tender

Hi Andy, I'm impressed by the sound of the 08, which sound chip/file and speaker do you use?

I assumed that as well, and although when running trains at first it seems to work, under certain conditions a short occurs. Can't remember exactly what the condition was but is was something like: A train runs from the toe to the left hand branch. A following train runs straight through on the middle track. The train in the left branch then runs back through the asymmetric and a short occurs. Like i said above the only way found of solving this was to replace one of the juicers with a switch on the point motor. Can't remember the exact details as I've sold the layout.

I found you can't use frog juicers entirely with these points as two of the frogs follow one another without a bit of plain track between them, so the juicer get confused as to which polarity to switch too. I suspect its the same for the DCC80. The solution was to use a switch contact on the point motor for one of the frogs.

That'll be a third well tank. First was the original Dapol production, then the DJM (coreless) and now the EFE.

I wonder if the BWT has the original Dapol motor or the second generation DJM gutless coreless motor

Is this a regional thing, we can only book a slot for upto 3 weeks in advance. Don't see anyway of booking recurring slot on the Tesco website.

Hi George, I've looked at the Finney7 M7 kit many times when passing their stand at the various exhibitions they attended. But knowing me it would have been lot of money sitting on the shelf waiting to be built. Not sure of my ability to put it together either. I'm waiting for the Connoisseur O2 to come back in stock which looks a bit simpler. Good luck with the build, i'm sure it will be another superb Loco for you. Ray.

That brings back some memories. Forgot to say Andy, just found your new thread. Another layout!

Well done Andy. I was going to suggest the stepper.setCurrentPosition(0); command but you already sorted it before i got back to you. Ray.

I think you need to change the stepper.moveTo(-3400) statements in the sensor routine to one that just moves the motor one step. As it stands the stepper.moveTo(-3400) in the while statement is just moving the motor to absolute position -3400 before it rechecks the status of the sensor. Try: stepper.moveTo(stepper.currentPosition()+1); Ray.

I think you're missing the stepper.h library Have a look here for an example https://www.makerguides.com/28byj-48-stepper-motor-arduino-tutorial/ You will need to change the forwardstep2() commands to those used in the library. Look at the example on the maker guides website. Ray.

Hi Andy Long time since i looked at this but i think you need something like this, taken from my original code on page 1. Put it at the end of your void setup() //configure pin3 as an input and enable the internal pull-up resistor pinMode(3, INPUT_PULLUP); //read the sensor (open collector type) value into a variable int sensorVal = digitalRead(3); // if near reference point move away sensorVal = digitalRead(3); while (sensorVal == LOW) { sensorVal = digitalRead(3); forwardstep2(); delay(50); } // step forward to sensor index point while (sensorVal == HIGH) { sensorVal = digitalRead(3); forwardstep2(); delay(50); } assumes that you connect the output of your hall sensor to pin 3 Ray.

Could you utilise the macros in the command station?

Have a look at this topic. It's been done to death. There's several options from several contributors to the thread. My latest incarnation uses a Arduino Nano and A4988 driver.

Thanks for that, i only got as far as reading the interface list on the website and NCE isn't listed. Having just downloaded the manual i see there is some support for NCE so i'll download a trial copy and give it a try although 2 months may not be enough. It's taken me several years to get where i am now with TC but I might get far enough to see if the change is worth considering. Ray.

Having just about outgrown TC Silver V8 i was thinking of upgrading to TC Gold V9 but at £350 and all the negative talk regarding Mr Freiwald maybe not. iTrian Pro is about £315 at current rates but the only thing stopping me is that it doesn't support NCE, so i'd have to buy a new DCC system as well. That would mean rewiring all the sensors from the 3 NCE AIU's to whatever system i choose as well. Not an insignificant task.

Hi George, What do you use to do the lining in 7mm? Looks superb.

Found these on Amazon but their not cheap and come from overseas. Look the same as Scott's (Jukebox). https://www.amazon.com/Large-Thumb-Guard-Adult-Male/dp/B003373VXA?ref_=ast_sto_dp or you could buy rigger gloves and cut the thumb/fingers off for about £1.50 https://www.thesafetysupplycompany.co.uk/p/9295945/red-rigger-gloves---single-palm---conforms-to-en-388-cat-ii-4144---ht-redrigger.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl4v4BRDaARIsAFjATPlyRS9bdp6Quti_lYYL8I76w7-5HlPhRx8O67do0m9MvWSlWjO7gdMaAsEfEALw_wcB

Sig-na-Track do a single servo controller (IMP Digital Servo Controller DSI1001). DC or DCC operation, easy to setup the end points and speed of operation. Not cheap though. https://www.signatrak.co.uk/products/layout-automation-and-accessory-control/dsi1001-imp If I recall correctly the end points and speed can be setup with a knob and a few jumpers on the unit or by setting a few CV's if using DCC.

All the exhibitions we normally go to have been cancelled right up to Christmas apart from maybe Manchester, not heard anything about that one yet.

I was thinking of starting a new thread but as the OP seems to have found 'Exactly what I (he) was looking for and gets everything in' I didn't think there was much point in starting another thread with much the same title. But I'm happy to do that.

Flipping Phil's (Harlequin) layout would now mean the arrivals line seeing a leading crossover (rather than trailing) and spur off to the carriage sidings (as opposed to the Loading dock) and vice versa for the departure line. Would this give rise to any operational difficulties?

Thats exactly how i envisaged doing it. I use servo motors for the turnouts so doubling up on the switches is not a problem. Haven't tried it yet but will do shortly.

Does that really matter if the switching arrangement is such that the open blade isn't connected to anything?