skaako

Hi, I have to try and complete my train control idea at some stage. I have one train built which uses a microcontroller onboard the train to control the motors and lights etc. I use RF modules for communications, they are basically wireless com ports all the addressing etc is controlled by software so there is no real limit to the amount of trains you can have. The track is powered can be powered up to about 36V but i keep it to 12V but i want to use 24V soon. The onboard regulators produce the 5V for logic and 9V for the motor. It works quite well, but havnt had the time to finish it and make smaller pcbs for the electronics. For the 9V train motor i have separated the pickups from the front and rear axles and also separated the motor power, so i have 6 wires coming out of the motor. I have the pickups separate so then they are fed into separate bridge rectifiers then into the regulators, this way i can make reverse loops etc easily, just have to isolate the 2 sections of track so one set of wheels does not short them out. I played around with DCC for a while but decided to go to RF, this way i can use my train on other 9V layouts and still have full control. Also the reason to go to RF was so i could have full 2 way communications between the train and the base. I havnt done so yet but i would like to add a speed sensor, temp sensor (inside the motor) etc, so the train can send this information back to the base. Also the range is much better with RF than IR, for a start you can use RF through walls if you wish, the modules i use have a range of 300m LoS, so its more than sufficient. Its good seeing that others are trying different electronics with their trains, i know its not a lego solution, but i dont care. It makes it more fun. Mike

Sorry these would not work for lego couplers. These uncouplers (i think) is just a magnet or can be an electromagnet, when the train moves over this in the reverse direction it attracts a small piece of metal in the coupler, and pulls it to the left (or right). When the train moves forward it uncouples. Mike

Yeah, the o-rings cause quite a bit of friction. I'll have to try the power functions someday, but they will be hooked up to an old 9V motor or something to get the power to them, i am really not fond of battery powered trains.

Hi, To start with you will need to download and install Liberty Basic, i think it still can be used fully without purchasing. I remembered for windows xp i had to download an extra dll (i think) for com and lpt port communications, it was in one of the LB forums, you should be able to find it by doing a search. For details for the protocol i found all the information from the website http://web.telia.com/~u16122508/dacta/ i would recommend copying the info as most of the sites that have this information have closed and im not sure how long this one will last. It took quite some time to find. The program bricklab from this site works quite well for testing. If you are planning on using Liberty Basic, to initialize the Interface i only need these lines of code: Com = 16384 'This just sets the com port buffer (not always necessary) open "com2:9600,n,8,1,ds0,cs0,rs" for random as #comm 'This is the code that opens and sets the com port 'i.e. Com2 9600bps n (no parity) 8 (data bits) 1 (stop bit) ds0 cs0 rs (settings for the port) print #comm, "p"; print #comm, chr$(00); 'This sends the character "p" plus the null character, note: you must put the ; after to stop program from sending the linefeed and return codes 'At this time the interface will send back a sentence print #comm, "###Do you byte, when I knock?$$$"; 'Send this as the reply and the interface will be initialized calldll #kernel32,"Sleep",40 as ulong,r as void 'This is one of the most useful lines of code i have found and use it in every program i write 'It is a simple time delay, all you have to change is the number. In this case it is 40, meaning 40 milliseconds 'This time delay is also very accurate, dataRead$ = input$(#comm, 33) 'This string is taken from the com port it is 33 bytes long and contains all the data from the inputs print dataRead$ 'This just prints it on the screen Now the interface times out after 2 seconds if nothing has been sent to the interface or if it hasnt been polled. Therefore when i need a time delay longer than this i make a for next loop, this will loop x number of times which can have a 1 second time delay each time. Now for setting the outputs i created a function, this goes at the end of the program after the end statement. Function output1(port, onoff, direction, speed) print #comm, chr$(176 + speed); print #comm, chr$(2 ^ port); print #comm, chr$(64 + (direction * 8) + port); print #comm, chr$(40 + (onoff * 16) + port); End Function So to set an output in the program i can write: h = output1(0,1,0,7) 'the h is irrelevant, it can be whatever you want but something needs to be there for it to work 'This sets 0 (port 0 [0 - 7]) , 1 (sets to on [0 or 1]) , 0 (sets the direction [0 or 1]) , 7 (sets the speed [0 - 7]) The syntax of LB is quite easy to follow especially if you have programmed before. Send me an email to skaako@hotmail.com and i can send you a copy of a few programs i have made. I am more than happy to answer any questions you have or need help with a specific program. Also i checked the LB site and you can run the programs from LB with the free version but you cannot compile to use as a standalone program, i have the full version so i can compile your final program for you and send it back. Mike Hi there, I dont actually have many Lego sensors, i just use regular electronic sensors. But for temperature i have used a LM335 Temperature sensor with the right resistors gives a output of 0 to 5V over the range of -40°C to 100°C. As all the inputs are 10bit resolution this gives 1024 steps. I have never tried a rotational sensor as i don't have a lego one, but the info on extracting this data from what the interface sends can be found from the website i stated in the last post. Any analogue sensor should be able to be used as long as the output voltage is in between 0 and 5V. I havnt been too adventurous in trying as i only have two of these interfaces and dont want to blow them up. I have tried light intensity sensors, temperature sensor above, switches and variable resistors. Thanks for the interest i hope you get your project finished. Mike As for the response times, for robolab there is a very large delay to register inputs etc. This is the software and not the interface. With my programs and using Bricklab there is no (well not noticeable) delay, maybe a few ms as a guess. Mike

