[T-Man]

I met the owner recently and he gave me this to work on.

This is the link to building the electronics package.
This continues my Dalle reverse project. The purpose is to make this train auto reverse. Working with 20 ft of track this is a huge engine. The middle 22 inch section is not shown. Not the most detailed engine but a simple one. The motor is mounted under the front truck. With everything else isolated and not contacts I should be easy to do.

 

[tjcruiser]

T-Man,

That thing is huge! Maybe stick your lawn-mower between the A-A units, and design the auto-reverse gizmo to allow the thing to mow your lawn?!?

TJ

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

T-Man is sizing up, next thing you know he'll be moving to the 7.5" RR in his back yard.

 

[T-Man]

 

[T-Man]

Forward

SO far I have modified 6 pieces of track. The ends, orange and brown, the slow/speed up red and the center blue.

The shortest distance to use this complete train is 6 pieces of track 22 feet long.
From left to right, starting the brown area a four footer for the back of the train to stop.

Then a four footer with the break that stops the train with a 6 amp diode.

Then a four footer with another break that ends the brown and starts the red. Now more track can be added here to increase this length in the future.

Next a one footer with a break to stop the red and start the blue.

Then another footer With a a break to end the blue and start the red.

A four footer with break to end the red and start orange.

The last four footer with a diode break to finish.

SO both brown and orange have a diode installed to stop the engine.

Confusing Yes, that is why there are the directions and I have been on this for a month.

 

[T-Man]

Light pattern

It did not come with lighting but has a kit. I just stuck an LED in there to test it.





The motor

 

[sjm9911]

Grj, the next step for T-man is full size. Is there a category for that here!
Very big, and cool train. Thanks for sharing it here.

 

[T-Man]

Wired Up

I bought some wire connectors and laid out the track. I used a PVC pipe to hold the wire. I am using solid 14 gage. Easy, since I have a roll from a yard sale.








Track Inspector

 

[sjm9911]

You need signs up to keep the frogs off the tracks. Maybe even a bridge for the environmentalists.

 

[tjcruiser]

I LOVE the track inspector!

A Union guy ?!?

 

[T-Man]

He works for bugs.

For the stretch, I added independent lighting. Since power is lost at each end I decided to go with a 9 volt system. This will help if I need to add any electronics later. So A nine voot battery, a 330 ohm resistor and a white LED. Simple. Easily removable with RTV in case the switch to the manufacturer's kit is necessary.





A switch was added too. Epoxied in. Each end is separate and has it's own battery. That way I don't need connecting wires when setting the train up on the track.

 

[T-Man]

Update

I recently settles with the owner, who is delighted.

Sorry I didn't grab a movie but that will come in the fall when it goes on display AT the Festival of Trees. So stay tuned.
Things to keep in mind.
Warm up time. This never starts right on the first try. It is as if the circuit needs a little warm up.

To reduce error I reduced the time for braking and starting. I used the diodes at the end for the complete stop.

The middle section blue present two problems. The train had to be slow enough for the detection system to work which meant that there had to be enough track. The two small sections were not enough so I added a four footer which worked so between 60 and 80 on the throttle the timing was good.

With the four footer in the center I was short on the brown side. A one footer was enough to run the two engines but to run all three at least three one foot sections have to be on the brown end. So 24 feet was the shortest operating distance. Running just the two engines.

I did discover that Port Line Hobby carries Dallee Electronics.
Another happy ending.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

That's great, glad it all worked out.