Do you have any model railway projects on the go?

[Peter C]

After months of development I received my prototype PCBs from JLCPCB in China for the mimic panel and point controller

View attachment 101787

The project is nothing original... A Nano that runs the code to monitor 16 on/off switches and depending on the setting send instructions to a PCA9685 to drive the servo on the corresponding channel to switch the points. The direction of the points is indicated by 32 LEDs which naturally toggle (one on the other off) as the point changes direction. The amount of travel and the speed of travel for each of the 16 servos can be set using three buttons aided by a serial monitor, although the channel being programmed is indicated by rapid flashing of that channels LEDs.

View attachment 101788

The build took me a couple of hours but worked first time.

My friend who has an exhibition layout uses SPUDs (our nick name for a small localises CDU that also has a frog relay and is operated by low current small on / off switches rather than having to switch high current from a central CDU) - so I added the feature so my board could also work with them as an alternative option.

So now I have the mimic panel and point controller, plus a load of 3D printed linear servo point motors I'm nearly ready to rebuild my layout. I'm not happy with the baseboard, having used studwork and 9mm MDF the board is starting to warp, even after such a short time (less than two years). I also want to make the layout wider so I can set out the station better. However money is very tight at the moment and I have a few personal things going on that need my attention more, so it could be some time before I start that phase. Still building and collecting the components is half the fun

I can only echo @Cowley in my response really. I'll never understand how some people work out what all of that stuff is supposed to do (despite your good description!).

-Peter

 

[malc-c]

Thanks guys....

To be honest whilst the logic and actual coding may be complicated (and I'm still learning and had help streamline the code) the PCB side of things is not much different than any other electrical wiring. You connect point a to point b. But I do manually route the tracks to make it look nice - the software auto router tool often does funny things !!

The only drawback with having the boards made is the minimum quantity is 5 so I have a few spare... If anyone is looking at using servos to control their points drop me a PM and depending on their ability can supply a programmed NANO and PCB and a list of parts, or a built and tested board...

As I mentioned, I'm looking at rebuilding my layout as I'm not 100% satisfied with it, so will be doing a few more videos and posts on the controller as I go.

Mind you I admire the way some of you guy weather a loco or wagons and wish I was that good... Most of my attempts end up a mess ! - guess we all have different skill sets and that's what makes us who we are

 

[Peter C]

Thanks guys....

To be honest whilst the logic and actual coding may be complicated (and I'm still learning and had help streamline the code) the PCB side of things is not much different than any other electrical wiring. You connect point a to point b. But I do manually route the tracks to make it look nice - the software auto router tool often does funny things !!

The only drawback with having the boards made is the minimum quantity is 5 so I have a few spare... If anyone is looking at using servos to control their points drop me a PM and depending on their ability can supply a programmed NANO and PCB and a list of parts, or a built and tested board...

As I mentioned, I'm looking at rebuilding my layout as I'm not 100% satisfied with it, so will be doing a few more videos and posts on the controller as I go.

Mind you I admire the way some of you guy weather a loco or wagons and wish I was that good... Most of my attempts end up a mess ! - guess we all have different skill sets and that's what makes us who we are

That's a very kind offer with regards to circuit boards. I have no need for any, but I'm sure there will be someone who needs one! (If you don't have any takers on here, maybe try RMWeb?)

-Peter

 

[fourtytwo]

After months of development I received my prototype PCBs from JLCPCB in China for the mimic panel and point controller

View attachment 101787

The project is nothing original... A Nano that runs the code to monitor 16 on/off switches and depending on the setting send instructions to a PCA9685 to drive the servo on the corresponding channel to switch the points. The direction of the points is indicated by 32 LEDs which naturally toggle (one on the other off) as the point changes direction. The amount of travel and the speed of travel for each of the 16 servos can be set using three buttons aided by a serial monitor, although the channel being programmed is indicated by rapid flashing of that channels LEDs.

View attachment 101788

The build took me a couple of hours but worked first time.

My friend who has an exhibition layout uses SPUDs (our nick name for a small localises CDU that also has a frog relay and is operated by low current small on / off switches rather than having to switch high current from a central CDU) - so I added the feature so my board could also work with them as an alternative option.

