Good points! So I'll run the wires around from the far end and avoid the complication of the contacts. But, there's still the shut off circuit. As I planned it would be at the latch end therefore, making more long wire runs. I could actuate the microswitch from the hinge end and have all the circuitry there. But then there's one more wrinkle. I also wanted to shut the power off one block on either side of the gate, which brings the latch end back into the equation. I may scrap the whole interlock concept and just pay attention to when the gate is open. It's not actually trains on the gate that I'm worried about, it's trains approaching it. Nothing's ever easy...
Clem, you've got to get a good teacher. Computing is not hard... it's just different. I taught myself all I know about computers when I was 40. That includes learning how to touch type. I couldn't even type my name in college and had all my papers typed by someone else. I learned computing out of necessity... I was sharing a secretary with my boss and having nothing done by her. When offered a chance to get time on the mainframe to produce my own work, I jumped at it. Subsequently, I became the first manager at my next company to produce his own documents directly on the PC. At the same time, I started to learn how to produce my own graphics. It made me very productive and much more powerful. I had my admin staff do much higher level stuff, as well as producing more substantial production things.
Computing multiplies our intellectual powers in much the same way as the steam engine multiplied our physical powers. The analogy holds true on many levels. Not only does the computer allow us to do some things more quickly, it enables us to do many things that were either extremely difficult or impossible without them. Try building the Panama Canal without the steam shovel... you could do it, but it would have taken generations, not years.
Just for fun, look up SketchUp on Google and see what it does, then we'll talk about this some more.
I woke up this morning wondering how I'm going to fasten 12 pieces of paper together so I can then glue them to the back of the acrylic sheet. I can't overlap them as I usually do when putting together a multi-page image since the overlaps will cause gluing problems. They'll all have to be butted together so they are flat after assembly. I have a big paper cutter which I'm going to use to make the cuts since they have to be dead straight or the seams will look poorly. Once they're all adhered to the plastic, the tape holding the seams isn't needed any longer so I may remove it. I will also spray the back and front of the image with fixative to stabilize the image, seal the ink, make it more moisture resistant, and give the paper more body. This whole thing is quite an experiment that many others can use going forward.
I'll document all this in pictures and post tonight.
