"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:0027c042$0$24371
:

"Puckdropper" wrote:

The control box stand doesn't ring a bell, but I'm sure if I looked
hard
enough I could find some version or another in one of my older
magazines.
They used to be full of neat easy projects like that.


The control panel design was all mine.

Used to be in the biz designing automation control systems and then
building the control panels for them.

Before the days of programmable robots, it was known as "Hard
Automation".

Got tired of 80 hour work weeks so got into something else.

It had a graphic panel complete with zone control and indicating
lights, all built essentially from left overs from other jobs except
for the bat handled toggle switches.

Don't the mags have projects like that any more?

I'm certain with Westcott's passing, there have been some major
changes in the mags covering model railroading.


Lew


I've actually seen more good model railroading projects like a control
box in an electronics magazine (Nuts and Volts) than I have model
railroading magazines. It's a shame, as there's still a lot of people
out there that build for the fun of building but their work is of limited
interest to the model railroading magazines. (There are exceptions, of
course, and I don't keep up with more than about 2 model railroading
periodicals so my view of the world might be tilted.)

There have been some major changes in model railroading in the last 30
years. Besides the digital age, there's been a shift from kits to ready
to run. Even the "shake the box" kits are being phased out in place of
more expensive ready to run stuff.

The control box sounds cool. Zone control and indicator lights sounds
like a very necessary thing for a large layout run with conventional
power. (Digital Command Control eliminates the need for zone control.)

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm