Toastie

Wow, nice!!! This will definitely work. As you are not afraid of drilling through LEGO bricks: I can imagine power pickups from other brands, e.g. Carrera or the like (do they still exist?) mounted (mini-screws, glue, ...) to a plate/brick + soldering to the wires and so on and so forth. I bet you'll succeed! Very nice. Really very nice. All the best and good luck! Thorsten

True. Plus depending on the switch's throwing mechanism @Venderwel is going to implement, he may well get off with a low PWM duty cycle on the outputs. It is my understanding that the PWM outputs of the ESP32 will interface to the drivers. One more question: Why 12V? 9V does not work? Or are there 12V motors in the throwing mechanism? Best Thorsten

... and maybe pre-configured female - male wires. They come in very cheap. The ESP boards do have pins whereas the Arduino boards have the "sockets" (well - as you know of course. I was just not prepared when switching form Arduino to ESP dev boards. You then don't need to push the ESP into the breadboard but rather only use it on the side and do only your wiring (LEDs, motors, etc.) on the breadboard. I found it to be much more flexible this way. Best Thorsten

Looks really good! Particularly the documentation is very nice. My jOYiT dev boards are the smaller 30 pin version - and virtually no documentation other than pin-out and installation. On the pin out for your board as well as on the data sheet document they tell you exactly what GPIO pins you can use for what purposes! Very nice. In case you want to use the internal pull up feature for digital in, I'd first test it. Took me quite some time to find out what was going on, as the input I used was simply floating around, regardless what setting I used. (It is always a good idea to tie the inputs up/down with resistors, when you know what you are going to do). Best Thorsten

Ahhh - that is what I was missing. Sorry for that. Makes total sense. Just in case: There are very nice tutorials on the usability of ESP32 dev board GPIOs regarding I/O. I am using jOYiT node MCU ESP32 dev boards - and here not all GPIOs actually work as "expected". PWM appears to be fine on most GPIOs. Using the PULL_UP configuration in the Arduino IDE (avoiding the application of pull up resistors to digital inputs) may not work on all designated/configurated I/O pins. Took me a while to figure that out. This is mostly only an issue when using open collector type sensors. Sounds like a very cool project you have going!!! Best Thorsten

That is where I am lost. The ESP32 is supposed to do "everything". That is fine. As well as the sensors are - these will be hooked up to the ESP32 right? But what are the L298n motor controllers for? These are H-bridge drivers ... so they go on the train(s), right? But they need a controlling device that they drive - is this the ESP32 board? I am a bit lost here. I have an ESP32 "controlling" my Crocodile. There are four optical sensors on the track attached to the ESP - detecting the Croc's position. But the ESp32 is not >on< the Crocodile - that is a 2I/O Hub. The ESP is residing somewhere near the track. To control not everything, but the Crocodile. The sensors are used for: Endpoint detection and acceleration/deceleration triggers. I am still unclear where your ESP32 will be: On the train or on the layout? And then: Where do the L298n's go? On the train of course ... but why do you want to control 4 9V motors? And what thing drives the 298's? Sorry - may be entirely me not getting this!!! All the best Thorsten

Sort of true. With serious oxidation (other than "normal" aging), sanding with 800 - 1000 grid paper works very nicely. Ever sanded with 1000 grid paper? It is more like polishing Best Thorsten

We were on vacation in Denmark recently - on the island Fanoe, this is what we do since about 45 years. You need to take a ferry to get there (only 12 minutes one-way, but it makes a very big difference, traffic wise). Fanoe is about 60 km away from Billund ... in contrast to Germany, masks are not mandatory in Denmark (but I do like to protect others and wear them anyway, who the hell knows what I am carrying around without knowing!), only number of people restrictions (i.e., you have to wait when it comes near to park closure - during the day you can go in and out as you wish). The store is fully stocked, PaB is almost at full speed as well (gloves required etc.). Denmark is very low on Covid19 cases, takes serious measures at its borders - but most importantly: People do behave. It was so nice to see care and respect. All the best Thorsten

All true. However, many of the ESP32 dev boards have a "Vin" output pin. That is connected to the (micro) USB V+ input = 5V. So there you have a 5V power feed right away. The ESP32 board I am using is tolerating +5V as logic high on appropriately configured GPIOs - but this may need closer attention; may have been lucky. I am taking the 3.3V route - so when I am ordering sensors, they need to match that requirement as the ESP32 boards are really powerful (BT, BLE, WiFi, PWM on almost all GPIOs, at least 8 touch sensor compatible GPIOs, I2C and more - at about the price of an Arduino Uno R3 clone. The HC05 can be powered from the 3.3V output pin of any Arduino board providing it (Uno for sure). The HC05s I am using tolerate 5V as well - so not sure if this is generally the case. Best Thorsten

@GianCann: Go for it! This software is unbelievable powerful. I never made it into actually using their hardware - as I fiddled with my own all-LEGO solution. However, the scripting option using Python code and the way this is implemented is really cool. Well more than that. The most intriguing part for me is the seamless integration of functional tiles (switch points etc) into a virtual layout, which in turn represents a real layout. Right-clicking opens that very tile and gives you access to coding. This concept is the best out there on the web, if you'd ask me. All the best Thorsten

Just to explain: I am cutting the messed-up wires about 5 cm away from the terminal brick. Then remove all the messy insulation as far as I can get. Then rearrange the wires a bit and twirling them - at the same time making sure to not cause any shorts. Then apply 4,5 cm of properly matching shrinking tube and push the tube as far as possible into the terminal (that was about 1 mm max.). Then apply very carefully heat - shielding the hot air from reaching the brick. Then solder the new wire onto the old wire, which is now sticking out far enough for rather secure iron operation From some experimenting (opened up a terminal brick after this treatment) I believe that the issue of the deteriorating insulation hardly affects the functionality of the terminal within the brick, as the fouling plastic is not pushed around. But once again, the crimping method is far more superior. It just needs the correctly matching wire (I had a hard time in finding) and some experience in clamping the wires down appropriately. Best Thorsten