So now I have the mimic panel and point controller, plus a load of 3D printed linear servo point motors I'm nearly ready to rebuild my layout. I'm not happy with the baseboard, having used studwork and 9mm MDF the board is starting to warp, even after such a short time (less than two years). I also want to make the layout wider so I can set out the station better. However money is very tight at the moment and I have a few personal things going on that need my attention more, so it could be some time before I start that phase. Still building and collecting the components is half the fun

That's inspirational to use that PCA9685 for servo pulses, I use an entire 40 pin DIP (Microchip) PIC to get enough pins for both the servo's and switch inputs. I am not familiar with the NANO module you use, what processor is that ?

My servo controller is very primitive!

 

[malc-c]

That's very neat and compact.

The Nano uses the ATmega328 processor, and I used shift registers to get the required number of inputs and outputs (basically 8 bit parallel to serial for the switches and then 8 bit serial to parallel for the LEDs). The servo control is sent via i2C to the PCA module.

If I was making these as a commercial venture I would shrink the board down considerably, but as this is just for personal use it doesn't matter that the board is well spaced out and uses through hole components. The board will be in the main control panel which will have ample space

 

[fourtytwo]

Thank you malc, it's a bugger to wire though right under the baseboard especially as I find my hands increasingly shaky these days Atmega was something I never got into but very popular I believe. I have been using PIC's on model railways since around 1996 when I was restricted to 1K of code and 32 bytes ram I seem to remember OMG!! (but then they did displace boxfulls of relays & even uniselectors so were definitely progress).
If you used JLPCB or someone similar they do charge according to size so it's worth shrinking things to pay less if that's a concern. As you can see I save even more money by not having a pcb! Even smt processor chips I mount them on an adapter board (from *bay) and still use stripboard for the rest of the circuit if it's a one off but then it is very fiddly and not everybodies cup of tea.
I have sidestepped programming buttons by using a USB interface (CH340) to a laptop running terminal or similar for a simple MMI for setup.
This is my first layout with servo's and so far I am very pleased, no big capacitor banks and no loud bangs as the solenoids go over but time will tell how reliable they are, of course I am using cheap vanilla fake SG90's from *bay, all digital so far (they are of course supposed to be analogue). I have had one duffer out of 16 delivered so far.
Roger

 

[malc-c]

Roger, I dabbled in PICs from around 2000, when I wanted flashing navigation lights for a model helicopter and someone suggested a 12f675... but he used assembly and that was like kingon to me. I then came across PicBASIC Pro and as I had been brought up on programming a host of computers in the 1980's (ZX81, Acorn Atom etc) found PicBASIC easier. The reason I was persuaded to move to the dark side of Arduinos was the lack of development with PicBASIC, with no native support for GLCD let alone TFT screens. I'm still learning the quirky things of C++ with all the brackets etc, but I have a good mentor who corrects me, and shows me neater ways to do things.

I was bored today, so I've shrunk the board down a bit more... Its now approx. 10cm square, and that's still with through hole components.



Here's the component layout, top layer and the bottom layer.... I'm quite proud of this as 90% of this was hand routed rather than letting the software route the tracks (hence why some seem to loop round components). Took me a good 10 hours, but it was fun. If I do end up making more then this will be the revision that I'll get made.

I must admit I do find the electronics side of modelling just as much fun as doing trackwork, building card kits or landscaping...

Malc

 

[fourtytwo]

I have always programmed PIC's in assembler as originally they were to small for anything else and I just continued the same way. I like to know exactly what each pin is doing when as nearly all my PIC applications are hardware control of one sort or another and latency can be critical (not so much on a model railway ). Your pcb layout looks very neat but I am surprised at the lack of any decoupling capacitors and low inductance ground paths but then I don't know the circuit and perhaps it doesn't need such things. I have had fully automatic model railways but found myself forever fixing something so these days I build smaller layouts with electronic assistance rather then control! Having said that in N gauge that I recently moved away from I was forever dealing with pickup problems so even some entirely non-electronic railways can be unreliable. Having moved back to OO after 35 years struggling with N I finally seem to have left the pickup problems behind. I like C as a language and use it for PC (Linux) related stuff but hate what I see as the over-complexity of C++, one look at the windows API should be enough to put anyone off for life
Fortunately I am not forced to use it in a work environment so I can choose, KISS principle everytime! Of course other people have other opinions and different things work best for different people.

