Lego Dacta Contol Lab software to control switch tracks

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

This was such a fun project!  I'm using the Lego Dacta Control Lab software to control the track switches on a Lego train layout.  The software really lends itself to this kind of thing.  I'm sure there are better ways to do this with Arduino's or Raspberry pi's but part of the fun is doing it with 100% Lego products / software.  I've only scratched the surface for what the software can do, so I'm sure there are some amazing ways to put this to use.  Sadly this may be my last train layout project of this size since I should have a couch for the living room in a few weeks . 

I'd really like to find a way to use a maximum of two outputs on the control lab to control the trains themselves.  The idea I have is use a third Powered Up hub (with all 3 running pybricks) and using color sensors to send commands to the other hubs for speed control.  Then having 2 motors controlled by the Control Lab to present different colors to the sensors.  I'm not even sure if this is feasible with Powered Up hubs and pybricks, but I know I can do the motor controlled color changer.  I have a strange obsession with using Lego Mindstorms / DACTA from multiple generations and interfacing them in creative ways .  If you have any suggestions, send them my way.

The whole idea of the Control Lab controlling the train speed is that the entire layout could be automated with the Control Lab software.  I could press a single button on a page that I designed and have a whole series of events follow.  I absolutely love that the Control Lab software enables you to create a control page from scratch with custom buttons and switches that can control a single function or start a subroutine for an entire automated process.

Thanks for reading, cheers!

Here is a rambly video saying much of what I said above, but if you can believe me, it was better than the scripted version

 

[1963maniac]

I love that you are using the old control lab and finding new ways to use it. Many times I have thought about getting one but wondered if I could really use it. I don't know enough about a control lab. Today, I was wondering how your eight brick built switchers are made?

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

I think the main barrier for most is the computer hardware (or software in this case).  I already have a custom built Windows 98 computer for running old software and games (as well as a DOS / Win 3.11 computer).  In this case I am using a virtual machine running windows 98.  My laptop doesn't have a serial port so I'm using a USB to Serial adapter.

I've had a few Control Lab Interfaces for many years now, and through a dim age of mine from Lego there have been some new software built to us the Control Lab with Windows 10.  I plan on trying a few out and making videos on my findings.

The motorized switch tracks are not my design, I meant to put text on the screen to say that there is a link in the description to build them (still trying to get this YouTube thing down .  Here is the video I used to make them.

 

[zephyr1934]

That's great work, the control lab really was ahead of its time and it is really great to see you using it to push the boundaries of what can be done with pure lego solutions. The title sequence to your video is also great.

 

11 hours ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

Sadly this may be my last train layout project of this size since I should have a couch for the living room in a few weeks . 

You know, if you pull the couch 10 inches away from the wall you can slip a set of double tracks behind it and you now have a comfy place to sit while running your trains around the room. Then when you clean up just push the couch back against the wall.

[BatteryPoweredBricks]

35 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

That's great work, the control lab really was ahead of its time and it is really great to see you using it to push the boundaries of what can be done with pure lego solutions. The title sequence to your video is also great.

 

You know, if you pull the couch 10 inches away from the wall you can slip a set of double tracks behind it and you now have a comfy place to sit while running your trains around the room. Then when you clean up just push the couch back against the wall.

I spent many hours as a kid drooling over the Lego Dacta / Educational set as a kid, it is truly a dream come true to be able to build some of those sets as well as design my own solutions using them.

I keep shortening the intro to my videos over time as the human race's attention span collectively shortens .  The full intro is 18 seconds and the outro is 43 seconds long, which is plenty long enough to affect audience retention.  You can see the full versions on the 8479 RCX Code Pilot video I did a few years ago on my channel.  It's something I go back and forth on, maybe I'll just shorten it for short videos and keep the full intro / outro for longer videos.  Building it wasn't too difficult but it took several hours of shooting with the help of my younger brother to film it.  Editing also took a ton of time / effort, especially the outro.  At any rate thanks for the kind words .

The couch will be a modular solution from Home Reserve (comparable to LoveSac but much cheaper).  It will be a full corner couch once I get it all built.  But I probably could leave a few inches for some Lego train track behind it, one of the perks of being single

[zephyr1934]

23 hours ago, BatteryPoweredBricks said:

The couch will be a modular solution from Home Reserve (comparable to LoveSac but much cheaper).  It will be a full corner couch once I get it all built.  But I probably could leave a few inches for some Lego train track behind it, one of the perks of being single

Totally doable. First thought is that the corner would be the hard part since the curve track needs to pull away from the wall. My second thought is don't bother leaving the track there all the time, it should be easy enough to pull the sections out. If the assembled couch is a single unit just make sure you put sliders under the legs so that you can pull it out 1 ft when needed.