Display consol

You could make a central console or have is on the fascia. The layout of the console is no different in DCC. What do you want to show on the console, turnout orientation, block detection, short event, or just track use with station names, etc? A lot will depend upon how elaborate you want to get and what it is you want to display.

Roy

Thanks! At least to start

Thanks!

At least to start with I am going to keep it simple - turnouts and occupancy detection. Showing shorts would be a great idea! One of the shelves will have a turntable, engine servicing, etc. and that will have a separate console - I still need to control the turntable, and I think it would be too cluttered on the "main" board. I will have a another console for another shelf since operations on it (light industrial) will be off the main line. Since it would only be for displaying status of turnouts and local "blocks", and an operator would have to turn around facing away from the main console it make sense to have a dedicated console there.

Panels

Really all you need is turnout indicators on your panel. LED's to indicate position and momentary switches would work fine, unless you want to control your turnouts from the throttle. If that's the case then, hopefully, another member who has wired their panel for that system will reply. Same goes for the occupancy indicators. For my turntables I use two methods of control. One is an old DC throttle wired to the turnout motor and the other is a spring loaded center off SPDT switch. Both work great and are separate from the DCC system. Don't forget to wire in SPST on/off switches for your roundhouse and engine storage tracks. 

As for panel materials, hardboard, aluminum and lexan all work, the choice is yours. Hope this helps.

Roy

Console

Digitrax (and I'm sure all other manufacturers) makes a module for controlling track lights on the layout; I figure worse case I piggyback LEDs off that to the console. They also have an occupancy detector module which I presume is used specifically for console wiring?(their documentation on line seems a little vague - probably much clearer with the unit in hand). I can tap the switch machine internal switches if push comes to shove for the turnout position, or perhaps still wire the LEDs in series with the motors like in DC.

Off subject: On my turntable I am using sugar cube relays (2 amp rating), and a circuit I designed that will only allow a spur and the bridge track to be activated when they are aligned. It also cuts power to all the associated tracks when the motor is activated (so when the bridge is moving). It is component intensive, but I got the relays from futurelec.com for a song. I'm using reed switches and a couple magnets (180 degrees apart) to sense the location of the bridge. Momentary SPST switches select the desired spur or feed track, then everything else is automatic. I haven't figured out how to incorporate DCC into that part of it yet; I like the idea of keeping the track from being powered unless the bridge is "in place" - it will keep locos out of the pit! Oh, and instead of using the ring track to power one side of the bridge, I am using a hollow shaft for the spindle with the wiring running inside the tube. The wires come out to slip rings I made by cutting copper tubing (centered on the shaft with o rings), and of course have brushes connecting to them. the reversing is done with a DPDT switch that senses which "side" of the indexing plate is in play. Probably overkill, but it allows me to run more wiring that I will eventually use with sensors at the ends of the bridge to automatically center the locos. (I know it's easy enough to do it by eye, but being a retired engineer I just have to piddle with circuitry!)

I am planning to use MDF for the console, routing slots part way through for the tracks and "filling" the slots with Plexiglas. I will drill all the way through the MDF backing for the LEDs; the LEDs will then "light up" the Plexiglas (I will sand the top of the Plexiglas so the light is spread out). I will make temporary consoles out of one of the materials you mentioned until I get far enough along to make the "real" consoles.

Some other ideas

First:  re: your first question "how much harder... DCC vs.  DC. 

DCC vs. DC:  occupancy detection is the same, per block.  But, there's no other block wiring needed in DCC. 

I started out  planning my current layout with many of the same goals that you have.  I have a round-the-room 10 x 12 layout.  I wanted detection, to run signals and panel(s) with occupancy and switch indication.  I have built panels from plexiglas in the past, so that was the plan. 

This time, though, I'd use polycarbonate, because it cuts and machines easier, and doesn't want to shatter like plexiglas.   I've masked the track schematic from the back, painted the back black, Then, peeled the mask and painted each track block with a separate translucent color, so occupancy would be shown as a lit line from the front side.  It works great, with less milling than plexiglas bars, and I was never able to get even lighting with plexiglas, even using steps or tapered pieces.

