Controls for the hidden staging tracks are done!!!
I spent the last three days working on and trouble shooting a Diode Matrix Control for the hidden yard ladder. I say trouble shooting because after I wired it all up on Wednesday, I couldn't get it to work. I spent the last two days checking everything and scratching my head. I finally noticed that I'd put a diode in backwards. DHOOOO!!!
I'm happy to say that this morning I got it working like a top and love it. I found the schematic on David K. Smith's site here: http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/clinics.htm David was super helpful in helping me out with my questions. I'm glad I did the controls this way.
Here you can see the hidden staging entrance/exit at Meridian. In the bottom right of the photo is a red knob that is the rotary switch for the diode matrix. I'm working on a label for the switch and am also going to put a small dry erase board above it so that I can write consist numbers for the locos in staging. You can also see the video monitor that I use to watch trains in the staging yard.
