April Update

April has been a different time for me with ups and downs with my wife having major surgery so not much has gotten done - Absolutely no time in the train room.  After her my wife's surgery and whilst she was still in hospital Rossco (Aka Ros from Oz) came over for a bite and we had a few bottles of wine and spent the entire evening catching up on the Train Masters TV shows - thanks Rossco I had a great night and a great nights sleep too!

The Production PCB's have arrived and I have started assembly of the Dual Block Direction Sensing (DBDS) modules required for the top level of my layout which is to be the first installation to be completed.

The Top Level Signals controls assembly planning is complete and the construction commenced. Ralph DeBlasi has started a video series called Sayer Shops on YouTube and Pierre has missed out once again on his training - sorry mate!

Production PCB's 

They have arrived!

Dual Block Direction Sensing (DBDS) modules

Let the assembly begin....

Top Level Signals

Signal number nomenclature had to be determined and consolidated with direction sensing feeds to determine wire numbering between "section nodes" and the central signal controls. Block occupancy will be another "set of wires" to be run between the DCC Booster control boards and the central signal controls. Similarly the turnout states will be provided from the existing central control panel connections.

Design Details

Here is the logical progression of developing the wiring looms from the central control board.  There are four distinct groups of wires 1) the individual signal head (RYG - 4 wires)  2) Photo Transistors for Direction sensing 3) Block Occupancy  & 4) Turnout states.

These diagrams below cover Block numbering & Turnout numbering

Electrical Blocks

Electrical Blocks and Turnouts

Photo transistor direction sensors

Signal Head Designations

Grouping of wire runs to Section nodes

Signal Controls Physical Layout Planning

The plan is something like this...

Physical Layout Construction

Signal Head RYG wiring
3 Light Signal Module to RJ45 plug and "signal common" wires installed
Block occupied and links to adjacent "Yellow control" outstanding

Sayer Shops

Ralph DeBlasi the owner Lehigh Valley - Wyoming Division has started a "how to" weathering series on YouTube so I have found the paint like he is using from BNA MODEL WORLD (based in Melbourne with good freight prices) and have gotten the basic set of colours that he proposes o use.

He has posted some photos of his models on his Facebook page that look really great so I look forward to learning how Ralph does things and giving it a go sometime soon.



Once again I am not sure just how much "hobby time" I will get for the next month or two whilst my wife convalesces but I am sure there will be some....

That's it for this month.

Thanks again to those that continue to help me achieve my ambitions and hello once again to all my followers!

Till the end of May 2015.

-ooOOOoo-

March Update

This post is a bit late as March has been a different time for me with ups and downs...  Dad's 100th Birthday was a high point but finding out my wife is up for surgery was a substantial low.

This month I attended Wayne's first running session I had a nice afternoon that lasted over two hours. I got a wayside freight and ended up with more than 20 cars and at the first station without a cross and with slack in the schedule I was able to block the cars. The rest was plain sailing. Nice to meet some new people and catch up with a modeler I had not seen for over two decades!

The new Prototype PCB's have arrived and I have assembled and tested them subsequently placing the bulk order to meet the needs of Wayne & I.  Wayne & I have decided that the top level of my layout will be the first installation to be completed.

Some of the crew came and helped to finish the sealing up the train room.

Pierre had another training session but with the other happenings he has missed out on any more - sorry mate!

Prototype PCB's 

The Standard Signal Control Modules (SSCM), Junction Modules (JCTM) and Input Isolator Modules have arrived and I got busy and added the components.

Standard Signal Control Module

The second production prototypes (Version 1.4) has arrived and I have modified the previous ones (Version 0.97). The new versions are considerably smaller than the previous ones.

Upon examination of Wayne's layout there are a number of situations where the passing siding has additional turnouts either leading to stub tracks or other yard tracks.  With Version 1.4 there are four additional configurable inputs on the east and west controllers that can be used to cater for these eventualities.  I have amended the C++ code for the micro controllers and they have tested OK.

The top two are Version 0.97 and the bottom one is Version 1.4

Testing the SSCM

Junction Control Module

The production prototypes have arrived and I have built four units.

Each of the units will be configured for its actual configuration on the layout. The basic configuration takes 5 turnouts in a junction as shown below.

Three additional configurable inputs have been included on the micro controller which assesses and determines the "allowable routes (A-G)" and based on its C++ coding the "Active route" is passed to the East and West Controllers that determine which signals require a "Red" condition.  These "Red" conditions are fed into the standard 3 Light Signal Modules which control each individual signal head.

Input Isolation Module

The design had a flaw so each block of 10 now does 9!

