The LK&O Railroad

[LKOrailroad]

On the backside you are seeing the JST female connectors, current limiting resistors for the LEDs on the panel, and diodes to protect the LEDs from accidental reverse bias conditions should they occur.

The connectors and components mount to a PCB arranged such that all connector pins are replicated mirror image. This arrangement allows me to daisy chain panels where necessary.

[LKOrailroad]

Here is a closeup image for you.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Scottl]

Clever design.  I like that a lot.

[LKOrailroad]

... and the associated pin-out diagram.

Made one of these for each panel to use as a go-by during component placement and as a guide for assembling the connectors on the ends of the layout modules' wiring harness. Years from now when memory has faded they will be immensely valuable if control wiring change is necessitated from track rearrangement. I can't remember what I had for supper last night let alone where hundreds of wires go. 

 

[Cajonpassfan]

Dang! Your’e so neat, and organized
My hat is off to you, sir!
Otto K.

[freedj]

Are you going to tuck your printed out documentation into the control panels so that if you ever need to work on it you don't have to go find  your files on the computer?  They used to put the schematic for major household appliances inside them so that a repair man didn't need to have all that reference material in their van.

[LKOrailroad]

Dang! Your so neat, and organized
My hat is off to you, sir!
Otto K.

Did you even look at the workbench picture??? 

Are you going to tuck your printed out documentation into the control panels so that if you ever need to work on it you don't have to go find  your files on the computer?  They used to put the schematic for major household appliances inside them so that a repair man didn't need to have all that reference material in their van.

I maintain a big ole master 3 ring binder that contains everything about the railroad. You know like twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one.

[GaryHinshaw]

Boy, this is a Project.  Very impressive.  I'm guessing you're a retired EE?

[LKOrailroad]

Boy, this is a Project.  Very impressive.  I'm guessing you're a retired EE?

Retired yes. Effective today matter of fact. EE no. Just a hobbyist. Can't have just one hobby!

[LKOrailroad]

The fascia panels are coming to life one by one. Build detail at http://www.lkorailroad.com/panel-wiring-part-i/

[Specter3]

Ok so what did you do in real life that translates to such amazing electrical wizardry?

[LKOrailroad]

Ok so what did you do in real life that translates to such amazing electrical wizardry?

Far from wizardry but thanks for thinking so. Mostly just simple circuits replicated many times over. Electronics, like model railroading, is a hobby of mine nothing more. Worked for an industrial paint manufacturer most of my career. Boring.

[LKOrailroad]

Making wiring harnesses from module-to-panel and, where needed, panel-to-panel.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Ooh, all the pretty lights.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[LKOrailroad]

The fascia control panel project is complete. How about a photo walk-through of the layout as it stands today. Forum picture limitation means this will take 3 posts.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[LKOrailroad]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]