Japanese grade crossing bells

[bc6]

What are you guys using to simulate Japanese grade crossing bells.  

[cteno4]

I love the DFPlayer minis (you can get them down to a buck each shopping around) to do any audio playback. Simple and very versatile. They have a couple of watt audio output so you can go straight to a small speaker (and really boom it with a small sound box like a cut off plastic bottle). You can control from arduino or just use momentary closures from relays or switches  you can use it with no programming at all just wiring.

 

of course you need your bell audio mp3.

 

jeff

[marknewton]

I’m using some light and sound kits from Micro Electronic Services:

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10196860

 

Mine are  made for 1/80 scale, N scale kits are also available.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[bc6]

Thanks Jeff & Mark.

[bc6]

I finally got my project off the ground and ended up with what you see below. All that's left to do is power it up which is the most stressful for me. I still need to decide on a power supply battery vs electrical.

[cteno4]

Very cool! Using the arduino mini to control the mp3 player and sensing with motion sensor (?) sheild?

 

jeff

[bc6]

Thanks, it's using a PIR sensor (The white thing)

[cteno4]

Hmm interesting I wonder how the passive ir will work with trains. The motor should trigger it but I wonder if an unpowered front car will.

 

jeff

[bc6]

Jeff I have some doubts about this sensor as well which is why I ordered some IR sensors.i want the bells to activate as a train passes the sensor and I'm not sure if the PIR sensor will work.

[cteno4]

Yeah pir sensors just looks for an increasing or changing ir signal from something like a warm body. Other sensor shields have both a ir emitting diode and ir sensor to read a break or bounce the signal for activation. Other option is a simple photo resistor in the roadbed, but it won’t work on the dark and you need to program in a routine  at system boot to read the unobstructed value of each sensor under the current light conditions. But they are simple, very cheap, and robust.

 

Jeff

[bc6]

Thanks Jeff you've confirmed my suspicions about the PIR but its good enough for now to test with