Hi, i use my interface B all the time for controlling creations, layouts etc. After finding all the information of the protocol online i managed to make software using Liberty Basic, which is similar to the old Qbasic but can work in windows, has way more functionality and is really simple to program with, i can not use it for 6 months and go back to it and within a few hours i can pick it up again. At first i thought i had a broken unit as i bought mine secondhand in unknown condition without a power or serial cable. The 10VAC power pack from the 9V train regulator was suitable but it took me ages to realize the serial cable wasnt a simple straight through type, it is actually more like a null modem cable, where RX goes to TX and vise versa. After that the fun began of writing some programs. I can give some sample programs if anyone is interested, and you can get a freeware version of liberty basic online. I used robolab once and only once, that software is absolute crap, and so slow. Next project when i have time is to make a PIC serial control board that can plug into the serial port on the back of the interface, so it can be used as a standalone unit, no need to use the laptop. Then i can just write the program onto the microcontroller. I hope this info is useful to someone. Mike

Hi Mark. Yes by removing the o-rings makes a considerable difference in drag. You can tell just pulling it by hand, and makes the biggest difference when going around corners. Also the next biggest difference i saw was when i put the axle through the front smaller set of wheels, there is quite a bit of friction caused by these wheels when using pins. I'll have to try that with the rods, although i have not noticed much difference from running with or without the rods in place.

Hi, just tried my EN powered by a 9V train motor in the tender up an incline of 1 plate per 16 studs going around a corner. It did quite well pulling four carriages (one EN and three Metroliner). The drive wheels did lose a bit of traction at the apex but not for very long, i only have one o-ring on one of the rear drive wheels to make them turn.

Hi again. Okay... front and rear drivers are not geared together anymore as i said in my last post, i realized having the axles through the drivers is enough. Now i have also put an axle through the very front small wheels, this reduced a bit more friction. Now the biggest difference i have seen yet is from removing all the o-rings from the wheels (except 1 from the drivers, so the wheels keep turning and don't slip sometimes) this allowed me to run it on 1 less power setting on the standard regulator, and going through curves doesn't slow as much as it did. I have also removed all the internal gearing, and i am just using 1 9V train motor in the tender.

Hi there. Yes, removing the o-rings from my EN made a big difference when powering it with a 9V train motor under the tender. I removed them from all the wheels, but i put 1 o-ring back on one of the rear large drivers so the wheels would turn properly. I put them back on both the rear drivers to start with but that added a noticeable amount of friction.

Hi, here's some photo's of my points and crossover conversion of RC track. I use aluminium self adhesive tape for this, there is no need for soldering as i cut the sections in one piece. These were my first attempts, i have had straight and curved rail coated with aluminium tape running successfully for the last year or so. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=425176 I'll have to add the photos of my modified points also at some stage. Next step is to find a supplier of some thin nickel plated steel strips that i can fold and the glue onto straight sections of rc track.

Yes a few of us here in NZ have been thinking of a 9V pickup from a standard wheel set, when i get the time i might machine some wheels and see what i can think up for the pick up. Any ideas for the pick-up from the wheels would be helpful, i was thinking of something like spring steel contacting to the inside of the metal wheel, similar to the 9V train motor design, its a proven design so if i can make something similar would be good.

I think Carl has done a great job in his layout mixing non lego elements. I especially like the use of his ballast, it does look a lot more realistic, he has found a nice balance as he qouted.

My solution...... Just sell straight tracks only. Simple. If you want curves just buy another train set. Anyway there is enough new and secondhand curved tracks online for sale to last until TLG change to a different system again. Or just buy some (ugly) flexitrack.

Hi everyone. Ive found that by gearing the two sets of flanged wheels together makes it run a lot smoother without adding much friction.

Here's the photo's of my points and crossover conversion of RC track. I use aluminium self adhesive tape for this, there is no need for soldering as i cut the sections in one piece. These were my first attempts, i have had straight and curved rail coated with aluminium tape running successfully for the last year or so. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=425176

Hi, i've had sucess for the past year or so with modified rc track, and i've just recently converted both the crossover points and the standard points to 9v. I use 48mm wide aluminium tape and it works great, i have not had any success in trying to solder it, but for the points i cut all parts of the rail in one piece, thread it through the track and the stick it on. Its worked pretty well so far. I dont have a picture but i'll take one and post it soon.