Tomix TCS 5563 Mode 2

[velotrain]

Here's a video that shows this mode in action -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPgrAw5Dro

 

I'm wondering if this basic functionality can be achieved without the turnouts?  Basically, stopping at the station in each direction, but using the same track.  My understanding is that since the program expects two turnouts, they need to be connected.  I was thinking they could simply be hidden under the layout, but then there's the issue of two sensors at the station, but only one track - and I'm not interested in installing a gauntlet track ;-)

 

Could one of the sensors also be hidden?  Does the unit really know which sensor is activated, or does it just stop the train when it triggers one of the station sensors?  Or, less likely - will it use sensors 2 and 3 in the appropriate direction, even without the turnouts?  I believe it will simply stop at the first sensor it encounters after reversing direction.  I do realize that using just a single sensor for both directions creates a stopping location issue, compounded by every car after the first. 

 

There is a more technical illustration of mode 2 about halfway down this thread -

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/9183-tomix-5563/?hl=%2Btomix+%2B5563

 

 

[katoftw]

without the turnouts would be just mode 1 wouldn't it?

[Kiha66]

If you set it for mode 2, it should still work.  I cant imagine they have feedback on the switch outputs.   Might have to splice the station sensor into two plugs to get the train to stop in both directions.  I dont have one yet though, so I cant say for sure.

[cteno4]

It's too bad the minitronics ru21 is not still around as it would be perfect for this and has acceleration and deceleration to boot and builtin power supply.

 

Charles you can get the link to any post < icon in the top right of a post so folks can get straight to the post you want to direct them to.

 

Jeff

[Kiha66]

Actually, this seems like a good arduino project. I may try comming up with a program later this week to run this sort of function on the cheap.

[velotrain]

Kiha - I like the Tomix system and already have what I need, but just don't have everything handy at the moment to test it out.  One downside is that this particular mode doesn't allow for deceleration AND hard stop at either the ends or the station, as the maximum four sensors are already allocated.

 

I could be wrong, but think the turnouts need to be plugged in.  My understanding is that when you turn it on, it checks to see if the mandated components are connected based on the program selected.  I think it will try to throw the turnouts at the appropriate time, but don't believe it needs confirmation.

 

I'm not sure just what the Arduino solution would require, but the 5563 provides stop, pause and reverse at each end, as well as stop, pause and start at the station.  Compared to something like individual Circuitron components, you do need to provide the sensors but the other functions are built in to each program, so it's an integrated solution with plug and play wiring.

 

Jeff - what's really too bad is that the RU21 was single track only.  I believe kvp suggested multiple 5563's could be linked to automate a single track line with multiple station tracks, but we haven't actually seen it done.  As I recall another fellow said he was working on this maybe three years ago.

 

Steve at Circuitron said he thought he could do a double track line with a single track at the ends, and could add intermediate stations, but this would be a multiple component solution.  The multiple trolley automation at East Penn was fairly impressive, although I gather it uses almost century-old technology.

[kvp]

Actually the Tomix sensors act like momentary pushbuttons, pulling either direction (side wires) to the middle ground. (they use optocouplers to isolate traction power from the detection logic) The Tomix automatic operation unit is a simple fixed program system using input state bitmaps to trigger the next step in the selected program and seems to be easily hacked with creative wiring. For this single track shuttle, mode 2 should work if you leave out the two turnouts and plug all 4 sensors to the 4 stop locations.

 

For an Arduino solution, the TCS sensors could be detected like pushbuttons, so wire each outside wire to an input with the internal pull up resistor enabled and the middle wire to common ground. Pushbutton bouncing also happen with the TCS sensors as the wheel contact is not perfect, but it could be ignored if the state machine is set to never rely on the same input in two consecutive steps. The motor drive should be on the PWM outputs, the type depending on the drive chip inputs. The turnout contol can use the same full H bridge drive chips as the traction. The program would look like a series of setSpeed(), setTurnout(), wait() and waitInput() commands, depending on the desired sequence. But this requires a bit of a programming and engineering knowledge to set up. Once written, it would be possible to set up sequence lists and select between them with a rotary encoder to get the same multi program operation as for the off the shelf Tomix unit. (but with different programs)

 

One possible upgrade could be supporting more than one train, but i think this up to 4 trains double track bidirectional operation is what the new Tomix automatic unit will support.