Two completed modules caters for 36 inputs

Sealing the Train Room

Thanks to Ross, Rossco (aka Ros from Oz) and Chris for completing the cladding.  Now I need to get some paint and finished it off.  I still need to put some expanding foam into the flutes in the Bondeck between the brickwork and the underside of the upper story floor.

I am not sure just how much "hobby time" I will get for the next month or two but I am sure there will be some....

That's it for this month.

Thanks again to those that continue to help me achieve my ambitions and hello once again to all my followers!

Till the end of April 2015.

-ooOOOoo-

February Update

This is my first post for 2015.  In January Kaye & I went to Melbourne to see the the stage show Grease after which we spent New Year with Peter (the owner of Brownsville) returning home in time to move her home after she worked in the country for over a decade.

Well I did get some hobby time which was used to do some more design work on the signal system. I discovered a flaw in my thinking..  I was going to share inputs from Block Detectors and Turnouts positions into each control module via optocouplers - the practice of putting diodes in parallel (the diodes inside the optocouplers) is NOT good practice... and WILL lead to spurious results...  back to the drawing board....  I had a nervous time when in away packing my wife's stuff to come back home too.

I have settled on the connectors and configuration of wires for the photo-transistors used for direction sensing and those used for signal masts.

Pierre rang early in January to organise another training session but the hobby activities have been impacted as the area we use (Huntington) is stacked with stuff from the house move!  Well the session happened in the third week of February.

Just after the training session I caught bronchitis and that shut me down from doing anything much for the rest of February.

Review of Signal System Components 

It had to go back and look at all the components to ensure the "diodes in parallel" was eliminated.. So changes to the Dual Block Direction Sensor (DBDS) and the Standard Signal Control Modules (SSCM) were required.  Basically it was a "good mistake" as it has lead to a reduction in electronic components and simplification of some circuits.  The key points were remote sensing and signal masts will run at 12V and all the control signal modules utilising "control signals" will be at 3.3V.

Control Panel modifications for Sharing Inputs

Integrating the control strategy into existing control panels.

Dual Block Direction Sensor (DBDS)

Minor changes 2 Optocouplers on inputs removed and replaced by 2 Pin Headers 

Block Detector inputs removed from 12V and now direct connect to micro controller pin at 3.3V

Standard Signal Control Module

The production prototypes for the "shared inputs to Optocouplers" versions has arrived. I will need to modify them for testing purposes as the new production version has been ordered.

Optocouplers on inputs removed and replaced by 2 Pin Headers and previously unused pins connected to allow programming flexibility to account for turnouts on the passing loop and other programmable eventualities.

Junction Control Module

Previously the prototype was on a breadboard.

I designed a new PCB and the production prototype has been ordered.

Input Isolation Module

Given the need to consolidate all block and turnout states into manageable groups I have designed a module that has two blocks of 10 inputs per PCB.  Inputs have a protection diode, a LED (shows input active) then Optocoupler in series so the existing current draw from the boosters through the control panel remains constant albeit the panel LED's will dim slightly.

Integrating the System Components

I have started laying out the required components on a base board to see "how it will all fit together".

Standard Wiring Terminations

RJ45 - 8 Pin Header - 8 Screw Terminal

8 Conductor flat cable

Defining 8 wire connections

Signal Head Feeders

Cable Termination

Cable Terminations

Signal Heads

Standards developed for signal head connections - two options 1: separate signal masts & 2: dual head signal mast.

DBDS Phototransistors

A Nervous Time

Whilst I was away packing up my wife's flat in the country and when I was getting ready for bed.... Security monitoring rings to tell me the smoke detector in the train room has activated and did I want them to send the fire brigade? Well that is why we have these systems so ... "Yes"... I tell them to let the fire brigade know to contact me so I can give details to gain access as I am about 300 km from home....

Apparently it has been one of those nights and all fire units in my and the three surrounding areas are all "called out" so my fire truck is coming from the City HQ some 20 km away...  I must say I was impressed...  I had the scanner running and whilst I missed the dispatch I heard the arrival and within 30 seconds of hearing "... arrived nothing showing" my mobile rang with Station Officer X wishing to talk to me. A very efficient gentleman Instructions on key safe location, code, key access, which door, light switch location, entry to train room & found smoke detector activating but luckily no smoke or flames....

Talked through security system settings and they secured the premises and reset alarms before leaving. Not once did I have to repeat any information. What I said was acted on immediately and accurately. It would appear that either the abnormal high humidity was to blame.

Well none of the other three smoke detectors were affected so I deiced it was time to seal off the garage like every other room in the house.  he work began today.  Below are a few photos and a big thanks to Ross and Rosslyn for what got done today.

That's it for this month.


Till the end of March 2015.

-ooOOOoo-