Control panel design

THERE are as many different ideas on control panel design as there are on layout concepts, track planning and layout construction.

While individual flair is important, control panels all have to deliver a certain level of functionality. For traditional analogue layouts, they hold the switches that control power supply to the track via section and isolation switches besides turnout (point) control. Some DCC users may feel that with the number of stationary or accessory decoders available, a control panel or two is not necessary for DCC layouts. It all depends on how you plan to run the layout and how many different operators can be hosted in any one running session.

To recap: The need for control panels in the design of a new home-based ‘EM’ gauge Network SouthEast themed layout is based on separating route setting and signalling from train driving controls. When a running session is hosted, one person can be designated as a signaller or dispatcher with control of route setting and signalling. Those operators in charge of driving the trains can follow them around the layout, observing the signals and other operating notices accordingly. For ‘lone wolf’ sessions, the layout can be run by one person following one