Fiddle yard camera - what/how?

[ITG]

Technically it’s not a fiddle yard, so much as a staging yard, as I don’t intend to shuffle/rearrange rolling stock/locos on trains. It will have a fan of points at either end, and I’m pondering putting a removable lid on it, which would have a scenic top. The intention would be to only remove this lid for maintenance or recovery of derailment etc. I want to hold trains there off scene to represent the rest of the country.

i could use infra red detectors to tell me which of the 5 lines are occupied, but then I’d need a system to remind what is where. I’ve read of some modellers using a digital camera linked to a monitor screen. 

so a few questions.

1. what sort of camera?

2. where would I get one?

3. what sort of range (ie span) would such a camera have? Ie would it cover the entry of 5 roads?
Any other experiences or comments would be helpful.

thanks

Ian
 

[cliff park]

I am using an old tablet (an old phone also works). It doesn't need a sim card, and can use Bluetooth or be hard wired to your phone, or any other tablet, or indeed multiple devices, and only needs the download of a free bit of software. If you think about it modern devices have amazing quality cameras, and we just throw them away. As a starting point look up 'Alfred video surveillance camera', or 'How to geek'. Old Androids are the easiest to convert. There are notes on there about alerts to your phone, but you don't need that software so ignore it. I have also set up my old tablet to watch birds on the bird table. I can remotely zoom in as well. Very easy to do (I am in my 70s and had no problems)

By the way the assumed intention for the devices is as surveillance cameras, hence the remote alerts, but they work perfectly as just cameras, very high quality

Edited April 22, 2020 by cliff park
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[Siberian Snooper]

I have reversing cameras to be able to locate trains over uncoupling magnets, without having to get up from the operating position. I can't remember if I got them from Amazon or Ebay, they come with camera and screen and plenty of cable to join them and I use an old laptop 12 volt powerpack for the power supply.

 

 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

This is what I've installed 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-3-LCD-Monitor-1-x-Rear-View-Reversing-Camera-Kits-For-Car-Bus-Truck/264015839422?hash=item3d789200be:g:Jy4AAOSwseZb2Xv4

[Ray H]

25 minutes ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

This is what I've installed 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-3-LCD-Monitor-1-x-Rear-View-Reversing-Camera-Kits-For-Car-Bus-Truck/264015839422?hash=item3d789200be:g:Jy4AAOSwseZb2Xv4

 

You can get similar without the coloured lines on the screen. It is also necessary to note that the picture is back to front (as it would need to be on a car).

 

A simpler idea for just making sure stock is clear of points it to use a small circuit including a light dependant resistor (LDR) that is placed in the middle of the track at the position in the siding that would just not cause a passing train to make contact with the stationary train.

 

You can wire it either way so that you see, for example, a green LED when there is nothing over the LDR or a red LED when something is covering the LDR. You could use the green LED idea with a few more LDRs to indicate which sidings are/aren't occupied.

 

We use one of the reversing cameras on the club's O gauge layout to show when a train is fully berthed in a platform - the LDR is used so that the camera is only on when the LDR is covered by rolling stock.

[ITG]

Some great ideas thanks all. 
I currently have a couple of IR sensors (Heathcote Electronics) which work well on a single out of sight ‘passing loop’ but this time, especially with more roads, I’m keen to know what is on the road, not just that it’s occupied or not. So the camera idea is a possibility but I hadn’t thought of a reversing camera - even though back to front. And I’m sure I must have an old phone or two somewhere to try.

[DCB]

The Americans have been using web cams for this for ages, 15 years at least. In the days before everything had a camera fitted you could get small  cricket ball sized cameras with a USB plug to plug into your computer to give a video feed. Our Village Hall secretary used one at the hall to spy on people, slightly illegal, not recommended. They must be around somewhere and laptops  and old tower computers are cheap as chips.   In addition you could run a Linux progam from the CD drive without installing a hard drive.  Criminals do this so when the police seize their computers and spend hours interrogating the hard drives there is nothing to find, its all on mini sd cards.... 

 

[ITG]

Well, David, is there no limit to the boundaries of your insight? Made me smile. Although maybe a legal mind would have inserted the word ‘allegedly’ a few times In your posting. But thank you once again. I’m not ready yet to act upon this particular matter, as I’m still trying to acquire baseboards/materials,  but I am amassing a wealth of learning from RMWeb.

[ITG]

Because of ease of obtaining, as well as simplicity of connections/installations, I have just taken delivery of a reversing camera and screen, complete with everything except the power supply, for a total of £15.99 including postage. What’s not to like? Certainly worth trying. I already had a suitable power supply. Tested it and looks fine, but layout not ready for installation.

thanks for the suggestions.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Another vote for using a redundant iPhone and Alfred Camera software. The phone is fixed in a car universal mounting which is attached to the shed wall. The iPhone is recharged after every session. The signal is sent to both my iPad and laptop by wifi, no wires needed. 

 

The only additional cost was the car mounting.

[Pacific231G]

6 minutes ago, Jack Benson said:

Another vote for using a redundant iPhone and Alfred Camera software. The phone is fixed in a car universal mounting which is attached to the shed wall. The iPhone is recharged after every session. The signal is sent to both my iPad and laptop by wifi, no wires needed. 

 

The only additional cost was the car mounting.

Thanks Jack that sounds useful for more than one purpose. I've got a semi redundant iPhone5 that i keep synced  (I'm keeping it in case I ever drop the new one in the sink/loo/a puddle!)  but what is Alfred Camera software?

[cliff park]

Google Alfred camera. It is free , downloadable software that forms the link between your wi-fi and the camera and enables any other device to see the pictures, with appropriate passwords etc.

[Guest Jack Benson]

1 hour ago, Pacific231G said:

Thanks Jack that sounds useful for more than one purpose. I've got a semi redundant iPhone5 that i keep synced  (I'm keeping it in case I ever drop the new one in the sink/loo/a puddle!)  but what is Alfred Camera software?

Click here for more info

 

No connect with either the company or the original idea.

 

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