Product List

US&S Centralized Traffic Control LCC Node

Many modelers would like to control traffic on their layouts in a more prototypical fashion. Various systems and schmemes have been used over the years and new riffs continue to be developed. Of these systems, only Centralized Traffic Control gives the operator running their train exact permission and allow the dispatchers to use the larger picture for the most effective use of the line.

Until this point, building a physical panel was for only the most committed modelers, as the level of effort and complexity is probably the highest with respect to traffic control systems.

The miles of wire to use, the number of solder terminals to connect, the input and output to the layout, and just the sourcing of the components made this difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

With this solution, bringing CTC to your railroad is as simple as configuring the node to utilize your lineside LCC nodes.

This represents a radical breakthrough to bring prototype style hardware to your layout and revolutionize your operations.

Specifications:

Each node contains 2 complete columns. Each column has a switch lever, a traffic lever, indicators for all of the levers positions, and 3 buttons - Call On, Maintainer Call and Code. Note that the buttons can be used for whatever situation you desire.

Each node will also drive 14 LED indicators on your model board or elsewhere on the panel.

Two outputs for audio integrations, such as for a CTC Bell sound, are present. We recommend the Iowa Scaled Engineering soundbyte for use with this feature.

Each column includes Cue logic capabilities, enabling on board logic for processing of conditions.

Each node can be expanded to add additional columns, with our Add On Column product. Up to 8 additional total columns will be able to be added.

Please see the support page for a copy of the node manual.

Switch indicators are Green for Closed, Yellow for Thrown.

Traffic indicators are Red for no traffic path set or stop, and green for both left and right directions.

Custom indicator color choices are available, please inquire for details. Custom columns, such as not having a switch or traffic lever, are also available.

Price Each: $179.00

US&S Centralized Traffic Control Machine Front Panel

Make it easy to build your machine with our pre-cut front panels.

Available in standard sizes of 4, 6 or 15 columns, this allows you to get up and running faster.

Panels are waterjet cut from 6061 aluminum sheet stock, 0.100" thickness.

Panels are availble in natural (raw) finish, primed white with a specialized primer formalated for aluminum, or ready to go painted black and green. Your choice of light or dark green for the body of the panel. Painted panels are finished with a clear matte coat to protect the panel color against scratches and enable easy cleaning with water.

Custom sized panels are available by special order. In general, prototype machines had a fixed number of columns, and unused columns will blanked off with punch out hole fillers. Note that the 2" column spacing is standardized, and not able to be changed.

Shipping price will vary. Please inquire on shipping options.

Pricing below reflects a natural panel that will require you to paint for finishing. For primed (both sides) only, please add $20 . For color, please add $60 and specify color (light or dark green) with your order. We use acrylic Vallejo colors, so some slight variation in color hue from panel to panel will be present.

4 Column Price Each: $250.00

6 Column Price Each: $300.00

15 Column Price Each: $Price on Request

US&S Centralized Traffic Control Machine Front Panel Accessories

To complete the look, you need the switch and signal plates, the bezels and plugs to fill any unused holes.

From the top of a column, the first hole is for the maintainer call switch. As we move down, the next pair of hole is for the switch indicators, and then the switch lever hole where the switch plate will be keyed from.

Next set of 3 hole in the slight triangle shape is the signal indicators with the matching switch plate area below.

Next are the centered holes for "Call On" and "Code" buttons. Not every column had a Call On option installed, but almost every column had a code button.

These are 3D printed using a natural gray plastic color that you can paint to match your panel, or leave them gray for a nice contrast look.

May require sanding and filling before painting for best results. 3D printing is amazing, but can produce a somewhat raw product that isn't perfect.

Column Plug Set: Includes plugs for maintainer call, indicators (6x), levers (2x) , code and call on buttons for a single column. $20

Column Set: Includes bezels for indicators (6x), 1 switch plate, 1 signal plate and button covers for call on and code. $15

Quick Signal Adapters

This solution makes connecting that small, fine wire, to you signal drivers easy and fast. The adapter is a small circuit board that can be either screwed into your benchwork with #4 wood screws, or can be installed into TE Connectivity's SNAPTRACK(c) channel.

Push the spring loaded, orange lever, insert the wire from your signal, and release! A secure and fast connection, with no worries about trying to hold this all in place while you use a tiny screw driver like other competing products.

Each single board will allow you to connect up to 8 lines to your signals. The boards are made to be snapped in half if you need to split up the mounting or if you only need a couple of connections in a location. Connect the 10 pin, (2x5 Digitrax(c) or RR-Cirkits(c) style connection) to your signal driving board using 10 pin ribbon cable.

1 board has support up to 16 outputs, grouped together into 4s, which makes them a natural fit for signal drivers that include a Lunar output, in addition to the normal red, yellow and green. Boards are sold singly. Due to their light weight and size, we recommend buying at least 4 so it makes sense to use a padded envelope to send them to you.

Comes standard with 100 Ohm resistors. Custom resistor values can be installed, if you buy at least 4 board. The resistors can be bypassed so the spring connections are direct to the pin headers. This is useful if you are using a signal driver, such as the RR-Cirkits Signal-LCC or Signal-SSB, that includes resistors.

Will support 22AWG and smaller wire, including magnet wire, as found on some commercial signal products.

Price Each: $4.50. Buy 4: $4.00; $16.00 total.

Each board is labeled with the outputs for reference. Can be used with either Common Anode (+) or Common Cathode (-) signals. Solder pads are also present for each color line.

The photo images show these used on my personal layout.

Quick Control Panels

Quick Control Panels and Signal Repeaters

Watch this space for new solution announcements!

. Design by James Koster