Hi MIssy,

Is this page any help? It's for a two car unit and a different decoder, but the wiring colours should be the same, so it may help. Also shown is a CV programming table.

Tony.

Caveat - other people will probably know more about this than I do. That said, if I understand it right, you want to wire A, B and C * 2 ends to separate function outputs (and the interior lights to yet another). Then use the decoder's CVs to map function keys to directions and lights - usually you get something like F0F, F0R (lights button forward and reverse) F1F, F1R (F1 ditto) etc. and you can set each entry to activate a combination of outputs.

However, that would need seven outputs and you've got six Also, from the TCS manual you linked to only F0 has separate forward and reverse. I think they expect you to wire the forward and reverse lights for opposite ends to the yellow and white wires, which would give e.g B forward/C reverse and vice-versa. You could then run the A marker lights and interior lights on separate functions, but that wouldn't switch A when changing directions.

I *think* that to get what you want, you either need a decoder with more flexible forward/reverse function mappings, or perhaps some kind of transistor switch activated by another function to switch between A and B groups. That would give red and white markers on the headlights button, a button to turn on the interior lights, and a button to switch the kind of white marker light you're using.

[edit: reading what Tony posted again, I think that's close to what you want, it uses 6 of the eight functions. Perhaps you could set your decoder up like that, and run the interior lights off both tail lamp functions so they'd be on whenever the running lights were on?]

HTH,

Will

If not resolved quickly, bring it and a bit of paper to Warley next weekend and we'll work it out.

As the thread shows, it depends on how many different combinations of lamps are required.

If the arrangement when going in direction 1 is

(A1 + C2) or (B1 + C2) or (A1 + B1 + C2)

ie. C2 will be on whenever any of A1 or B1 is on.

Then that only takes two wires (four for both directions). C2 is fed by both of the wires, using diodes to stop back-currents illuminating the "wrong" ones of A1 or B1.

That leaves two spare outputs, for the interior lights and the loo flush.

- Nigel

...(A1 + C2) or (B1 + C2) or (A1 + B1 + C2)

ie. C2 will be on whenever any of A1 or B1 is on...

Nigel,

Missy's original statement is correct:

...I would like to switch between either [A] and in the direction of travel only and the red tail lamp [C] will be on at the rear...

A and B would not be on at the same time, so the combinations (A1+C2) or (B1+C2) and their inverses are all that is required.

'A' would be normal for most railcar services as they were stopping passenger trains. I suspect that 'B' was rarely used, except on the later two car units, as it would indicate an express service. Note, I'm using Missy's labels here, not headcode class designations, and we'll ignore the business of the oil tail light

Nick

ps. if you work out how to do with diodes, I would be interested in seeing your solution

 

A and B would not be on at the same time, so the combinations (A1+C2) or (B1+C2) and their inverses are all that is required.

 

'A' would be normal for most railcar services as they were stopping passenger trains. I suspect that 'B' was rarely used, except on the later two car units, as it would indicate an express service. Note, I'm using Missy's labels here, not headcode class designations, and we'll ignore the business of the oil tail light

For the combinations Nick outlines above:

LEDs are labelled A1, B1, C2. Resistors are rectangles. Current diodes (eg. 1N4001, though smaller would work) are unlabelled.

This results in the tail lamp (C2) being on regardless of which of A1 or B1 are on (or both).

Control of the outputs is for function mapping within the decoder, it depends on what each maker offers. From reading their manuals, TCS seem to have a wide range of options, so it would be possible to map the combination (A1+C2) to Function Key F1 when forwards, and a different output (eg. A2 + C1) to F1 when in reverse.

- Nigel

Tony, Will, Ian, Nigel, and Nick.

Thank you very much for your replies, they are all VERY useful.

Nigel, that is a really good solution and I think that would be the best option for the railcar. I will have to check and see if I can get hold of some surface mount diodes that will suit that idea. Although the TCS MC6 chip I have has plenty of functions, it is slightly too large to fit the railcar without having to chop away more of the body so a smaller chip with less functions would certinaly help. What chip would you recommend? Obviously the smaller it is the better!

Thank you again.

Missy

LEDs are labelled A1, B1, C2. Resistors are rectangles. Current diodes (eg. 1N4001, though smaller would work) are unlabelled.

This results in the tail lamp (C2) being on regardless of which of A1 or B1 are on (or both).

 

Control of the outputs is for function mapping within the decoder, it depends on what each maker offers. From reading their manuals, TCS seem to have a wide range of options, so it would be possible to map the combination (A1+C2) to Function Key F1 when forwards, and a different output (eg. A2 + C1) to F1 when in reverse.

 

- Nigel

Hello Nigel

This is probably a stupid question but that diagram you have posted is for one end only, yes? I will have to duplicate it for the other end?

Electronics is not my strong point!

Thanks.

Missy

Hello Nigel

 

This is probably a stupid question but that diagram you have posted is for one end only, yes? I will have to duplicate it for the other end?

Yes, duplicate for the other end, onto decoder outputs 3 and 4.

Some modifications required if outputs 5 and 6 of a Zimo MX620 are used, I can sketch those at Warley.

- Nigel