 

[malc-c]

I must admit I had unintentionally omitted any decoupling caps, but this is still at a prototype stage so can add them in later. However there were no issues even when the project was assembled on a solderless breadboard. I may add a ground plane to a future revision if noise becomes a problem, and all inputs have physical pull down resistors rather then relying on intern pull-ups/down (something I found problematical in PICs).

It's all good fun

 

[Cowley]

Has anyone got anything interesting on the go at the moment?
I’ve pretty much finished mine now (which is a little strange to be honest) so all I’ve done recently is have a few running sessions.
I took this the other day and was quite pleased with the look of it (apologises to those of you that have seen it on rmweb):



And this as a bit of a scale reminder:



Mmm beer…
Sometimes you have to remind yourself that for all the work you put in, it’s just good to sit and play trains now and again.
Next job is to fit some coaches out with lighting and come up with a timetable in the same way as @43055 did I reckon.

Actually, if anyone has any advice on fitting lights to Farish stock that would definitely be appreciated!
Dapol stuff is easy but all my mk1s and mk2s are Farish…

 

[Peter C]

Has anyone got anything interesting on the go at the moment?
I’ve pretty much finished mine now (which is a little strange to be honest) so all I’ve done recently is have a few running sessions.
I took this the other day and was quite pleased with the look of it (apologises to those of you that have seen it on rmweb):

View attachment 103767

And this as a bit of a scale reminder:

View attachment 103768

Mmm beer…
Sometimes you have to remind yourself that for all the work you put in, it’s just good to sit and play trains now and again.
Next job is to fit some coaches out with lighting and come up with a timetable in the same way as @43055 did I reckon.

Actually, if anyone has any advice on fitting lights to Farish stock that would definitely be appreciated!
Dapol stuff is easy but all my mk1s and mk2s are Farish…

Those photos are both really nice @Cowley - they show all the little details you've somehow managed to include in that tiny scale
I expect that can could keep N-gauge Lapford and Eggishford in beer for a good few years. Maybe it's a solution to these shortages!

I've not got anything done on the layout in the past month or so really. The return of real life means less time free for modelling but I think we said that'd happen at some point anyway: now it's just a case of firstly trying to find what needs doing first, planning how I can get it done, and then waiting for some spare time to get the work finished. The next project is probably going to be the roads for the town scene, then bits such as the church and the coaching inn, which should be easy enough to do.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Those photos are both really nice @Cowley - they show all the little details you've somehow managed to include in that tiny scale
I expect that can could keep N-gauge Lapford and Eggishford in beer for a good few years. Maybe it's a solution to these shortages!

I've not got anything done on the layout in the past month or so really. The return of real life means less time free for modelling but I think we said that'd happen at some point anyway: now it's just a case of firstly trying to find what needs doing first, planning how I can get it done, and then waiting for some spare time to get the work finished. The next project is probably going to be the roads for the town scene, then bits such as the church and the coaching inn, which should be easy enough to do.

-Peter

Thanks Peter. Yes it’s like a beer silo for the local residents isn’t it?
Anyway yes, I think a lot of people are busy with life at the moment, I know that I am. This time of year always seems quite hectic.

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter. Yes it’s like a beer silo for the local residents isn’t it?
Anyway yes, I think a lot of people are busy with life at the moment, I know that I am. This time of year always seems quite hectic.

Haha - I wonder if Wayne's cottoned-on to this idea yet...
I'm hoping things will calm down in the next month or so. It'll take some getting used to I think!

-Peter

 

[fourtytwo]

Fantastic perspective in the first pic and of course the 2nd couldn't be better advertising beer made just down the road from me (one of my favourites). Looks like the chap in the 2nd pic has had a sip or two, seems to be distinctly off the vertical

 

[Cowley]

Fantastic perspective in the first pic and of course the 2nd couldn't be better advertising beer made just down the road from me (one of my favourites). Looks like the chap in the 2nd pic has had a sip or two, seems to be distinctly off the vertical!

That’s actually my other half and our dog.
She’s arranging the deckchairs so we can have a glass of wine and watch the trains go by because it’s such a nice evening…
Here’s the same scene from a different angle.