That is the key issue though. There is really no standard on this. Yes, 0.5mm2 is fine, but the insulation material should also meet - more or less exactly - the dimensions of the cutting "blades" mounts. I had a not so nice time with that. It worked about 1 out of 3 times. Could very well be me. But you need to pay very close attention to the correct alignment of the blades - otherwise you'll just flatten them when putting the assembly back together. Best; Thorsten

Same here. The power pickup for a 9V motor really is only on the top edge of that inner metal surface. I am using 800 grit sandpaper. Best, Thorsten

+1 that is the way to go. I also used another invasive approach: Cut the wire about 5 cm off from the pickup brick, put heat shrinking tube over each deteriorated lead and push the tubing as close as possible towards the pickup brick, apply heat and then exchange the remaining wire, do the same at the 9V 2x2 terminal plate. Best Thorsten

How many bytes is the compiled code for a few lines of code? Best Thorsten

Do it!!! All the best, Thorsten

Tony, so many incredible steamers you made, and diesels as well. On the 6++ scale that is - and I always thought: How on Earth did he do that? And then, just to get some sleep, I thought: Ha! 6++ wide. There is the secret. The larger the scale ... never worked (sleep-wise) but. And now this. This is one of the most beautiful, interesting, and creative layout I have seen. The smaller the scale the tougher it gets (I believe). Wow. On the other hand: People like you, who can design things on the very 6++ scale - feeling as if you are building in another universe - there is no surprise. I saw your video and my first thought was: Of course, he can do that. He's ingenious. Simple as that. It simply is incredible. Regard. Thorsten

I don't think this is an issue of picking up power/the power pickups. As @XG BC mentioned, the torque of the 12V motor you are using may be the issue. All the ciurrent PF L/Pup L motors have some serious down-gearing plus they use up-to-date motor hardware. I'd suggest to simply use a PF L motor and funnel the power from the pickups to the motor. You need to modify a PF cable (just post here for instructions). But other than that, there should be no issue, even when you apply full 12V to the PF L motor for not too long time. All the best, Thorsten

Hi Marc, well, the Crocodile locomotive (#10277) is relatively "packed". And this is the engine I'd like to control with a 2I/O hub and NO smart device - but rather an ESP32 dev board. Plus the track stretch the Croc will run on is rather "lofty" and I need some safety measures to not crash it (https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/179240-mod-10277-and-on-and-on-another-crocodile-mod-%E2%80%A6/), as this would most probably cause severe damage . So I can't think of installing e.g. a color sensor on the Croc without compromising its beautiful design too much. In turn, I am planning on having (well, I have, but blew one) 4 b/w sensors (actually these are line tracking sensors; e.g., https://eckstein-shop.de/TCRT5000-IR-Barrier-Line-Track-sensor-Infrared-Reflective-Photoelectric-Switch). They are residing between the PF/9V track sleepers looking upward. The loco has a white plate (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=2654#T=C) on the cabin frame, facing downward. The program on the ESP32 lets you locate the right end sensor (#1), then you can start the sequence: Accelerate to full speed. Sensor #3 (left) causes the Croc to decelerate and then slowly move on to the left stop sensor #4. When that is triggered, the Croc stops, waits, reverses and accelerates again toward right. Sensor right (#2) causes deceleration, sensor right stop (#1) stops the Croc, waits, reverses and so on ... Yes, you can do that with timing and only two stop sensors. But that may accumulate temporal errors over several sequences. And: I like to play around ... The whole thing works, is in the workshop.Will post in 2 weeks; as said blew a sensor and they have a delivery delay. All the best, Thorsten

This may have also been propelled by the fact that TLG is now owner of BL - and has a good number of lawyers pushing buttons, folks haven't even seen before. Best, Thorsten

and that is soo nice! For some reason, I can't get into using a tablet/cell phone for controlling PoweredUp devices. My fault, but it is what it is. Plus: With the small BLE equipped controllers and their cost of < 10 € (the small dev boards that is) one of them can be used to control one Pup device at minimal cost. Plus the multiple connectivity problem(s) becomes obsolete. I'd rather have 10 I am just now making a small thingy with for push buttons (manual/auto control) and a very small OLED display to control my Crocodile simply running back and forth - with acceleration and deceleration periods, which are in turn fired by 4 IR b/w detectors. The Croc was 100 €, the electronics stuff in total 25 € ... Good luck on your project(s)!!! Best Thorsten

Tough one. Batteries of course fully charged, receiver and/or battery box in good shape, wires all OK, no corrosion nowhere, right? (I know, but it is the drill ...) Best Thorsten

I am very sorry! (I am more into the dev type boards - so many GPIO pins ... it fits my purposes better, I guess. The Atom Matrix looks very slick and cool though!) Best, Thorsten

I used a € 8,50 ESP32 nodeMCU dev board from JoyIt - works like a charm with the Arduino IDE + and the required additional things installed + legoino. This thing is unbelievable powerful - when comparing to e.g. an Arduino Uno. Which is no surprise of course. As well is legoino. All the best, Thorsten P.S.: The legoino header files define WHITE as a color for the built-in hub LED. This may interfere with other include files, e.g. Adafruit OLED display handlers, which used WHITE as alias for "drawing" color as well. I just renamed it to HubWHITE. (Etc.)

Hi guys, isn't this something for the Mindstorms Forum as well? Sounds to me ... they have an awful lot of info over there ... Just an idea. Best and have fun! Thorsten