Looking for good sources to learn electronics

[rrlcommish]

Figuring that 95% (or more) of model railroaders are self-taught in electronics, what has everyone used to learn this skill?  Are there any good books or other sources out there?  I understand some of the basics and wired a DC layout with little trouble.  But really understanding advanced electronics would (I think) pay great dividends as far as learning how to do things like install decoders (not just plug and play ones), wiring DCC, and other general wiring necessities for advanced model railroading (saw a post here tonight about properly wiring a DPDT switch for a reversing loop, for example).  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

Well, I have an MSEE, so I might not be exactly the person you are looking for.  But, really the things you NEED to learn to do the stuff you mentioned are not so advanced that you can't learn them.  The harder part in a lot of cases is the physical skills.  Knowing HOW to install a decoder is easy, doing the actual fitting and soldering can be a real challenge.  So, I'd say you start with something liek this: http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12412.html or this: http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12407.html If you can wire a DCC layout, including a reverse loop, you are getting pretty close to what you need to know.  I haven't looked at the DCC projects book, but I think it might have some learning opportunities.  MRR used to have electronics columns that had meat in them, but that's long gone.  The other thing I'd look for is a model railroad woring book from the previsou generation.  There were some really clever things done with diode matrices and such that would get your understanding right up there.  Also, actually look at and read the manuals for DCC systems, even if you don't have them, and decoders.

 

[TheK4Kid]

I have the DCC Projects book, very good  , has lots of info. Also I have the Digitrax Big Book of DCC, also very good. Theres a lot to be learned on the forum here also.

I am trying to remember where it was on the forum I downloaded and printed out a manual on DCC and the associated wiring. 

Okay I found the manual.
Allan Gartner's WIRING FOR  DCC  http:// www.WiringForDcc.com/track_2.htm#c4

It has two parts, I printed them both out. 31 pages total
Very good info!

 

TheK4Kid 

[R. T. POTEET]

You are probably correct in your asssertion that 95% of model rails are self-taught in electronics - and it sometimes shows. I got my training - and a lot of experience - in a twenty year Air Force career; there are a lot of us military trained electronics whiz-bangs here on the forum. If you are really interested in increasing your basic knowledge of electronics go to a bookstore and find yourself a book titled - are you ready for this? - Basic Electronics; I would advise against purchasing a 700-800 page book - a 200 to 300 page book should give you a pretty good understanding of why electrical circuits in model railroading behave the way they do, even DCC decoders which are, in essence, dumbbell microprocessors.

I don't have too much good to say about Radio Shack but back in the stone age they used - USED - to put out a dandy little 225 page book on basic electronics; I had one, I loaned it out, and, you guessed it, it never returned.

[SilverSpike]

Here are a few of my favorite links to hobby and model railroading electronics, DCC, wiring, computerized interface, etc...web sites.

Hot Link      -     Actual URL

CTI - Model Railroad Computer Control - http://www.cti-electronics.com/

DCC University - http://www.litchfieldstation.com/lobby/u_university.htm

Integrated Signal Systems - http://www.integratedsignalsystems.com/

JMRI A Java Model Railroad Interface - http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

Model Railroad and Misc. Electronics - http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/CircuitIndex.html

Miniatronics - http://www.miniatronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

MoreLEDS.com - http://www.moreleds.com/railroad.htm

Mouser Electronics -  http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=home

RR-CirKits Home Page - http://www.rr-cirkits.com/

Wiring for DCC by Allan Gartner - Home Page - http://www.wiringfordcc.com/

Cheers,

Ryan

[Texas Zepher]

But really understanding advanced electronics would (I think) pay great dividends as far as learning how to do things like install decoders (not just plug and play ones), wiring DCC, and other general wiring necessities for advanced model railroading (saw a post here tonight about properly wiring a DPDT switch for a reversing loop, for example).

Actually, what you are describing is mostly an understanding of electrical work.  I think one can be a great installer of decoders, DCC wiring,  DPDT switches without any understanding of advanced electronics.  If you can wire a DC layout with little trouble you shouldn't have any trouble with any of those things you mentioned above.

The hardest thing I see in that list would be if you were replacing high voltage lighting with  low voltage lighting or LEDs during the decoder installation.  If you get Ohms law, Watts law, how they apply to series and parallel circuits down, then learn about diodes & resistors and you should be good to go.  Don't even worry about any of the advanced stuff.

[TheK4Kid]

Here are a few of my favorite links to hobby and model railroading electronics, DCC, wiring, computerized interface, etc...web sites.

Hot Link      -     Actual URL

CTI - Model Railroad Computer Control - http://www.cti-electronics.com/

DCC University - http://www.litchfieldstation.com/lobby/u_university.htm

Integrated Signal Systems - http://www.integratedsignalsystems.com/

JMRI A Java Model Railroad Interface - http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

Model Railroad and Misc. Electronics - http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/CircuitIndex.html

Miniatronics - http://www.miniatronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

MoreLEDS.com - http://www.moreleds.com/railroad.htm

Mouser Electronics -  http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?handler=home

RR-CirKits Home Page - http://www.rr-cirkits.com/

Wiring for DCC by Allan Gartner - Home Page - http://www.wiringfordcc.com/

Cheers,

Ryan

 

I'll have to go check these out!

Looks like I could alsolearn a lot from them!
Thanks for sharing Ryan!

TheK4Kid 

[loathar]

Silverspike-Thanks for those links!

[BlueHillsCPR]

Actually, what you are describing is mostly an understanding of electrical work.  I think one can be a great installer of decoders, DCC wiring,  DPDT switches without any understanding of advanced electronics.  If you can wire a DC layout with little trouble you shouldn't have any trouble with any of those things you mentioned above.

The hardest thing I see in that list would be if you were replacing high voltage lighting with  low voltage lighting or LEDs during the decoder installation.  If you get Ohms law, Watts law, how they apply to series and parallel circuits down, then learn about diodes & resistors and you should be good to go.  Don't even worry about any of the advanced stuff.

That was my take as well.  For most of the things you want to learn about one of the many books on layout wiring and/or wiring for DCC would teach you all of that.  Beyond that a book on the basics of electronics would cover the stuff like ohm's law, series and parallel and diodes & resistors.

Some links: 

A link to information on LED's.

http://www.merg.org.uk/led/index.htm

Info on Resistors

http://www.merg.org.uk/resistor/index.htm

 The electronics club

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/

 

Talking Electronics

http://www.talkingelectronics.com/te_interactive_index.html 

 

[csmith9474]

US Air Force; Electronic Principles course, Lackland AFB.

[Soo Line fan]

Here is a great site for 12v training:  http://www.autoshop101.com/autoshop3.html   

Click on the car, then on Online Instruction.

Jim