work well for me.  I’ve only got one picture of the back view here.  The panels are more than 1500 miles away.  Since it was 12 volts and a possibility of change, I used the connectors.  I was glad I did.  There were some changes that I wanted.  Mine happened to be lighted on the front with LEDs.  That might work for you.  They come in colors also.  My source was eBay and they came from China.

Sorry about the picture quality it’s the only one I have here.

If I remember correctly the drill size was exactly 1/2”.

Nick

Square Holes

Square Holes aren't difficult - they just take a little more time.

Drill out most of the waste, trim to square with a chisel.  There are other tools that can make it easier, but you don't have that many to do to justify spending the money for something like a corner chisel or a nibbler.

gs

Turnout Controls

Hey Rick

I like the look of these small individual panels, and might consider doing the same. Could you post just exactly how you wired ( maybe with pictures) them to work with the Tortoise machines.

Thanks ahead of time.

Richard

Richhard444 - wiring diagram for a rotary switch

Richard - per your request here is the wiring diagram for wiring a rotary switch and LEDs to a tortoise turnout motor:

 ​

My take

Greg...you can use your Dremel to make the square holes using their router bits. I have done it in my fascia ( 3/4" pine ). Also, I have also used the round switches you have shown for powering my sidings, but I used the ones with the LED built into them to let me know when the siding is powered. I got them on Ebay with either Blue or Red indicators for next to nothing from vendors. The round holes are easy to drill, but take a little fitting because they are in-between hole sizes with my old fashion fractional American bits. All of my turnouts are within reach, so I have no power routing issues or switch machines...everything is manual throw, so I wanted to KISS, and just powering the sidings was the easiest for me.

Michael

Lit Switches

I had considered the lit switches but my understanding is they need 12v to operate. My system is using logic level signals to tell a micro processor which servo to throw and which direction. I don't believe I could power the LED in the switches at logic level. 

You are correct

They do require 12 volts, but since I am using them as true power switches for my sidings, they work fine even with DCC power. I am guessing you are using your switch machines to also power and unpower your sidings ? My huge basement layout from years ago I used a diode matrix system and push buttons to pick routes for my yard tracks. It was neat and worked well, but it took away the" feel " of the railroad for me, so every layout since has been designed for manual turnouts. Just my preferance, not trying to change anybody.

Michael

I'm using DCC and all sidings

I'm using DCC and all sidings will have power at all times. I'm actually using servos to throw the points and a micro switch to power the frogs.

Square holes

I'm not sure a nibbler can make square holes in 1/8" hardboard, but another option is the zona saw with the small blade.

I think 100% vertical looks better than angled.

This works well...

...for square corners. Milescraft corner chisel $7.99 at home depot.

Wiring Digram

Thanks Rick I appreciate the responce.

Richard

You're welcome, Richhard444. 

You're welcome, Richhard444.  I hope that you'll post your progress.

A different circuit.

An alternative is to use a Split potential power supply and SPST switches. The PSs can be anything from a pair or wallwarts to a couple of old controllers. I personally use a couple of old Tyco "Throttles for my "playing around supply".

And before anyone comments about "You can't connect Positive and Negative together". Yes you can!

Low profile look

Low profile is also low snag quotient when operators pass each other in narrow aisles.