 

[reddragon]

Has anyone got anything interesting on the go at the moment?
I’ve pretty much finished mine now (which is a little strange to be honest) so all I’ve done recently is have a few running sessions.
I took this the other day and was quite pleased with the look of it (apologises to those of you that have seen it on rmweb):

View attachment 103767

And this as a bit of a scale reminder:

View attachment 103768

Mmm beer…
Sometimes you have to remind yourself that for all the work you put in, it’s just good to sit and play trains now and again.
Next job is to fit some coaches out with lighting and come up with a timetable in the same way as @43055 did I reckon.

Actually, if anyone has any advice on fitting lights to Farish stock that would definitely be appreciated!
Dapol stuff is easy but all my mk1s and mk2s are Farish…

I bet that shorted the DCC !

 

[Cowley]

I bet that shorted the DCC !

I was too drunk to notice.

 

[43055]

Has anyone got anything interesting on the go at the moment?
I’ve pretty much finished mine now (which is a little strange to be honest) so all I’ve done recently is have a few running sessions.
I took this the other day and was quite pleased with the look of it (apologises to those of you that have seen it on rmweb):

View attachment 103767

And this as a bit of a scale reminder:

View attachment 103768

Mmm beer…
Sometimes you have to remind yourself that for all the work you put in, it’s just good to sit and play trains now and again.
Next job is to fit some coaches out with lighting and come up with a timetable in the same way as @43055 did I reckon.

Actually, if anyone has any advice on fitting lights to Farish stock that would definitely be appreciated!
Dapol stuff is easy but all my mk1s and mk2s are Farish…

Nice pictures and glad you have finished your layout!

Still working on my timetables. Got some ideas for the December one based off what rolling stock I would like and new items that could come out in 2022.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

That’s actually my other half and our dog.
She’s arranging the deckchairs so we can have a glass of wine and watch the trains go by because it’s such a nice evening…
Here’s the same scene from a different angle.

View attachment 103793

Love this! Superb work!

 

[PeterY]

I have an N gauge layout which sits on my table and I'll be getting it ready for winter usage soon but my 63 year old eyes struggle a bit with N.

Over the years 45+ I've accumulated quite a lot of OO gauge items. So I had a brain wave I treated myself to some Kato track for occasional use on my floor. It's not ideal, I know, to run trains on the floor. I certainly wouldn't have enough room for a OO layout in my flat. It took several goes at getting the layout right for the furniture.

 

[Peter C]

I have an N gauge layout which sits on my table and I'll be getting it ready for winter usage soon but my 63 year old eyes struggle a bit with N.

Over the years 45+ I've accumulated quite a lot of OO gauge items. So I had a brain wave I treated myself to some Kato track for occasional use on my floor. It's not ideal, I know, to run trains on the floor. I certainly wouldn't have enough room for a OO layout in my flat. It took several goes at getting the layout right for the furniture.


View attachment 104186

That N gauge layout sounds cool. Having a little project to work on over the colder, darker months is always nice.
I think with that track running the trains on the floor isn't as big of an issue as it might otherwise be if you used something like Hornby or Peco track, without the ballast bit underneath to stop the fluff getting to the engines - and it looks better than putting paper underneath it all!
The layout looks quite nice; the range of stock is particularly interesting simply because there's such a wide range! Love it.

-Peter

 

[PeterY]

That's only a small selection Peter. I've probably 70 locos from the early 80's that have never been touched or out of their boxes along with rolling stock. I shall buy when I come across it, some second hand rolling stock for floor layout. .

That N gauge layout sounds cool. Having a little project to work on over the colder, darker months is always nice.
I think with that track running the trains on the floor isn't as big of an issue as it might otherwise be if you used something like Hornby or Peco track, without the ballast bit underneath to stop the fluff getting to the engines - and it looks better than putting paper underneath it all!
The layout looks quite nice; the range of stock is particularly interesting simply because there's such a wide range! Love it.

-Peter

I'm a rule 1 person , on my layouts, I'll run what I like. . I must admit my favourite era is BR blue, I grew up with it.

 

[Peter C]

That's only a small selection Peter. I've probably 70 locos from the early 80's that have never been touched or out of their boxes along with rolling stock. I shall buy when I come across it, some second hand rolling stock for floor layout. .

