Moveable point motor controller

[twix41]

Hi all

 

I have an idea for a point controller, i have a rather large layout, which has 40+ point motors, i want to build a small hand controller that i can move around and plug in where i want to be working from. It will probably have push to make buttons, and as small a number of cables as possible to connect it to the layout, i'm thinking some kind of logic/micro processor circuit in the controller, then thats sent down the connecting wire, and the reverse process under the layout which controls the point motors. Is this possible? am i barking up the wrong tree? any help would be gratefully appreciated

[Dagworth]

Hi all

 

I have an idea for a point controller, i have a rather large layout, which has 40+ point motors, i want to build a small hand controller that i can move around and plug in where i want to be working from. It will probably have push to make buttons, and as small a number of cables as possible to connect it to the layout, i'm thinking some kind of logic/micro processor circuit in the controller, then thats sent down the connecting wire, and the reverse process under the layout which controls the point motors. Is this possible? am i barking up the wrong tree? any help would be gratefully appreciated

 

 

Try contacting Gordon Hopkins (Gordon H on here), his RPC system sold through Merg is exactly what you describe.

 

Andi

[Gordon H]

Try contacting Gordon Hopkins (Gordon H on here), his RPC system sold through Merg is exactly what you describe.

The system Andi is referring to is my Point-To-Point (PTP) design of a few years back which multiplexes up to 960 control signals in each direction down a single pair of wires. In this respect it was mostly used to carry switch settings from a fixed panel to the layout, and provide indications (usually LEDs) back to the panel from the layout.

In this instance I suspect the MERG CBUS system might be more appropriate than PTP because it would allow easier repositioning of the hand controller.

A single CANACE3 module can accept 128 switches as a matrix, and this sends 'events' to CBUS point drivers (or any other type of output module) mounted around the layout. The method can also be used to set up routes from single buttons if desired.