Point Control Panel

Hi All,

I have finally completed laying the main track on my layout and whilst I realise that I could control the points by means of my DCC I would prefer to have the points controlled by 2-way toggle switches on a control panel with

5mm bicolour LEDs (red/green) to show which route is live.

The board with the main layout on it is 144" x 30" this houses the station area, goods sidings and sheds and a loco storage type area, it has various crossover sections, branch line exit and twin main lines running through the middle.

There are in total 19 sets of points of which 3 sets will be controlled as pairs with 3 switches (crossovers), and 13 individual points and switches (sidings, loco shuts, goods yard etc).

I have wired up 2 sets of the paired points with Seep PM1 point motors and have a 12 volt supply wired to the built in switches of each point which control the colour of the LEDs (2 leds to one point motor connected opposingly and one to the other) this will then show which line out of the point is available. Works a treat, and much better than I had expected.

Now my question/s.

What is the best method of making the actual control panel faceplate showing a fascimile of the layout in order to fit the switches and LEDs corresponding to the appropriate points?

What are the best materials to use and where can I get them?

How do you get a professional finish to the artwork from your original track plan (I am pretty good mechanically, Very good electrically but pretty poor artistically)?

Is there anywhere I can get one professionally made from a drawing of my track plan? If so where.

I suspect the front panel would need to finish at about 18" long x 6" high.

Any advice much appreciated, and all answers gratefully received.

Eddie.

I used 4.8mm hardboard painted white and surrounded by a pine frame. A sandwich of the hardboard and perspex would be nice. In that case the hardboard would be thinner

Sheet ivory would be very nice!

Think in terms of the London Underground route maps - the representation doesn't need the length, just enough to fit in the switches. I suggest using coloured tape - the sort of stuff used for pinstriping cars. IMO the track representation needs to be about 1/4" wide. The limiting factor for size will be the switches you use and the limiting factor there will be the switched current. Remember that track current is normally switched at zero so the switch needs very little current switching capacity. Turnout switches, otoh need to switch several amps so need to be beefier types.