Oh wow - quite the collection! Your layout certainly won't look out of place here; I'm fairly sure most of the people on here have got fairly substantial collections too

I'm a rule 1 person , on my layouts, I'll run what I like. . I must admit my favourite era is BR blue, I grew up with it.

The best way to run a layout in my opinion. I couldn't care less if it's a BR blue engine on a rake of GWR chocolate-and-cream coaches; it looks nice, so there.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

I just put lights and a tail lamp in my first coach, quite fiddly but I’m pleased with it.
Only the rear coach of the mail train needed them really. Got to keep the guard happy!

 

[Gloster]

I have just made the very first tiny step in getting something going: I brought the box of tools, and the shoebox containing building kits and spares over from my old house to the new. Next is the box of wagon kits and bits, and the cutting mat, but the box of paints will have to wait a bit longer. Anyway, I’ll probably get everything set out to start and say, ‘All I need now is the...and that’s on the table at the old house.’

 

[Peter C]

I just put lights and a tail lamp in my first coach, quite fiddly but I’m pleased with it.
Only the rear coach of the mail train needed them really. Got to keep the guard happy!

View attachment 104206

View attachment 104208

Very nice. The tail lamp must have been rather fiddly - I know they can be in OO so how you'd manage it in N, I dread to think
I'm sure if the guard wasn't happy you could always run it all a bit like Titfield, with the local residents picking their favourite jobs? They got away with all sorts. Particularly Mr Valentine...

I have just made the very first tiny step in getting something going: I brought the box of tools, and the shoebox containing building kits and spares over from my old house to the new. Next is the box of wagon kits and bits, and the cutting mat, but the box of paints will have to wait a bit longer. Anyway, I’ll probably get everything set out to start and say, ‘All I need now is the...and that’s on the table at the old house.’

The number of times that's happened to me (perhaps not on such a widespread scale though) is amazing. The worst bit is halfway through building a kit and you realise you need that one particular thing, or the glue runs out and there isn't any more!

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

I have just made the very first tiny step in getting something going: I brought the box of tools, and the shoebox containing building kits and spares over from my old house to the new. Next is the box of wagon kits and bits, and the cutting mat, but the box of paints will have to wait a bit longer. Anyway, I’ll probably get everything set out to start and say, ‘All I need now is the...and that’s on the table at the old house.’

Sometimes the biggest bit of it is just getting everything together and getting into the right mindset.
You might not have everything you need the first time you start but at least you’ll then know what you do need, if you know what I mean.

Very nice. The tail lamp must have been rather fiddly - I know they can be in OO so how you'd manage it in N, I dread to think

Thanks Peter, yes it was a bit of a faff and the tail lamp led thingy was a bit over-scale for N gauge so I ended up cutting a hole into the coach end so that I could recess it and tone the edges down a bit.
The tail lamp flashes and the whole lot is on a movement sensor so that it switches off if it hasn’t moved for four minutes.
It was from Train-Tech (if you want tech for your trains they’re probably worth a look ).

 

[Iskra]

I have an N gauge layout which sits on my table and I'll be getting it ready for winter usage soon but my 63 year old eyes struggle a bit with N.

Over the years 45+ I've accumulated quite a lot of OO gauge items. So I had a brain wave I treated myself to some Kato track for occasional use on my floor. It's not ideal, I know, to run trains on the floor. I certainly wouldn't have enough room for a OO layout in my flat. It took several goes at getting the layout right for the furniture.


View attachment 104186

That's a nice collection you have! At least you aren't running directly on the carpet anyway

I just put lights and a tail lamp in my first coach, quite fiddly but I’m pleased with it.
Only the rear coach of the mail train needed them really. Got to keep the guard happy!

View attachment 104206

View attachment 104208

Very atmospheric that!

 

[fourtytwo]

I have an N gauge layout which sits on my table and I'll be getting it ready for winter usage soon but my 63 year old eyes struggle a bit with N.

Exactly why I changed from N to OO recently. I wonder if anybody transitioned to O or gauge 1 for the same reason, perhaps I should start collecting now

 

[reddragon]

I got a new loco on my railway - but it has issues

@Cowley - merge tab issues again!