What did you do on your layout today? (N scale)

[EH500 (12)]

I am installing phototransistors which I then can use as track occupancy indicators.

They are connected to an Arduino which controls the points, direction and speed of the train.

 

Just ignore the radio music. There are two phototransistors which trigger the change in direction, you can hear the clack-clack of the relays.

 

This is how it looks below the wood:

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by EH500 (11)

[gavino200]

Wow! That's really interesting. What's the "big picture" on that? Are you building a semi autonomous layout?

Edited February 16, 2019 by gavino200

[bill937ca]

Steam lineup.

[Sheffie]

Raised my truss bridge about 12mm. Perhaps difficult to see from a photo, but it feels significant in real life.

(and of course, I got to run the new freight train)

 

 

Edited February 17, 2019 by Sheffie

[chadbag]

Today I finished re-gluing some of the dowels that had popped up before the glue had dried last week on my backscene board.

 

I also converted the EF210 (KATO) as I posted in the DCC/Electrical forum topic.  And then I re-did part of my EF81 (Cassiopeia) to match what I had done on the EF210 as much as possible  (and also to use Kapton tape instead of heatshrink to isolate the main rail power strip as the heatshrink is too thick) to make to more reliable, and then I also had some reliability issues on the EF200 as well, so I re-did part of that to  match what I had done on the EF210.  Both the EF81 and EF200 were basically adding the copper tape underneath and getting rid of the soldered wire from the motor tab to the decoder.  This allows the decoder to lay flatter and have better power pickup from the main rail strips.

 

I also did my first D&H PD05A install in the forum EM13 board (my other one was a DH05C) and installed that ersatz-EM13 and 2 FL12 in my KATO/Lemke ET425 commuter rail (Woman's World Cup livery version).  After having to turn both FL12 around (had them backwards) it works fine though the motor is a bit noisy.

 

[EH500 (12)]

8 hours ago, gavino200 said:

Wow! That's really interesting. What's the "big picture" on that? Are you building a semi autonomous layout?

 

Currently its a test. If everything works this will be a fully automated depot for 18 EH500, EH800 or two ED79-0/50/100 based on the depot in Goryokaku. 

So far it looks like its going to work. Only problem is one sensor randomly triggering without a loco. I am not sure though if this is really a problem with the sensor or the serial connection between the arduinos.

[gavino200]

Wow. That’s an awesome project.

Edited February 17, 2019 by gavino200

[bill937ca]

A couple more scenes from my steam layout. Mainly Kato steam with British wagons and coaches running on Tomix track.

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by bill937ca

[chadbag]

Yesterday I converted 4 more of the JNSForum EM13 ersatz boards with DH05C decoders and installed them in my N700A, Panda 287 Kuroshio, 323 Osaka Loop Line, and 223-2000 express (JR West -- Kobe/Kyoto line IIRC).  ALso got FL12 installed in the Panda and doing the N700A momentarily.  I have a few more stored away somewhere and need to find them.

 

I am also in the middle of converting my second Tomix cleaning car to DCC using the Digitalzentralle board I bought last year.

 

I also did some more reading on the DR4018 switch decoder and figrued out I did not need an external booster to power it.  I can hook up a 12V supply directly to it and feed it the track signal wires (from a Loconet B cable with one end chopped and the outer wires which carry railsync so that I can plug on one end into my Booster (used for track, not the accessories -- just using it for its Loconet B port).  This allows me to run a single long Loconet cable to the other end of the layout where all the switches are and position the 2x DR4018 on that end.  Helps with the wiring.  The Tam Valley Accessory booster is now currently superfluous but I have another use for it so it will find its way back into the layout later.

 

[EH500 (12)]

Wiring all day long.

 

 

Still missing two Arduinos, more wires and D-SUB connectors.

 

 

 

 

[chadbag]

For the rest of today, I found my missing FL12 and added FL12 to my JR 223-2000 and the JR 323 Osaka Loop Line for the cab car lights.  Then I decided to try and do a DCC conversion of my Greenmax JR 103 "Sayonara Osaka Loop Line" (Orange Loop Line version) (which is a coreless motor motor car).  I used the PD05A as it would fit inside the underneath plastic part.  Got it to work (I'll write it up one of these days and I took lots of pictures -- there are some CV changes for the coreless motor that I got from D&H).  I have not done the cab cars yet so the pic below shows both the front and rear lights.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2019 by chadbag

[chadbag]

Did another Greenmax JR 103 conversion to DCC.  Basically the same as the previous one but improved, and much faster.  Used a D&H PD05A-3 since it is small enough to sit on the shelf under the drivetrain where the drive shaft is.  Again, cab car not done yet.  Waiting for some NGDCC 2x bipolar 2x regular function decoders so I can run the cab lights plus internal lights.

 

I had wanted to work on the wiring of the switches some more but ran out of time.

 

[Drunkenclam]

Spent half an hour with the newspaper and water/pva mix. Trying to engage with son during half term break.

[EH500 (12)]

3 of 4 modules are done. 

Last module only has a few rails so I might get this done over the weekend.

 

 

[cteno4]

Wow that’s quite some wiring there!

 

jeff

[NXCALE]

 

On ‎2‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 8:17 AM, EH500 (11) said:

I am installing phototransistors which I then can use as track occupancy indicators.

