Signal Control Panel Takes Shape

Well I still have not got down to the shed to work on the Sunnybank wiring,  I finally got my Arduino working with some additional output boards via the I2C protocol.  I found a Youtube video that had some sample code.  This video's version of the sample code had an extra parameter on the creation of the i2C board object.  Other versions of sample code did not have this.  So I added it and my board started working.  I have LEDs flashing controlled by a secondary board.  I have had a few more of my online purchases show up, but I’m still waiting for another.  It has been about 3 weeks since I purchased some DPDT switches, but I believe it may not have gotten shipped from China.  However, the seller reached out to me on Saturday. 

I have been working on my signalman’s panel.  I had installed all the track markings with coloured electrical tape.  I changed the colour of the tracks, Blue is narrow gauge, Black is standard gauge and Red is dual gauge.  I have also started installing all the LEDs into the signalman’s board, to replicate the signals from the layout.  I have purchased all the various red, yellow and green LEDs.  However, I was short quite a few white LEDs as the local Jaycar did not have any left.  So on my way to the Train Club yesterday for our Christmas Luncheon, I detoured to a local Jaycar on Gympie Rd.  They had my missing white LEDs.

When I got to the Club, I showed off my control panel.  It had quite a few inquisitive people hanging around the panel, understanding what it will be able to do.  I think I am creating interest for the layout.

I got a text out of the blue on Saturday arvo from an ex-workmate who lives in the next suburb.  He had a sting of cat5 ports that was in excess of his requirements, so I said I’d take it for my control panel interface to the various signals on the future layout.  He brought it around on Saturday evening, so I took him into the shed for a viewing.  I plan on using cat 5 cables from the control panel to each signal on the new layout.  The control panel will break out the wires in the cable to the various ports in the control panel for signalling and infrared detectors, etc.  I was quite surprised by the number of spider webs that have sprung up inside the shed in the last few weeks.  I can feel that they will all be getting a bad headache tomorrow when I give them a blast of spray.

Sunday morning I started installing the switches for the point indicator lights on the control panel.  These are 3PDT switches.  Two of the poles are wired in a crossover fashion, so switching the switch, reverses the polarity of the circuit and thus my Red/Green bi-colour LEDs will switch and the point indicators will toggle, showing which way the track is aligned.  These were all installed and connected to a power supply.  I added a resistor to reduce the voltage going through the LEDs.  They do exactly as I planned when I change the various switches on the control panel.

The Control panel with LEDs installed

This view of the panel has the mainline point indicators lit.  Toggling the switch causes the indicator lights to switch their colours.

I then installed the white LEDs into the track diagram, which will register the location of the trains as they go past a signal.  When they are detected, the white LED will light, and the red signal will light. 

It looks like that tomorrow’s activity will include installing the first few signals into the baseboard for the UP trackage into the control panel and I will use temporary IR detectors to simulate the movement of UP trains on the layout, and give the Arduino signalling code a good test.

Helping Bob and the Division

This week I was very slack and forgot to keep track of my various modelling activities.  On Monday I got an SOS call from Barnacle Bob and installing LED lights into his 1900 Class QR Railmotor.  We had previously worked on a process to build a chassis made from styrene to install his 12mm bogies into.  Bob had drilled out the various headlight and marker light holes in the railmotor shell and needed some help to wire up the LEDs.  We made arrangements to catch up on Friday at his place to check it out.  On Friday I explained parallel and series and we worked together install the two 0402 white LED headlights in series, the two 0402 white markers in series and the two 0402 red LED markers in series but in the reverse configuration to the white markers so only one came on when power was applied.  So these three pairs were wired in parallel.  We then built up the other end’s lights in the same manner and then joined both ends up.  So when the headlights and markers came on at one end, the red markers came on at the other end and the opposite happened when we reversed the polarity to the lighting infrastructure.  I think Bob was happy by the end of the work session.  These still had not been connected to the power pickups by worked off a 9V battery,

Earlier in the week a few of the Tuesday Nighters group were online on Tuesday night and had a good time.  One activity I did do in the shed was find all the items and tools I needed to take to the working bee on Saturday.  The cricket on TV sort of distracted me from a lot of other activities.  That is finished now, so I might have time for more modelling activities next week.

On Saturday I met up with a few other Div 1 workers and we continued to work on the modules for the Div 1 Freemo layout.  So we did some plastering, added scatter, some greenery, and then some fencing.  We also made our own split post fencing from kebab skewers and other 2.5mm pieces of dowel from a $2 shop that we cut up and them split them into individual fence posts.  These were then stained.  I think everyone there was working on the install of these fence posts.  Basically the comments being generated were about people learning new skills in the scenicing of the modules, so this was a great positive outcome.  Late on Saturday night, we again gate crashed the British Regions Brew and Natter.  Gordy forbade us from talking about the cricket.  Well I complied with this edict until I left the chat and posted a comment in the chat.  Hehehehe!

Another week has gone past, and I did not get to go to the shed to work on the Sunnybank Extension and the various track wiring in this area.  Perhaps this coming week.  I did however spend some time trying to get a piece of electronics that I picked up at Bob’s (a different Bob) on the previous Sunday, to work.  I could not get it to talk through its I2C protocol to light LEDs.  So I will have to wait until some more are delivered by mail (hopefully) this week.  The general consensus was that It might have been damaged or had a problem which was why it was lying about at Bob's.  I also have some other pieces of electronics also turning up this week.  These are needed for the new exhibition layout control panel and the layout.