In my research that led me to DCC use, I spent a lot of time looking at the JMRI site and yahoo group.  The result is that instead of making sawdust and plastic scrap in the garage, for the new panels, I'm going with an on-screen schematic complete with anything and everything I want to monitor and display, using JMRI PanelPro.  Instead of the occupancy detection and switch contacts running a stack of logic chips, op-amps, and driver circuits for the panels, It will provide inputs through CMRI SMINI boards, and all the logic is done in software.  (Instead of CMRI, there's a ton of Digitrax compatible stuff out there to do the same--  see this:  http://www.digitrax.com/faqloconetq.php ). 

PanelPro gives the opportunity for on-screen throwing of switches, block control, CTC, whatever else you can think of!

So, my recommendation is, since you sound like you're in almost the same situation as me, with similar goals, look into JMRI.   By the way, you don't need to use DCC to use PanelPro.

Thanks!

Thanks!

About the time I thought I was getting a handle on DCC's capabilities ...

I downloaded the software; haven't gotten too far past that - long day after a short night. It looks like it will be a lot of fun once I get the hang of it; I will dive into it more tomorrow when thing are clearer.

Whatever I end up with for a finished console, I know I will have a "working" one for the interim. Like many modelers my budget won't let me get all the toys I want at one time. But even if I DID have everything for the layout, it will still take a while to get the rest of the track laid properly, the switch machines mounted, wiring finished, etc. And I like to test (OK, play) as I go along! So even running DC will check for basic wiring issues, derailment problems, etc. as well as finding the perfect place to locate uncouplers in the yards and spurs, and other gothchas.

Again, thanks for the information!

Since you said Digitrax I

Since you said Digitrax I will suggest something.

The BDL168 will provide the detection you require and the connections to power LEDs on your panels without nothing more than running wires and adding LEDs.  You simply replace the LT5 tester with a 10 drop cable and connector you plug into the EXTERNAL LED CONNECTORS (4) on the card.  4 Blocks PER connector comes out to 16 blocks. So you power the  16 LEDS from the card.   Nothing simpler.

For turnout indication you simply put the LED in series with wire going to the turnout motor + or -  (Tortoise) . The Tortoise draw will leave just enought to power the LEDs without having to resort to resistors or anything. This is covered in the  Tortoise manual. 

"  By the way, you don't need to use DCC to use PanelPro.  "    That is valid  to a point.  if you drop Digitrax and go with the  CMRi solution ok.  If you stick to Digitrax you need Loconet.  CMRi uses RS-485 as the bus. Loconet is not DCC but it does carry a portion of it.

Should  you elect to go with  CMRi, be aware the detectors are DC OR DCC. The DC version is suppose to work for DCC, but issues  brought on the design of the DCC specific detector.

JMRI  and PanelPro were  created  around Digitrax  Loconet and it's cards.  Fairly simple setup and use.

Thanks!

Thanks! I've been reading the manuals for the various Digitrax components and saw the ease of adding LEDs, I already have my Tortoises and LEDs in place so that will be an easy conversion to the DCC modules.

I looked at PanelPro and DecoderPro a little this morning. Looks like I will need to actually buy a command station before I can really do much with it (hopefully by next weekend); I also saw the use for a PR3 or MS100. The console will be WAY easier than I had initially expected!

This is a control panel I

This is a control panel I built for my hidden staging.  The turnouts here are controlled by Tam Valley Octopus II boards (regular DC power) mounted inside the panel, but the red occupancy LEDs are powered by a BDL168 on the other side of the layout.  I use 7 4-conductor telephone cables to run the LED wiring from board to panel.

I have plans to eventually update the panel to Tam Valley's DCC quad boards for complete integration into DCC.

I use Loconet based hardware from CML Electronics to control all my signals (ABS style) and turnouts over DCC, so I eventually plan on using their DTM30 hardware module to build a new master DCC control panel to monitor turnouts, signals, and occupancy for the entire layout.

Because the entire panel is DCC based, with the DTM mounted internally the only two physical connections needed out of the panel is power and Loconet cable.

I prefer the CML hardware because no computer is needed to run the layout.

Nice Panel

Very nice panel, Shaun. Neat and well organized.

Roy

JMRI Help!

Hi Don,

I read your answer to this issue and really I belidve you can help too,

I'm installing a Digitrax complete signal system on my layout and I want to do it using JMRI to control it.

Please could you help me?

Thanks!