DCC points and signalling - synchronising

[letterspider]

I would like to synchronise the signal in the bay platform with the points

The signal is a Traintech programmable DCC signal two aspect with right feather

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by letterspider

[Nigelcliffe]

Depends on your system and how you are using it to control things. 

 

If your system has "routes" then you may be able to setup routes to get the aspects mostly set correctly, and use the routes to change both turnouts and signal.  There are many routes solutions, but three could cover it, with one for each of the aspects of the signal also setting the turnouts for that route. 

 

A system using a computer could both monitor the commands sent, and also offer user control, to ensure things are correctly.  Then almost any control is possible. 

 

A signal without a decoder could have been set according to the turnout positions through switches on the turnouts. 

[RFS]

I have a number of signals with feathers and all my turnouts use Tortoise motors. These motors have two switches with one used for frog polarity. Where these control a diverging route I use the second switch to control the feather. The output from the signal switch goes to both the green and the feather but with the feather diverted via the second switch on the Tortoise. 

 

This fully automates the feather as now it only comes on if a) the signal is green and b) the diverging route is set. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by RFS

[letterspider]

I am using peco motors and ESU Switchpilot

I was wondering whether the following wiring digram to the outputs would be permissable - this would mean the Y point left/right switching is a slave to the points one and two.

The idea is to free up a DCC address for the signal

[KingEdwardII]

I think that the simpler approach to the wiring of the points is to treat Point1 and Point3 as a crossover and organize them to switch together from a single DCC output. However, since you are using Peco point motors, you need to be sure that your DCC accessory decoder has enough grunt to switch two solenoid motors at the same time.

 

I use MTB MP1 point motors that are slow action and I drive them using a Digikeijs DR4018. I have no problem driving a pair of point motors from a single channel on the DR4018 so that all my crossovers have both turnouts switched at the same time using a command to one DCC address, but these motors have a low current demand.

 

The problem with solenoid motors is that they take a high current when they are switched and this may make it impossible to switch two simultaneously on one channel, but this depends on the equipment you are using.

 

Yours, Mike.

[RAF96]

Convention is to wire latching relays in parallel with your solenoids, then when the point switches the relay changes state to activate the associated signal lamp.

[Nigelcliffe]

All the schemes for linking a signal are fine (relays, etc..), except for what the first posting said:   The signal has a DCC decoder inside it, therefore it just responds to a DCC address (or pair of addresses).  

 

I can't think of a way using just accessory addresses to throw the turnouts and the signal (with feather) from just those addresses, and with a single command set the turnouts and signal correctly.   
I can think of ways if the DCC system supports routes,  or there are some accessory decoders which can do routing themselves (but not the Switch Pilot),  or there is something else (such as a computer) which can do things to assist.    But so far there is no indication that any of those options are available. 

 

If the signal didn't have a decoder associated with it, and instead had direct control of the LEDs through wires, then its pretty simple; either a few relays, or switches associated with the turnout movement.  Certain combinations of those will turn the signal from red to green, and an additional combination illuminates the feather.    

 

 

- Nigel

[RAF96]

As it is Train-Tech the simplest way is to refer the question back to David Palmer the owner and designer, who is very helpful and will likely have something up his sleeve to do the job.

Contact David through his sales email link on their website.

[Train-Tech]

I assume that you have a DS1R, which is a DCC fitted 2 aspect signal with right feather.

 

The feather can be synchronised to the DCC03 point quickly using the following method:

 

1) Power up the system and touch the learn contacts (hidden under the signal) together twice with a short piece of wire so that the feather is flashing

 

2) From your DCC controller in accessory mode send the command DCC 03 right

 

The feather should stop flashing and be synchronised to light up when the point is to the right.

 

 

The main red and green aspects are set up in a similar way, just touch the hidden learn contacts together once so that the red and green lights flash and then send the DCC accessory address you want to assign to the main signal. It then learns that address.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Regards

 

David

 

Train-Tech

[Train-Tech]

As a PS, I am not sure how you are controlling your points and I am not trying to sell you something, but if you used a Train-Tech PC200 Quad point controller for them you could set up multiple routes and just give each route one DCC address and this would move all relevant points together. The PC200 stores up to 5 addresses per point motor output so by giving point labelled DCC01 and 03 the same address they would always change together on one address - you could also give point labelled DCC02 an address to ensure it always goes right if the DCC03 was turned right to avoid derailments over points.

The PC200 manual can be found here:

http://ccgi.dcpmicro.plus.com/traintech/pdf_manuals/PC200_Instructions.pdf

 

And PC200 product details and cost here

https://www.dcpexpress.com/pc200-quad-point-controller-with-multiple-routes-p-661.html

[letterspider]

Hi David

thanks - I have seen the PC200 but I had already purchased the ESU.

In the end I decided to keep the points separately controlled from the signal.

 

I told eLink the signal is controlled by a port on a non-existent Switchpilot (DCC 101) and successfully programmed it to that address. The feather is cotnrolled by point 1 switching to the right.

 

All I can say is this is the first DCC concepts signal I have bought and I will be getting more. The only minor snag is you cannot use the built in power clip if you want to site the signal on the right hand side of a track (as I wanted to do here)

However removing it and using soldered wiring was straightforward.

 

Here is the result

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by letterspider