MAIN & LOCAL
TURNOUT CONTROL
If we have a central control panel for our railroad, but still want to be able to allow a local operator to change a turnout, how to we do it. It would also be important that the central controller know if the turnout had been changed by the local operator.
This is not a difficult system to achieve. What we need is a split power supply, where we can tap a central 0 volts, as well as a +12 DC volts and -12 DC volts (click HERE to see a simple split power supply). We will also need a push button double pole double throw switch, a push button single pole double throw switch and some coloured LED's (and their appropriate resisters - normally I use 3mm green LED's and 560 ohm resistors)
Below in diagram 1 is the wiring and switch locations for straight through on the track plan, as well as the panel LED indication. Diagram 2 shows the configuration when the turnout is switched at the local panel for the curved track The two grey boxes on the right are the facia of the panel. Click on the thumbnails below to see the diagrams.
