There isn't a thread for model railway operation wrinkles

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Since leaving my Brush type 2 unattended while running dead slow so it suffered damage in the vacated turntable pit plunge, I have been musing.

 

What might be called my 'standard accident' since adopting DCC, and something that was never a problem in DC operation, is failing to completely stop a loco. This because I am mostly going on visual information, watching the train glide to an extended smooth halt which DCC enables beautifully 'hands off'. But actually I occasionally leave it moving almost imperceptibly, thanks to the slow creep possible with DCC, combined with not looking at the handset display before flipping to the next loco. It's speed step 1 every time. Having for the first time ever in a personal layout gone for full trap point provision, this doesn't cause any real problem operationally, other than finding the odd train where it shouldn't be, like grinding away against the stops in the trap point dead end...

 

Now, I know the answer is to give up driving without due care and attention, and also without any alcohol on board, but old Adam says that this isn't going to happen. It occurs to me that very few people would actually drive a loco at dead slow - speed step 1 - for any period of time, so some way of detecting when this is happening and sounding an alert after a preset elapsed period would solve the problem. Presumably could be done with a packet analyser - all it would have to do is look for a density of speed step 1 commands and sound an alert at a user settable density. Is there a DCC system with such a capability provided? Better ideas anyone?

[Black Sheep]

I can only suggest fitting 'deadmans handle' where there is a danger of damage, such as dead spots with a push to make contact switch

 

This way, the last loco length of a siding is dead to the DCC bus unless you are holding a switch in place, auto stop but no hand of god required to move the loco again

 

Not really solving your problem but preventing damage to model and machanism.

 

You could take it further and add IR sensors to cut a section of track on approach to a level crossing / turntable / swing bridge that isn't positioned to allow safe passage of the train

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Thanks. That has the desireable benefits of cheapness and simplicity, and will work perfectly on the trap point dead ends.

 

So now it is just accidents in yard type locations which is how the Brush 2 came to grief. No way of guarateeing here that the loco will be leading any stock...

[hornbyandbf3fan]

I know how you feel, I regularly find my shunter deciding to carry on into the buffers at a crawl or meeting the train coming out of the fiddle yard!

[Black Sheep]

Thanks. That has the desireable benefits of cheapness and simplicity, and will work perfectly on the trap point dead ends.

 

So now it is just accidents in yard type locations which is how the Brush 2 came to grief. No way of guarateeing here that the loco will be leading any stock...

Would always setting the loco direction to exit the yard, towards the trap, resolve this?

 

However, if you were able to remember to do that you'd have hit the stop button on it and the situation avoided already I guess