In April there was no activity in the layout room but work was completed on the Top Level Signal Controls, a lot of activity occurred for Wayne covering JMRI Roster, Maintenance, JMRI WiThrottles, operating sessions and planning future improvements and Chris's WiThrottle too.
Top Level Signals
This month has seen work on the Junction Control Modules. I'll explain the concepts which are used using the first junction. I will go through the track arrangement, possible routes and consolidation of those routes. To ensure the micro controller code is working correctly I built a test assembly to simulate inputs and outputs to the Route micro controller.
Route Controls
The first junction consists of two parallel tracks with two pairs of cross overs.
The nomenclature is:
List of all the available Routes and their respective turnout settings.
Turnout nomenclature:
Concurrent Route list
Consolidated Route list
The nomenclature is:
- Entry/Exit "A", "B", "C", "D" - the [Booster_Area, Booster_Power_Block]
- Turnouts "T1", "T2", "T3", "T4" - the [Layout_Turnout_Number]
List of all the available Routes and their respective turnout settings.
Turnout nomenclature:
- "N" - normal or straight through
- "R" - reverse or diverging route
- "-" - position is irrelevant
Concurrent Route list
Consolidated Route list
Test Board
I setup the test board which connects to the TI Launchpad for:- Inputs 1 - 7 to simulate "Turnout State" - "Switch Up" = "N" & "Switch Down" = "R"
- Outputs A - I to simulate "Route State" - "LED On" = Not Available & "LED Off" = Available
Turn-Onka Junction [T-JCTM-2 V1]
Module nomenclature [T-JCTM-2 V1] = Top Level-Junction Module Number- Version.This is a "Junction Route Summary" page you can see the components explained above with the addition of a graphic showing the micro controller connections.
All turnouts in Normal position - Routes "A" [A-C] & "D" [B-D]
Turnouts 1 & 3 Reversed - Route "B" [A-D]
Turnouts 2 & 4 Reversed - Route "C" [B-C]
Turnouts 1, 2, 3 & 4 Reversed - Route "E" [A-X-C] Should never be used but a novice tower person just might do it!
NO valid route selected.
If you are interested the code can be seen here.
Stanvac Junction [T-JCTM-3 V2]
This junction T-JCTM-3 V2 is the same as T-JCTM-2 V1 with the addition of turnout "T5" on the approach from "A".
The additional turnout adds two additional consolidated routes.
Route indications are the same for Routes A, B, C, D & E.
First additional Consolidated Route
Second additional Consolidated Route
NO valid route selected
If you are interested the code can be seen here.
The Turn [T-JCTM-1 V1]
This junction T-JCTM-1 V1 is totally different for those before.
If you are interested the code can be seen here.
Signal Aspects
Signal Controls
The Junction Module's also have East and West Controllers that incorporates the Block Occupancy and combines with Route from the Route micro controller. Below are the same junctions as detailed above showing the East & West Signals to be Controlled.
The nomenclature is
- [En] T-S-Ennn - [East_Signal_Output_Number] Top-Signal-East_Signal_Head_Number
- [Wn] T-S-Wnnn - [West_Signal_Output_Number] Top-Signal-West_Signal_Head_Number
Turn-Onka Junction [T-JCTM-2 V1]
The East signals on approach "A" E1 & E2 are standard R-Y-G for each head. The signals on approach "B" E3, E4 & E5 are R-Y-G and head, T-S-E220 is not shown, it will always be R as the track comes from a passing siding which is on the approach to "B" so Medium Clear or Restricted Speed is mandated.
East Signals
Stanvac Junction [T-JCTM-3 V2]
All heads are R-Y-G
The Turn [T-JCTM-1 V1]
All heads are R-Y-G
East Signals
There will be more next month on configuring the East & West Controllers.
Wayne's
A lot of activity at Wayne's covering getting all locos into JMRI, maintenance, JMRI WiThrottles, two operating sessions and proposed future changes.JMRI Roster
Maintenance
We have had significant derailment issues with some coaches that Wayne had on a local passenger train. Modifications to couplers and wheel sets had previously been undertaken to no avail.. These coaches were very light but no longer! This vastly improved performance in all but one coach. Further investigation showed that one bogie was giving a problem, on checking with the NMRA Standards Gauge, one axle was found to be too narrow by about 10 thou. Axle was removed adjusted and refitted and now they run flawlessly.
JMRI WiThrottle
I decided to go back to windows but I discovered that I had wiped the recovery partition! So I had a original copy of Windows 7 on disk from a previous computer, which had died, and loaded that. After the 300 odd updates I discovered some devices in the operating system were not working - like NO COM PORTS... it was then I realised that I had loaded a 32 bit operating system (OS) on a 64 bit computer and the 64 bit drivers did not work on 32 bit.
The only thing left was to try Windows 10 so I had to make a bootable USB stick as per the instructions on the Microsoft website. When the Windows 10 OS loaded luckily it found some info on the Laptop that said it was built with Windows 8.1 and all went well with no need to get a registration key - it was treated as an upgrade install.
Well I learnt during the process that the Hard Disk OS had been changed back to the previous regime that Windows 10 won't work on and that Windows 10 is a pain when trying to load "Unsigned Drivers" such as those that run the Sprog. However after much research I am pleased to report I found solutions for all the issues and JMRI is loaded and WiThrottle is working as required.
I will go install it all on Wayne's layout next week.
Operating Sessions
Proposed Future Changes
Chris's WiThrottle
Well despite it working at my place when I took the laptop back to Chris's it had a hissy fit and decided that the WiFi connection would fail. |
| Chris with a decent coffee in hand watches the loco on Test Track |
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| Testing the Laptop Connections |
Till the end of May 2016.
-ooOOOoo-
