This week's modelling time started with me heading over to George’s shop to install a level crossing flashing light on his demo layout’s crossing setup. After a bit I testing it seemed that it was not working correctly. So I went home with my tail between my legs. My text Arduino level crossing setup on the breadboard at home works correctly. So I decided that I would flash the Arduino in the shop on Saturday morning. I think I had an old version of code in it. The last time I enhanced the code, to cater for some more obscure situations, this arduino was never updated. When I did update the code, I flashed the whole range of spare Arduinos I had at home, but not that one. So I went to the shop again, flashed the code and Voila - just like a bought one. I did that on the way to the Club for meeting day. So now the demo layout will detect trains in both directions on the single track setup on his shop layout.
I then went to the Club and saw the progress on the new HO/HO3½ layout that the guys are preparing for the first Exhibition on the year up in Bundaberg. It looks pretty good. The backboards are now installed and a lot of effort has gone into them. We also had a good natter to a few of the guys there. I finally got home around 4:00pm.
On my way home I decided that I would pick up some items to build a new level crossing demo module again. This module will have two tracks on it and can be set up to demonstrate a single track in bidirectional mode, or two tracks set up as an up and a down track – each working to protect the level crossing setup. So my son drove me to Bunnings later in the arvo as part of his driving lesson and I picked up a length of pine for the baseboard.
On Saturday night, I did a bit more work on my Kyogle Norco Dairy building. I cut some barge boards for the roof ends for both the main roof and the small roof over the loading platform. I also made up some downpipes out of 0.030” x 0.040” styrene strip to simulate the square type downpipes on the building. I shaped the downpipes so they looked similar to my photos. My plan was to get around to painting these items today so I could fit them to the model during the week. Well that didn’t eventuate. Maybe a quick paint one afternoon this week.
Today my efforts were taken up building the demo level crossing module, which had two pieces of tracked added and the various infra-red detectors installed back to the Arduino which controls it. I was trying to be smart and put in a switch that sends power to one of the two sensors I want to work on the two parallel tracks. The only issue is that when the sensor has no power, it produces a low output, a ‘0’ so to speak, and that is the same as it detecting something. As both detector output were tied together, this produces a false detection. So I had a think. I could use some magic logic to make this work with an XOR chip. So I would then XOR the power input for the sensor with the output of that detector to get the result from each detector will produce a '1' when we have power input and a detection. I would have to then ‘not’ the output back to a '0'.. So I really needed a XNOR gate which does that for me. But I had another think. All I needed to do is power both infra-red detectors, and only let the output of the one I needed to go through the switch to the Arduino input for that pair of detectors. A whole lot more simpler solution. So I may try and adjust the wiring logic tonight at the kitchen table while watching some TV. Failing that it will be job for one night this week.
The aim of this demo level crossing module is to be able to show it off at the upcoming NMRA Division 1 clinic weekend. I was tapped on the shoulder to do a clinic on ‘Animations – Lights and Sound”. So I will show off the level crossing detector (as a Light Animation) which I do sell. I plan to make a second animation item which will be a working set of traffic lights for an intersection on the layout. These can also be a saleable item as well. For both items you just need to provide your own level crossing lights or traffic lights and everything else is provided (except a power supply for the Arduino) in the kits.
This happens to be my 700th post to my blog. Someone must be reading it as the number of hits is now over 495,000 hits. I expect to be over 500,000 in another 5 weeks - around Easter. Let's see how we go.
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