Staging the Platte Canyon Subdivision


Darrell, I have track that runs through a wall to an adjoining shop. I use an X10.com security video camera that I had extra to watch my trains on that side of the wall without having to run out there every time. Its more of a novelty thing right now, but it will be used a lot more later on when I stage trains out there. These cameras are not all that expensive:check'um out at X10.com web site.:)
 
RexHea said:
Eric, you are doing some fine work with this detection system. I am following your progress with heighten interest. Very good decision to use a seperate power supply. Question: If you had chosen to use a holding relay, were you going to break the hold manually after your train pulled out or were you planning on additional auto controls? FYI: Radio Shack has what looks to be a good micro SPDT relay for this #275-241 @ $4.29. Its coil is 12VDC, 37.5mA.
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I had planned to use a manual switch to break power to any holding relays. I decided that they aren't required though. As a departing train leaves a staging track, the green LED needs to extinguish. Arriving trains will just be backed up slightly until a steady red LED indication is present if they can't be stopped over the reed switch.

As a side note, LGM was playing with one of the reed switches wired to an ohm meter the other night. He was getting continuity thru the switch with the magnets up to 1/2 inch from the switch! That's encouraging. :) They'll probably be in the 1/8 inch range in actual use.
 
dgwinup said:
Now that you have put all this work into it, I had a thought. Had you considered one of those tiny wireless video cameras? Mounted so you can see the staging tracks, you could watch on a monitor to see where the trains are at.

Nice of me to think of it now, eh? Sorry.

Looks like you aredoing some neat work. I'm anxious to see how it all works out for you.

Darrell, slow, but quiet...for now
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CCTV is great, but I'd need to do three separate yards. Two of them will be stacked rather closely. I'm not to sure TV would be the best option in our case. Its great for many RR's though.
 
It would be interesting to see what distortion applying an LED and resistor across the track does to the DCC signal. Once before I tried to use the DCC signal as a power source for a signal at a remote location on my layout. It ends up that the voltage regulator that I tied to the DCC bus actually distorted the DCC signal to the point where I could not reliably program my locos. Any way I just thought I'd bring that up as a note in case you have any problems.

Bill
 
Hi all. Here's an update on tonight's progress.

Loaded West Yard. From the water heater until they appear on the layout, trains only travel approx 6 feet.
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Installed reed switches. These are for the west yard's red LED's, but the green LED switches were installed tonight as well.
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Continuity!!! The test loco tripped all eight switches with no problems. It's hard to see from the pic, but the meter reads one ohm.
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The west yard detection is coming along nicely. I need to run the ground side wire to the yard and mount the indication panel. One of the panel's red LED's still has to be installed. Hopefully we'll test the system soon!
 
Way more work then I'd have ever thought of for a staging yard! but then again, maybe I better, handling 100+ units on 30-40 various trains will be a struggle!
 
jbaakko said:
Way more work then I'd have ever thought of for a staging yard!
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It has been labor intensive!!! The good news is, South staging is now in, it and the West yard have working train detection!!! :cool: The indication panel is installed. So far, the system is working better than I'd hoped. :D I've got a few loose ends to square away and then it's on to the North yard. We are really looking forward to having a fully staged RR!
 
RexHea said:
Congrats on your achievement and looking fine. Soon.....an Empire!
:DGo man go!:D
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Thanks Rex. We still have to get the stationary decoders in and turnouts wired too. We have a ways to go, but can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
 
Hi all. This will probably be the final update on this subject unless I can provide something useful to someone else working on a train detection system. I'm amazed at how well the system is working so far. Most of our locos would trip the reed switches with their motor magnets alone! We went ahead and installed the Miniatronics magnets anyway, just for added reliability.

This pic gives an idea of what the indications look like during an actual ops session. The arriving/departing staged trains are clearly indicated.
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Here's a little joke LGM and I have going. No one ever claimed I'm anything but cheap. :D Actually, this saved me a trip to my dealer for a throttle port that will probably be little used.
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North/South Yards
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Thanks to all who hung in there and stayed with this thread. The bottom line is, a reed switch system is an effective, low cost alternative to commercial train detection. I think we'll enjoy it more as well, due to the fact that it's homegrown. :)
 
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Thanks Eric for all your informative posts. It certainly gives me some planning ideas for my detection system. Great job on the status/indicator board.
 
Looks great Eric, I used reed switches successfully for switching relays which switched track polarity ( try saying that fast ) before I got DCC auto reversers. They worked flawlessly. Mine were from fridge doors, they use them to tell the electronics if the door is open or not, they worked about an inch and a half from the magnet!!
So I hid them under the track.

Just thought you mite like to know.

Ken.
 
Excellent thread Eric, wish I could have contributed but I am still way behind the curve on this electronic stuff. :eek: Maybe in a year or two I'll have an opportunity to put your good ideas to use!
 
I'll have to give that a try when i'm up and running again, but i recon i'm with Ken L on the learning curve when it come's to electronic stuff
 
Eric, looks great love that panel. do you have a magnet on the caboose too? the third flash?

Ken.
 
NZRMac said:
Eric, looks great love that panel. do you have a magnet on the caboose too? the third flash?

Ken.
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Hi Ken. What you're seeing is sometimes the LED flashes twice as the magnet passes over the reed switch. In fact, that's the norm, 4 flashes for a two engine consist. The reason the second unit only flashed once was because I bumped the throttle up considerably after the first loco passed the switch to expedite things a bit. ;)

We debated equipping each caboose with a magnet, but that could complicate the indications. It would be possible to have both LEDs lit and not know if the train was arriving or departing.
 
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