They are connected to an Arduino which controls the points, direction and speed of the train.

 

Just ignore the radio music. There are two phototransistors which trigger the change in direction, you can hear the clack-clack of the relays.

 

This is how it looks below the wood:

 

 

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 6:55 AM, EH500 (11) said:

Wiring all day long.

 

 

Still missing two Arduinos, more wires and D-SUB connectors.

 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, EH500 (11) said:

3 of 4 modules are done. 

Last module only has a few rails so I might get this done over the weekend.

 

 

 

Excellent work! the fact that you are using relays is very cool! that clicking from the relays is like music!

which phototransitors are you using? Do you have any challenges with trains that have dark colours?

Could you explain a bit about your system (high level is ok if it is too complex)?

           For instance, are sensors are placed at the entry and exit of each section (like the axle counters in real life) or somethig else?

           How are arduinos managing the data?  just a general idea will be fine

 

If you have more info somewhere (in the forum or outside), please share the link to have a look.

Cheers,

 

 

p.s. my electronic system for my layout is just catching dust in my garage for months... but watching your project is encouraging me to go back to it.

[EH500 (12)]

51 minutes ago, NX: said:

 

 

 

 

Excellent work! the fact that you are using relays is very cool! that clicking from the relays is like music!

which phototransitors are you using? Do you have any challenges with trains that have dark colours?

Could you explain a bit about your system (high level is ok if it is too complex)?

           For instance, are sensors are placed at the entry and exit of each section (like the axle counters in real life) or somethig else?

           How are arduinos managing the data?  just a general idea will be fine

 

If you have more info somewhere (in the forum or outside), please share the link to have a look.

Cheers,

 

 

p.s. my electronic system for my layout is just catching dust in my garage for months... but watching your project is encouraging me to go back to it.

Thanks for your interest, good to hear you are inspired by this project.

 

Just some quick infos:

I use LTR-301 phototransistors as they fit perfectly in Tomix tracks. They are connected to the 5V bus, on the other side they are connected to the analog pins of an Arduino. I can then detect how much light they pick up, if it falls to 0 I know there is a train as a N-gauge boogie blocks pretty much all incoming light. The color of the train does not matter. 

 

I have split up the layout in several areas. The "top" five tracks are divided in two parking positions each. They are 22 to 24cm long. At the end and begining of each position there is a phototransistor. 

The third track from below will be used to move locomotives around occupied parking positions on the two lower tracks, which can each store four locomotives.

 

The speed is regulated with PWM and direction is controlled with a H-bridge. I can theoreticaly move two locomotives at the same time on this layout without any manual input or override and manually control one locomotive.

Every parking position and the connecting tracks can be turned on and off with the relays. The points are controlled by H-bridges and relays too.

 

When everything is in place all this will be controled by five Arduinos, 30+ relays and 30+ phototransistors.

The Arduinos communicate via serial connection.

 

This is all pretty much a lot of trial and error as I had nearly zero knowledge of electronics before I started this project a month ago. I bet there are easier solutions for all of this

This works as planned for the top four parking positions. I wrote 683 lines of code for two of the five Arduinos so far.

 

I may write a more detailed tutorial when everything is finished and works as planned.

Edited February 23, 2019 by EH500 (11)

[Sheffie]

What language are you programming in? I'm a C/C++ coder by trade, so this is quite interesting

 

[EH500 (12)]

5 hours ago, Sheffie said:

What language are you programming in? I'm a C/C++ coder by trade, so this is quite interesting

 

Arduinos are actually programmed in C/C++.

 

I also plan to program a graphical interface using python on a RaspberryPi.

Edited February 23, 2019 by EH500 (11)

[EH500 (12)]

Rails are in place, wiring is progressing, I am running out of material.

 

 

 

 

I ran out of pins for my boards so I started using nails.

Improvise, adapt, overcome. 

 

 

[Sheffie]

A couple of new structures: rural freight platform and warehouse. The accessories were too small and breakable to survive being removed from the moulding, for the most part (a heartbreaking story for another time, perhaps), but the basic structures are at least intact. 

Edited February 24, 2019 by Sheffie

[Kiha66]

Looks great Tim, I really need to get around to doing the details on my own platforms.  If you have the spare cash a set of sprue cutters will change your life, nearly perfect cuts every time and no more broken parts.  I bought this set for christmas and they've changed modeling for me.
https://www.amazon.com/Rustark-Gundam-Building-Repairing-Fixing/dp/B071LB1T5D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZB0GPKGYLQ8J&keywords=sprue+cutter&qid=1550987525&s=gateway&sprefix=sprue+cutter%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1

[Sheffie]

3 minutes ago, Kiha66 said:

If you have the spare cash a set of sprue cutters will change your life

Wait, less than $10?

GET IN MY CART

[katoftw]

Yup.  Never try to break of those little details.  Always use a knife or clippers.

[cteno4]

A good set of spru cutters are really worth it in the long run! One tool that it’s worth putting money into when you figure out how much money you spend on the kits they trim for you over the years! Like kiha says a good pair are a hugely noticeable joy that you feel that with many other tools you won’t feel that much difference with.

 

cheers,

 

Jeff