Ludo

@Sjoeland I will order some 9g Geekservos, but keep attention to what kind you buy! See: https://www.robotshop.com/collections/servo-motors as example. The RED one is a motor, NO Servomotor. It has only 2 wires. The Grey and Lime motors are Servomotors with a different angle (270° and 360°). If anyone is interested in building virtual with Studio or LDraw, you can find files on the site from Philippe Hurbain. see: https://philohome.com/studio/packs.htm and go to the bottom (Third Party motors pack) They includes Geekservo servomotors and motors, mechanically compatible with LEGO, Circuit Cubes Cubit motor, and CADA micro motor. I still use MLCad and found a little error in the 2 Cirquit Cube files, t1064c01.dat and t1064c02.dat You need to change the first line in the header. The original header is like: 0 | Circuit Cubes Cubit Motor Body 0 Name: t1064c01.dat 0 Author: Philippe Hurbain [Philo] and need to be changed to (remove the | character and one space): 0 Circuit Cubes Cubit Motor Body 0 Name: t1064c01.dat 0 Author: Philippe Hurbain [Philo] I notified Philippe abouth this error. An other 'issue' is where those parts can be found in MLCad. The Geekservo motor can be found in the 'directory' Electric. The other motors (CADA & Cirquit Cube) can be found in the 'directory' Other Parts\C I notified Philippe also for this. Because they are all Electrical components they should be all in the 'directory' Electric. Success Ludo

Hi @Sjoeland Perhaps this video here can help you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ciy0LV3lTRc He is using the Geekservos.

Hi, I based my balasting on the one from Dennis Tomsen Note that this is for MODUVERSE, 1 plate higher than the MILS modules from L_Gauge.org Top side and Bottom Side for the L-Gauge 'system' see my backside here: I recomment the use of the 'plate 1x2 with door rail' as you can see in my picture to prevent the 'Plate 1x8 with door rail' to pop off. Some of my R64P curves got the problem that certain 'Plate 1x8 with door rail' where popping up , others not. By replacing them by 'Plate 1x2 with door rail' could I prevent this 'problem'.

Hi, I just posted some pictures on my Flickr account of the P40 Left hand switch. The gap in the module is to place a servo motor in it to command the switch. The commandbar extention use a Technic Plate 1x6 (4262) and a Technic plate 1x4 (4263) placed on a tile 1x8. Eventually, this can be replaced with a Technic Rack 1x8 (6630) or a Technic Rack 1x10 (6592) placed upside down. One end connects to the switch with a Technic Pin 1/2 (4274), on the other side I placed a Technic Gear 12 Tooth Double Bevel (32270) to command the Technic Gear Rack. I notice some mechanical stress when placing the ballasted switch to the MILS module. See here the principle of the command bar extention using the Technic Gear Rack.

If I understand correctly, one should: Remove both switch rails. Remove the incorrect tie bar. Place the new tie bar in the place of the old one. Replace 1 switch rail and check for electrical contact. if ok, place the second switch rail and check for electrical contact. Ready.

Someone already ballasted the R64P Curved track? Any pictures available? Thanks in advance.

Thanks @Moz& @Phoxtane for the reply's. Did read the reply's on the provided original article too, interesting.

Hi community, The BrickTracks R104 switches are already a while available on the market and the FX switches will follow soon. I ordered some FX switches, (I have only 9V track) and was wondering if someone already automated his switches using any kind of automation, using servos or anything else. I am completely aware that the driving mechanism of the BrickTracks switches are different than the FX switches (Rotate versus slide motion), so any idea is welcome. My switches will be placed on MILS modules, so there is some space to use a servo, just not knowing how to do so. The experience I have with the servo's on my level crossing controlled by an Arduino UNO are a bit strange. When the controller gets initialized, the servo's are 'flying' full in one direction (using the servo library), and If not proper controlled I guess that the driving mechanism of the switch will be destroyed if this happen. Knowing this behaviour, I guess also that it is recommended to set the switches in a kind of 'start' position before the servos are initialized, this should be executed before the end of an event. Anyone out there who have more experience with servo's and their behaviour who are willing to share it here? The do's and dont's, the pitfalls, ... Thanks in advance. Ludo

Hi, As far I can see in the code, you need a H bridge to connect between your Arduino and the track. You can't connect you motor straight to the Arduino pins. Most use this kind of H bridge (L298N) - see picture: https://dronebotworkshop.com/dc-motors-l298n-h-bridge/ - scroll down to find the connections. http://synacorp.my/v3/121-large_default/arduino-l298n-dc-motor-driver-dual-h-bridge.jpg the AnalogWrite(ENA,110) sets the speed for the motor. the IN1 and IN2 are connections on the H bridge module and need te be connected with the right pins of your ESP. I dont have a ESP, but check if the pin numbers in the script correspond with the ones on your ESP board. Increase the value (110) to run faster, decrease it to run slower. when checking the code on the above link, i notice that your ENA pin is not set as output, can be your problem. see: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/language/functions/analog-io/analogwrite/ for more info I hope this info can help you solve your problem. Best regards.

