Lenz LZV100: Changing turnouts in emergency stop mode

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hi,

 

If you have some time there's some excellent ideas over on the RR&Co forum here:

 

http://www.freiwald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=26528

 

In short, following one particular technique, I've set up the following:

 

1. A separate accessory bus is run from my DCC control (Roco Z21). Track power is provided from boosters. You could use your circuit breaker as you do now to isolate your Lenz LVZ100.

2. A feed from the Track power from each power district is fed through a feedback input on one of the feedback modules (must be of the Opto coupler type - mine are Digikeijs but there are others)

3. In TC, assign each of the feedback inputs to a contact indicator. The normal state of the indicator will be ON.

4. Set an operation of the contact indicator so that when it goes off - which it will if there's a loss of power in the district, eg a short.

 

I found the best operation to set is 'Stop all Trains'.

 

So when there is a loss of power in any district, eg a short, the contact goes to OFF, and carries out the command 'Stop all Trains'. The power to accessories is not interrupted as it's on a separate bus so you can change turnouts etc. In mine I've added further operations - a pop up message, a big red light for visual indication plus a sound file - a hooter - to make me aware if I'm away from the screen.

 

So far, it works a treat. To continue afterwards, it's necessary to switch into Edit mode, stop all schedules, then switch out of Edit mode and re-start all schedules - just a couple of mouse clicks.

 

Not sure if it will help your particular aim, but then again, it might.

 

Cheers

Alan

[RFS]

Hi Alan - As you know I've started a thread on the RR&Co forum (http://www.freiwald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=26563) because I've found that in certain circumstances a train does not stop when you hit "stop all trains" from the trains drop-down menu.  So can you (or anyone else with RR&Co for that matter) try a little test and report what happens?

 

Run a train on a schedule that includes a station stop. When the train is actually slowing down in the station block (ie the train is now in the ramp section) hit "stop all trains". Does the train stop? When I do this, the train stops dead but then starts to creep forward at threshold speed.  It continues to do so until I terminate the schedule. If you do this when the train has entered the block, but not actually reached the ramp to start slowing down, it works correctly. I'd be interested to know if this is a general problem or something on my layout. I've not managed to get Mr Freiwald to respond!

 

I've now reconfigured my hardware using a minimalist approach! I've found that having a circuit breaker (PSX) is actually causing an issue in that it prevents TC from seeing that trains have stopped due to a short. So I'm now running with my Lenz LZV100 (with 5-amp TR150) controlling the scenic section and the Tortoise motors, and the LV102 (with 3-amp TR100) just the storage yards. The PSX has been disconnected for now. So far all is well. I've also installed some push button switches wired to the E and M terminals of the LZV100 to provide an emergency stop facility. The LZV100 and LV102 are set up so that if one trips they both trip. So no need for CBs or connections to feedback modules to tell Traincontroller there's a problem. I'll see how this goes over the coming weeks.

[melmerby]

 

I've now reconfigured my hardware using a minimalist approach! I've found that having a circuit breaker (PSX) is actually causing an issue in that it prevents TC from seeing that trains have stopped due to a short. So I'm now running with my Lenz LZV100 (with 5-amp TR150) controlling the scenic section and the Tortoise motors, and the LV102 (with 3-amp TR100) just the storage yards. The PSX has been disconnected for now. So far all is well. I've also installed some push button switches wired to the E and M terminals of the LZV100 to provide an emergency stop facility. The LZV100 and LV102 are set up so that if one trips they both trip. So no need for CBs or connections to feedback modules to tell Traincontroller there's a problem. I'll see how this goes over the coming weeks.

Doesn't that defeat the object of being able to change turnouts with all trains stopped?

 

Keith

[RFS]

Doesn't that defeat the object of being able to change turnouts with all trains stopped?

 

Keith

 

I run mostly schedules now so I don't get shorts caused by points being set the wrong way as TC looks after that and the motors are reliable Tortoises.

 

My intention was to deal with situations where points need to be changed (eg mistake when running manually) was to move the train back off the point, hit "ST" to restore power and then immediately hit "ST" again, which would put the LZV100 back into stop mode but with track power on. Then I could change the points from the LH100 - hence this topic. But that idea will have to wait for the LZV200 upgrade ....

 

Loss of the facility at present is less of an issue to me than having all trains stopped by the PSX CB whilst TC keeps running.