Wiring an ez track crossover to an external switch

[RickWillison]

Hello,
I am working a 10'x4' layout I am using bachmann ez track
I have two crossovers and several turnouts
I plan on wiring them to a switch panel and removing the switches supplied by bachmann
Does anyone have the wiring Scematic for the three feed wires

thanks
Rick

[Jim Banner]

Centre one is common, one outer one throws the switch one way, the other outer one throws the switch the other way.  If you don't like which way the switch is thrown by your push buttons, just flip over the plug or reverse the outside wires.  Just remember to use normally open push buttons or momentary contact switches to avoid overheating the solenoids in the switch machines.

[RickWillison]

Thank You
is a SPDT momentary (on)-off-(on) toggle switch ok for this.
or should it be a DPDT (on)-off-(on) toggle switch?

Also I would like to have LED's to indicate which direction my turnout or crossover has active

I would like these to be on my controll panel over and under my switches.

I have searched everywhere and can find no schenatic or explanation on how to keep the LED lit after the switch returns to center

CAN YOU HELP??

Thanks agian
Rick

[grumpy]

You can purchase toggle and push button switches which will light up when centred.
Don

[Joe Satnik]

Rick,

Here is the heart of a "Which way did I move that paddle last?" circuit using discrete components. (Set-Reset Flip-Flop)

http://www.circuitdb.com/show.php?cid=130

I would start out by multiplying the resistor values by 10, as you don't need super bright LEDs on your panel.

(4.7K Ohm and 75K Ohm)

You would need a steady DC supply to power the circuit. (AC accessories output --> Diode bridge --> electrolytic capacitor.)

Momentary center off DPDT switch: (which takes the place of the two momentary SPST switches in the above diagram)

1 2 3
4 5 6

4 -->left transistor base
5 -->circuit ground
6 -->right transistor base

Note that this doesn't tell you if your turnout points actually moved all the way into the desired position, it just tells you which direction you moved the paddle on your panel last.

1 -->turnout motor left terminal
2 -->AC accessories terminal 2
3 -->turnout motor right terminal
AC accessories terminal 1 --> turnout motor center terminal.

Now, after all that,

A DC capacitor (capacitive?) discharge system is much simpler and more logical to use.  (Circuitry is much simpler and the paddle remains in the direction you set it.)

Seems to me Nigel had a nice circuit for that. 

Nigel?

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Joe Satnik]

Rick,

Saw that you have 4 feet of width on your layout.

Make it 5 feet, you'll be thankful in the future. (Up to 28"R curves instead of 22"R.)

Use casters to move it out from the wall for access if necessary.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Jim Banner]

Joe Satnik's link is to a reasonable choice if you are willing to build the electronics..  One problem with this circuit is that you either have to leave the power on all the time, including when you are not running your railroad, or you have to manual cycle all your turnouts whenever you start up the layout.  That is not a problem with two or three turnouts, but is a pain when you have twenty or thirty.

Another alternative is to use Atlas Snap Relays.  These are like a switch machine except they throw a built in DPDT switch instead of throwing a turnout.  You wire the inputs in parallel with the inputs of your dual coil switch machine and connect the LEDs to one half of the DPDT switch.  The center of the switch you conect to the plus terminal of a power pack via a 10k resistor.  The minus sides of the LEDs and the power pack you tie together.  The Snap Relay remembers the position of the turnout even with the power turned off.

Snap Relays work well with capacitor discharge machines, including the high speed recharge ones.  Nigel's circuit was nice in that it worked with SPDT switches, but it required a separate circuit for every turnout (if I am thinking of the right circuit.  Nigel, where are you?)

If any of these sound interesting, let us know and one of us will post a diagram.

Some of us, by the way, do not use switch motors.  When I went to walk around control, I decided to have the controls for the turnouts located close the turnouts themselves.  For me it didn't make sense to follow my trains around the layout but have to run back to a fixed panel to throw the switches.  A friend solved the same problem by installing mini panels - one for a yard here, another for a yard there, and a third for a town somewhere else.  This is all a matter of taste.

[RickWillison]

WOW !!   
Thanks for all the input
Since I am using the EZ-Track remote turnouts and crossovers I have no switch motors my layout is space restricted so 4'x10' is all I can do.

I have completed the track and have a NCE DCC Power CAB system for controll
I have a seperate 16VAC power supply for my crossovers/turnouts and accessories.
I like the idea of the DPDT setup but don't like the constant power issue.

Here is a link to my train site it has some pictures of my layout and controls
http://www.willnet.mine.nu:8083

I have 18 SPDT and 20 DPDT switches so I would definitely like to go the switch panel route for now.

I am planning on eventually using computer controls and running it from my old laptop but for now will go with toggles.