Plate 79:  Hornby train controller
(This plate added SEP 2003)

In this picture, the Hornby R965 Standard Train Controller has been placed in full view upon the corner plywood extension of the middle level roadbed. --more--

The round red knob on the controller controls the train speed. The small red slide-switch near the knob is a double-pole double-throw reversing switch that controls the direction of the train. The thin black cable draped over the plywood at the right connects the direct-current output of the controller to the track. The direct current carried by this cable can be varied by the red control knob from 0 volts to 12 volts, corresponding to "stop" and "highest speed" for the train. The two silver terminal posts at the center right of the controller provide 16 volts of alternating current to the layout. Current at this voltage is used to illuminate miniature lamps (such as lights inside a building, or lights on tall stanchions illuminating a switching yard). 16-volt alternating current is also used to operate remote-control switches, such as the switch in Plate 32. Note: The picture in Plate 32 shows a switch (British usage: point) before it was connected to a remote-control switch machine (British usage: point motor). Detailed instructions for installing point motors are provided later in these pages. Go to top of page