Thank you for the advice Randy. The booster was a gift so no money out of my pocket, just too much power. I think it is only putting out 5 since it is running through a cable that is only supposed to handle 5 amps. Right now I have to actually finish the track planning and bench work construction before I get into block signaling. I am still fairly confused. Once I make a decision on which system to use and all I post again on this for more opinions and help. I already have power drops every 3 feet and I am still confused on how to wire it and weather I need to alter my current wiring for track power. As for JMRI, I do not want CTC, I want the signals to change when the train passes the mast and correspond with oncoming blocks, turnouts and even one diamond and one double crossover. So I want the simplicity of the signal changing with the passing of a train but I also want it to integrate with other trains and features on the layout. Thanks for the help, I will get in touch later.
Trevor
I use the RRcirkits USB loconet locobuffer connection for my Digitrax/computer interface and it works great. Bronson also gives good service.
I would research them both as it's a big investment in time.
Richard
I second the rrcirkits block detection system. I use that on my layout at home. Some additional information can be found here on my website: https://sites.google.com/site/coloradofrontrangerailroad/construction/block-detection-and-signaling-1
Additional Dick Bronson, the developer of rrcirkits and large JMRI contributor has written some good tutorials on how to build JMRI Panels which can be found here
http://rrcirkits.com/Clinics/Clinics.html
It does have a learning curve to it. As per your question, you will need some sort of feedback on the position of your turnouts. This is need to properly report whether a switch is thrown or closed
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Two guys who know a lot already responded. I just wanted to say that WaynesTrains.com is very useful. I use a JMRI/ PR3/ BDL168/ SE8C set up as well, and it works really well.
When you connect the BDL, you see "sensors" in the JMRI interface which show occupied or unoccupied. The SE8C signals appear like addresses of switches to the DCC system.
Breaking out the SE8C into individual signals was painful- first recognize that there is a multiplexing scheme going on there. I ended up wanting a cheap way to break out the 10-pin multiplexed cable into 4x 4-wire sets to drive 4 signal heads. I used a TSMK (signal breakout board, $7.50 retail) and 4 phone jacks ($0.75 ea) in which I plug in my signals. I do have to prep the signals by attaching them to a phone plug. Another method is to use an SMBK (signal mast base kit).
Anyway it is a lot of fun to see that light change based on a computer command or based on a train passing. So it's really worth the effort for me.
Let us know your progress! Where in Nor Cal are you?
NP.
Digitrax makes a good block detection unit (BDL-168) and also a good signal decoder (SE8C). I think you should go to the Digitrax web site and down load the instructions for both units and study them. (I use them with my NCE DCC system andI like their simplicity. The SE8C provides a good modular signal setup.)
As far as your layout, the following link should help you plan a block and signal installation:
http://waynes-trains.com/site/Signals/GettingStarted/SignalsGettingStarted1.html
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.
One thing you DON'T need is more power. * amps for a 10x12 layout - I can;t imagine you can run enough locos (other than a "hey let's consist 20 locos just to see it run" kind of thing) to tax an 8 amp system, 5 would have been enough and more economical. However, since you already have it... If you don;t have them, you DO want some sort of circuit breakers dividing the layout into power ditstricts with less than an 8 amp trip level. 8 amps can melt things very nicely if there is a short - 8 amps ad 15V to the track is 120 watts. A 100 watt light bulb will badly burn your hand, this is 20 watts MORE heat.
The rest of the BDL168 setup is pretty easy. The output of a given break feeds the input of one or more BDL168's. The outputs of each BDL168 go to the sections of track you want to detect. Each BDL168 has 4 sections which can take input from different sources - thus if you have an area with say 8 detected tracks on one breaker and 8 detected tracks on another, you don;t need two BDL168's with half of each one wasted. Acculites has breakout boards that making hooking up the BDL168 (and SE8C) much easier and a bit more obvious - if you look at the multiple input BDL168 board you will see that it has 4 different input terminals.
Between detection sections that get their power from the same breaker, you gap just the one rail that the BDL168 outputs connect to. Between sections powered by different breakers, you gap both rails.
All that said, take a look at RR-CirKits and their block detectors. They use current transformers to detect occupancy instead of diodes liek the BDL168. Two advantage - no voltage drop in the detected sections, and no running dozens of wires back to the BDL168 mounting point. You still need to gap teh detection section, but you can tap off the main bus you already have to make those detection sections. The little transformers hook back to the actual detection electronics with simple twisted pair wires. Check out the site, there are diagrams to explain the interconnections.
As for JMRI, it all depends on how you want to do it. If you want to replicate a period CTC machine, most of the direct information from your block detection would be hidden by JMRI logic, simply setting various indicators on the panel based on which blocks are occupied and the settings of your signal and switch levers. Or you could do a euro-style layotu diagram where you have each detected block as a segment in a rough outline of your layout, and it turns colors when a train is detected in that block. Or you could do a modern computer dispatch panel which sort of combine the two, a track diagram that changes colors plus representations of the signals that you click on to set each aspect. Basically, as many ways you can think to do it, you cna do it. Look at the Simple Signal Logic for a start - you apply conditions such as if block1 = occupied, then set signal 1R to stop and signal 2L to stop.
It's not exactly easy, but once you get the hang of it, you are essentially duplicating the same elements around the railroad. Some parts may need more complex logic, liek at a diamond crossing with interchange.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi Everyone,
I am a 14 year old semi-experienced Model Railroader who is modeling the Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1954-1956 steam to diesel transition era in our 10x12 Second Bedroom. The layout originally had only about a 75 foot mainline, but with my upcoming layout expansion, the mainline will grow to almost twice the size. I am good at scenery and modeling and all that, but the one thing is that beyond the average DCC command center, layout wiring and sound decoder installation, I am not to proficient in a lot of the newer technology used for advanced model railroading operation. Now it's not that I am not good with electronics, one of my other projects is that me and a bunch of other guys are restoring one of the last remaining Southern Pacific Articulated Chair Cars to it's original condition, and in this project I am doing a lot of the electrical work like rewiring all the center isle lights in both cars, vestibule lights, the lights under the luggage racks and the lights in the bathrooms as well as stringing a lot of new wire and hooking up some of the breakers in the 2473. Now that is not to say that steam is more intuitive for me, I have learned a little bit on how to fire various steam engines in the Bay area such as at the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad, where I have been going every weekend for the past 7 years of my life, but I am ok with electronics. But now with this layout expansion and all I have hit a road block. I want to have prototypical block signaling on my layout using BLMA Searchlight Signals and Tomar Semaphores as the actual signals. I am currently using a Digitrax DCS Zepher with a 8 Amp Power Booster and a PS2012 Power Supply. I also use a Digitrax PR3 as an interface with my PC and the layout is operated using JMRI Panel Pro and WiThrottle with iPhones and Androids. I am planning on using a Digitrax BDL168 for the Block Detection and being able to see the blocks on JMRI, but the whole thing is really confusing me. I have no idea how to integrate the thing to JMRI, how to make a track plan in JMRI, how does JMRI recognize blocks how to power the layout once the blocks are in place (i.e. do I need a separate booster for each block, can I power it off of one booster or does the booster power the BDL168 which then intern powers each block) if I was to integrate the the BDL168 into JMRI then do I also need to integrate all the turnouts, and if so how do I do this and once you have the blocks integrated, how do you wire the signals? I have a lot of things I don't understand about this (basically all of it) and I need some help with this. If any one has suggestions, ideas, help, or anything of that nature, please let me know, it will be much appreciated.
Thank You!