To this point, I've been using DCC for loco control but your normal fascia-mounted control panel for turnouts. The panel has DPDT switches with bi-polar LEDs to indicate turnout direction and Tortoises to actually move the points. I'm looking at adding some crossover sections and am considering the models with the DCC decoders built in. Is there a way to control these in the same manner? Via old-fashioned DPDT switches with LED indicators? The visual model with the control panel is very useful and I'd like to maintain that going forward. I've also got a Raspberry Pi 3 running JMRI connected to the DCC controller (Digitrax Zephyr Xtra) via a PR3 in MS-100 mode, if that gives me any other options. I know about PanelPro, but I'm trying to keep everything on one panel right now and don't really have the resources to retrofit all of our existing turnouts. Thanks!
Are you referring to the Hare decoder? If so the manual shows panel switch control and LED's as an option.
I have a Digitrax DS64 on order. I was hoping to be able to keep my existing fascia control panel with DPDT switches but somehow convert those switches to be able to control the tortoises via the DS64 so that the rest of the system doesn't get out of sync with the turnout positions. The A1-S4 input terminals give me hope, but I'm still green enough that reading the manual doesn't really tell me whether or not they'll do what I need.
Thinking about this further, I realize I'll have to replace the DPDTs with some sort of momentary, whether it's a push or a toggle, otherwise the switches on the panel will be out of sync as soon as something other than the switch changes the points.
Also, the DS64 is best served with a momentary switch. You can set the DS64 to toggle the turnout state each time the panel switch is activated. If the tortoise is close to the panel, you can power LEDs directly from it. For the JACALAR, I have used TeamDigital SRC-16s within the panels, which can send the switch commands via Loconet to the DS64s
Like Rick, I also use a Team Digital SRC-16 (current model is an SRC-162e) with DS64's but with Kato turnouts. If you have a large number of turnouts to convert you may want to look at the SRC-162e with MotoD Tortoises drives vs DS64's for cost considerations. For 16 turnouts its about half the cost. It also interfaces with Loconet and JMRI. If you decide to use the DS64 you will need to change its default switch type from Kato type switches to Tortoise type. Your can also do this through Decoder Pro under the Loconet menu. Programming is limited in Decoder to setting your options. If you want to change your board number, set up routes, switch addresses, etc this must be done through the board and throttle. If you've changed your board number from 1 then enter that into the unit address box for the DS-64 Set Up page in Decoder Pro to access the decoder. Here is a note about wiring in LED indicators with your DS64. Here are instructions for wiring the momentary contact switches. You should be able to keep your panel with the only difference being NO momentary switches vs DPDT.
@RBrodzinsky and @pilotdude - Thank you! This is all of the information I needed. Picked up some momentary switches yesterday and can't wait to get started!
I have bi-color LED's on my tortoises, and they change from red to green when I throw the turnout. I use the two lead LED's and solder them along one of the power leads running from my NCE switch-it to the tortoise.
Wired up the first turnout as a proof of concept with the bi-color LEDs, momentary switch, tortoise, and the DS64 and it works beautifully! Thanks, all!
