Chris
01-05-2009, 10:18 PM
Thought this might be of interest.
As built, my layout has some 50+ electrical track sections and power is supplied from a control panel with one switch or push-button per section. Very cumbersome.
After my first couple of exhibitions I installed the signals on the layout. Each of these signals has a switch in the base that makes when the signal is pulled off. After a false start at one end of the station, I realised that the best solution was to apply power to the exit track and then to wire up the platform exit intervening sections of track using diodes. Thus I can apply power to the down main and pull off one of the four starter signals knowing that traction current would take the train out of the station without having a bother with the switches en route. The principle can be see in the most recent entry in my layout diary at <http://trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/>. Just click on the right hand image under April 8th.
You will notice a black diode by a break in track 3. A few of these diodes are arranged to allow reverse running when signals are set to danger. However, they can create other problems.
All the best,
Chris.
As built, my layout has some 50+ electrical track sections and power is supplied from a control panel with one switch or push-button per section. Very cumbersome.
After my first couple of exhibitions I installed the signals on the layout. Each of these signals has a switch in the base that makes when the signal is pulled off. After a false start at one end of the station, I realised that the best solution was to apply power to the exit track and then to wire up the platform exit intervening sections of track using diodes. Thus I can apply power to the down main and pull off one of the four starter signals knowing that traction current would take the train out of the station without having a bother with the switches en route. The principle can be see in the most recent entry in my layout diary at <http://trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/>. Just click on the right hand image under April 8th.
You will notice a black diode by a break in track 3. A few of these diodes are arranged to allow reverse running when signals are set to danger. However, they can create other problems.
All the best,
Chris.