WIP - Button Control for Train Traffic Lights

[Lowa]

We just finalized our button control for train traffic lights.  It’s part of a range of buttons we're developing to control your LEGO train layout with a physical control panel.  The outside is identical to the track switch motor button control we presented a while ago but inside it has a driver for traffic lights.

It’s more than a simple light switch, this button control also supports a number of blinking effects.  The two indicator LEDs on the button control mimic the behavior of the traffic light so you can see the current state of your layout on your control panel.  The button control can also be reconfigured to be used as crossing barrier light controller: right button = lights off, left button = both LEDs blinking.

The next step are button controls for boom barrier and the decoupler track.

Let us know what you think!

[kieran]

I like it, looks to work well

[Younge]

Awesome!!!

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but would there be a way you could make these buttons work with battery boxes/motors to control an actual train?

I guess I see that as the last thing from the 12v era that you would need to replicate.

Keep up the great work!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

This is totally C O O L!!!

[Lowa]

On 8/31/2017 at 3:36 PM, kieran said:

I like it, looks to work well

Thank you!

[Lowa]

On 9/1/2017 at 0:51 AM, Younge said:

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but would there be a way you could make these buttons work with battery boxes/motors to control an actual train?

Thank you!

The first phase is to make buttons for track switches, traffic lights, boom barriers and our decoupler track.  We're essentially there and we're planning to launch a kickstarter for that soon.  If it's a success we'll start working on a number of additional button controls; that would indeed include a solution to control trains.  I was thinking more in terms of a console rather than the single power lever of the 12V system.  The goal would be to really give you the feeling you're in a cockpit.  I found this console, it seems to be intended to play video games; it gave me some inspiration...

If possible the system would be modular so you can choose to use a simple or more advanced system; and give it a LEGO look and feel.  I'm thinking of a forward-neutral-reverse lever, a power lever and a train selection lever (so you can control multiple train with one console); there could be additional buttons for the lights in the train and a horn.  It is something that has to be thought through.  If you have any other ideas for functionalities, please let me know!

 

 

On 9/1/2017 at 4:56 AM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

This is totally C O O L!!!

Thanks!  The decoupler and boom barrier buttons are pretty sweet too.  I still need to make a short video of that...