Since most of my mainline is laid and working I am looking for a block occupancy detector.
Many are offered on the market but are quite expensive if you need some.
I'm looking for a homemade design, anyone can help?
Marc
LION has block control system. No electronics or circuit boards. LIONS are old fashioned, him uses a magnetic reed switch in the gauge of the track. A magnet under the train trips the circuit as it passes.
The logic is provided by a 4PDT relay and a SPDT relay to latch the first relay, and then release it when the subsequen relays pulls.
Here is the "motherboard" of LION with its pair of relays for each signal.
The relays, prior to wiring are here, I printed the wire diagram out for each relayto keep me focused on what goes where and why. There are five conectors (nails/binding posts) along the top: 1 = Green Signal; 2 = Yellow Signal; 3 = Red Signal; 4 = Track Detector; 5 = Track Power (off when red)
Out on the layout the same points found at each location that requires them. On my layout this is the platform edges, which are the blocks.
Anyway, that is what the LION build, him built it on the cheap.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Check the below site. His stuff works. I have bought other items from him and have most of the components to solder on the PC boards. I know how to follow instructions. lol
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/CircuitIndex.html
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Before you go and start putting in block occupancy detection, you should think of what you are going to use it for.
If you want it for signals, how will they be operated? You should start by thinking of the final configuration and get a plan together of what you want to wind up with. The better signal systems use a computer. This means that the detection system needs to be connected to the computer as well. There are some stand-alone signals that connect to individual detectors if that is what you want, but you should know what you want before deciding about block detection.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Thanks everybody for the anbswer theywere helpful.
Yes You have right but I know what I'm looking for, a system were the conductor of the train need to see the signals to run of not run trought a crossing a turnout or anything else which need signals protection, the whole thing is controlled by a CTC board whith an operator.
I have used this system on a friend layout even if it's a european style layout, but the basic remain the same.
The main is divided of multiple bloc where signals are put on each frontier between two block.
A train running on the main had only two block open for him, the third and the fourth one will be open only when they are free.
Green, yellow and red big leds on the fascia repeat the aspect of the signal crossed ( I am modeling in N scale so it's easier to see) and for security a red signal cut current on the next piece of track. the enginer need to follow the signal aspect and the whole think is supervised by the CTC board where the dispatcher control the trip of the train following a schedule. Block detector help him to see where the train are, so he can open or close a block whith the signal, but manually; I dont want a computer control it's too easy and far of the practice of the 1935-1942 I model.
Block of mainline are around a four train lenght which is a steam train whith 18 cars + caboose on the designed plan of my layout, the double mainline is a walkaround the wall design whith 2 peninsula whith a low and high level, so the main is going to the end of the line, coming back to port and going again to the same end but on a mountain line, this give me an around main lenght of 500 feet in a room of 60x24 feet.
So an enginner like the real thing had to follow the signal aspect to run or not run in the next bloc of the main.
Quiet simple but effective.