Model Railway Forum

Hi, new to the site please forgive my ignorance.
Despite previous experience, (well over 50 years ago)and better judgement, DCC has lured me into creating a 00 gauge and with some 009 gauge layout covering 3.1m x 1.2m plus a couple of square metres in another part of the loft .
I am now thinking of ways to switch the various points and was thinking,why can't I make a mimic board out of perspex ,paint it ,say white,with red lines graphically showing the track,like the London Underground map
I haven't bought any seep motors yet,but have some on-off-on switches. The main question is.
Would a seep point motor,with a switch, allow me to connect a light to denote, on the mimic board, whichever way the point has been activated and stay lit.

Cheers Glynn

Hi Glynn.
Welcome to the forum.
Seep PM1 motors need to be fitted to the point above 100% actuarily. Once done, you rely on a washer pressing on to the PCB track to switch point position. So perhaps not the best switching means?

Your reference to point motor switching is of some concern.. To operate a solenoid motor such as the Seep PM1 MUST have a momentary switch that returns to the central Off position under spring tension and not use a locking one.
If the Seeps change over switch contacts are not used for anything else, then they can be used to feed panel indication LEDs

This may Help? https://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/Electri ... #Bookmark6 Scroll down a little for the Seep PM1 wiring.

As Brian said, Seeps need to be fitted 'just so' or the switches can be temperamental. That is why I stopped using them for frog polarity switching. But using them to switch LEDs on and off is perfectly good - after all, if the switch doesn't make contact all that happens is that the light doesn't come on even though the point blades have moved.

A word of warning with Perspex - it's an absolute bu##er to drill without cracking and if you change your layout the painted lines can't be easily changed. I know because that's the way I did it originally. Now I use 2mm plastic and sheets and Nobo lining (normally used for lining on whiteboards) as it's cheap and easy to work with.

Hi Glynn and welcome to our forum.

Hi Glynn - welcome to the forum.

I do not have directional lights next to the point switches - it would be useful. I used, as Steve M suggested white plasticicard (2mm - may be 3mm) and the sprung to centre On-Off-On switches that Brian mentioned. I used a car lining tape from Halfords to represent the track. Additional switches/knobs can be added. Barry

IMG_0614 by Barry Clayton, on Flickr

Printing out your layout and simply covering with clear Perspex (Acrylic) is one option. You would still have to drill for switch or contact mounting. As pointed out Acrylic is a PITA to drill but using the correct drills is more successful these have a 60deg tip compared to the standard 118deg of a standard jobbers drill and if fluted have a slow helix and of course you have to drill slowly with a delicate feed.

Of course with any physical mimic panel alterations will often call for a replacement panel unless you are happy to live with holes pre alterations. The most adaptable method is probably to use screens and software but that is not to everyone’s liking.

Richard

The secret of drilling perspex is to use hand drills only, not power drills and start with the smallest bit you have in the box and gradually increase the bit size till you finish with the desired sized hole. It's not a job that should be rushed.

This is what I have in my mind,not so important how the switches are mounted etc yet need to establish how/if the seep point switch will work first.
Am I right in thinking then when the power is on and the point switch is thrown to the left the left light will come on and stay on until the switch is thrown to the right when the left light will go out and the right light will come on?
When the PSU is turned off then back on would the lights comeback on in the same configuration they were when the PSU was turned off.
I haven't bought any seep switches yet or I could do a mock up.
I suppose it makes more sense to buy PM1 rather than PM2 ?

Cheers Glynn

AMLOR wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 11:17 am
This is what I have in my mind,not so important how the switches are mounted etc yet need to establish how/if the seep point switch will work first.
Am I right in thinking then when the power is on and the point switch is thrown to the left the left light will come on and stay on until the switch is thrown to the right when the left light will go out and the right light will come on?
When the PSU is turned off then back on would the lights comeback on in the same configuration they were when the PSU was turned off.
I haven't bought any seep switches yet or I could do a mock up.
I suppose it makes more sense to buy PM1 rather than PM2 ?

Cheers Glynn

The switch in the SEEP is a simple changeover switch so it is either one or the other and the correct LED will illuminate even after the PSU is switched on or off as long as the point has not been disturbed even if the point has been thrown while it has been switched off then it will illuminate the LED for that position. I do believe there is sufficient gapping in the switch contacts to prevent a partial throwing of the point from illuminating both LEDs.

Richard

Hi
Seep PM2 motors do not have any switches fitted, but are exactly the same PBC and solenoid as the PM1.

As stated what ever the position of the Seep is in will illuminate that LED even after power power and then repowering back up the layout. Its a mechanically operated single pole double throw change-over switch on the Seep PM1 and PM4 which has a mechanical latch fitted to hold point blades in place (Not needed on sprung point blades)