Hi all, I have a sheet of plywood as a base for my layout. The plan is to add scenery etc after the infrastructure is completed. My layout is analog with signals controlled from the old school switch buttons. How should I mount the signal to the base board so as to conceal the solenoid housing and its connections?

One idea is to invert the mast and mount the housing underneath the table. Another is to use a remote mast base. I'd like to keep in mind the option of servicing the solenoid sometime in the future if needed, but this is my first time doing this and I'd like to know what others have done!

This is my first permanent layout and I'd like to make sure I plan correctly. Here is the signal placement. There will be a tunnel portal just behind the signal and the area in front is a grassy field.





Thanks!

Hi Brian,
Probably the easiest way is to build scenery around the signal base - either have the level of the land coming over the solenoid or building some kind of a scenic structure (e.g. brick) for the solenoid.
I'm not sure of how to invert that kind of signal but if you can and mount the solenoid under the base then that would be good for access.
One last option is to cut a rebate into the base so that the solenoid sits in that and then landscape over.
I chose to leave the signal sitting on the base board. That gives me easy access but it requires more work to get the scenery right.

Good luck with whichever way you chose. It looks as though your cat is taking a keen interest in your hobby.
Cheers,
John

You can score up to about 4mm 3ply with scalpel, you can cut it easily. Scoring across the grain and the centre layer will snap easily. Scoring along the grain and you will have to work a bit harder for the centre grain. Attack from both sides.

Personally I would just do two parallel strips and glue to a larger piece for underneath, and then screw that up.

That is exactly what I did before I switched over to Viessmann signals. I used the 7230 to mount the signal on the base and then located the solenoid below the table. Depending on where I mounted the solenoid I had to solder on extensions to the signal wires. In case you are interested in following that approach I now have several 7230 mounting brackets that I am willing to sell. PM me if interested.

Peter

Hi Peter, I'll take you up on that. I had a thought and realized mounting the solenoids under the table won't work for the upper levels of my layout because I won't have sufficient area to access the solenoids between levels. What I'll do is make a board and remotely mount the solenoids of each signal on the board and connect them with a wiring loom. I'll send you a private message about the 7230 pieces.