Hi all, As far as I can see on technical drawings from locomotives and coaches, all dimensions are given in mm (Europe). Examples: typical wheel diameter for a passenger coach and some cargo cars are 920 mm (EAOS,FAS). The wheel diameter for the TRAXX (and Vectron?) locomotive is 1250mm Ludo

@Russell844, I have no idea how to run this on a iMac, perhaps there is some info on the DOCUMENTATION page tab on the https://bluebrick.lswproject.com/ site? What I can tell to everyone in that version 1.9.1 is out. the changes are: Version 1.9.1 This version is a critical fix for downloading language package and part library package from within BlueBrick. BlueBrick was using the non encrypted protocole (http://), and I've recently updated the bluebrick website to use the secure protocole (https://). BUGFIX (Alban): Update the application to download the part package in https instead of http, since the website has moved to https. BUGFIX (Alban): Fix the height calculation of the preview image in the Export Image Windows. BUGFIX (Alban): Fix the drawing of the watermark when the scrollbar is displayed. Best regards.

Hi Simon, any chance that the building instructions for the 2nd version will be available on Bricks on Rails? best regards, Ludo

Downloaded it and now taking time to explore. Will need the video from time to time to find the great changes back. :) Thanks a lot for this new version. Ludo

@gvb2003, I see you are from Holland. I ordered a few weeks ago my ball-bearings in Germany, at https://www.kugellager-express.de/deep-groove-ball-bearings__2_3__5_3 The numbers at the end of the link send you straight to the MR52 type of bearings. Then you can select with or without flange, ceramic balls, ... Thats up to you. Save you import taxes - on large amount - and according to the text on their site, they should be of well known ball-bearing manufactures. They are not cheap and I hope they are of a better quality of the cheap Chines ball-bearings. Some of my Chinese ball-bearings suffer from friction inside the bearing, and this only after one show (2 days). Perhaps there's no grease in them, and are running dry. The bal-bearings I ordered are the: https://www.kugellager-express.de/miniature-deep-groove-ball-bearing-mr52-zz-2x5x2-5-mm I need also to be honest that most of the original LEGO train axles don't fit into the German ordered bearings, due to the tolerance on the axle diameter. Lets hope we can order the axles from BT (https://www.bricktracks.com/) soon in Europe.

@Dragunov2, can you explain a bit more what you see as difference? How many base plate you used and the difference in mm or cm. I use always BlueBrick to draw my layout for exebitions, but never used LDD. BlueBrick use 8 pixels by 8 pixels for a 1x1 plate / brick.

@ivanlan9 I think you miss understood me. I'm exited to see the 9V track comming up. I do have a sample of a double length straight and it looks promissing. 99.9% of my tracks are 9V, so it's obvious to keep it so. The only thing I wanted to let know to @coaster, is to keep going with his PF tracks, and not waisting development time and financial resources to develop 9V track. The market is already small, and could be very challenging to keep the bussiness up and running. I wish both, @coaster and Michael Gale & Co all the best and good luck in their bussiness. Ludo

@coaster, I read on the PFx site the anouncement of the 9V tracks comming up this summer. see: https://www.fxbricks.com/fxblog/?archive=2020-03 and scrol down to 3. Fx Track System. when this can be done, I think that you can use your time and money for new PF tracks and not into 9V track. That's just my opinion. Regarding the wheelset, be sure it's compatibe for ballbearings too. Best regards.

@CoNSpiracy, You can add rulers. Click in the right bottom corner on the Ruler Icon (between the T icon & the Garbage bin icon in the picture here below) to add a Ruler layer. Then becomes the Ruler icon in the top icon bar (below the File / Edit / View / Budget / Help buttons) activated. Click on it to open the dropdown box and select Add Ruler. Add your Ruler. Once placed, you can change the dimensions by double click on the newly placed ruler. Then you'll see a new window apearing, Click on the down arrow of the Unit dropdown box. There can you select the dimension you want. You can choose from: Stud LDU Straight Track Module Meter Feet Unfortunately I can't upload this picture due to the verry limited upload to this forum. but you should be able to place a ruler with the info here above. Success, Ludo

Hi Ashi, The only location I know from Coaster is: https://www.bricktracks.com/ I wish everyone on the forum a Happy 2020 and a lot of building pleasure.

Hi all, I wasn't on the latest Afol meeting in Skaerbaek (Denmark), but some members of my Lug where. Michael Gale was also present to annonce the 9V track and got some samples with him to distribute among the train fans. I received trough one of my AFOL collegues a double length 9V track, and I can assure you that it looks great. I'm also looking forward to those tracks as I have only 9V track at home. My collegue kept the curved 9V track sample. I'm not quite sure, but I think its a R88. And, also interesting for the Europeans, Michael confirmed me that there will be a European distribution point. Where this would be is not yet known. I hope this answer some of your questions.

@legotownlinz, This is exactly what Michael want to obtain wit his project. Larger radii, better and more points, just like the BT tracks, but for 9V. I'll stay with my 9V track, easy to adapt the track, like the model train fans, in sections, make it possible to run multiple trains on the same track. Or integrate DCC decoders into the train motor, remote control of the points, ... There's indeed a potential use for those tracks.

Hi all, Different question. Are there somewhere LDRAW files available for the upcoming track geometries (like the switch mentioned in this tread, track crossing, ...)? If so, can you post here a link to it? I know there are for the different radius track, but not for the switches.

Hi @coaster, As i see more & more Afol's using ball bearings on their rolling stock, any considarations of implementing ball bearings into the power pick-up wheelset?

@coaster, Great point! Also nice to see the angled in- and out's of the guard rails. A lot more realistic.

Thanks both for this information. Next time I'll place bearings into Technic bricks, I'll press them into the brick. Unfortunately, not every Technic piece will withstand the extra pressure. Can't find the picture now, but I've seen a picture with a cracked 18677 plate 1x2 with offset peghole on underside, due to the extra pressure of the bearing. update: found the picture of the cracked plate. https://www.flickr.com/photos/162569845@N05/48568121336/ see: