How would I be able to hook a keypad up to a tortoise and enter in an 8 digit passcode to throw the switch on the main and have it go back to the diverging position after about 12 minutes just like the real thing? The system I am using is CTI. Thanks -Outlaw
Indianapolis Railroad - Indy Rail! Route of the Brickyard Flyer! Established 1976.
sounds like you would need a processor to provide a keypad interface, processing to check for a password, control the Tortoise and implement the timer. You'd probably need some type of display interface to program the password, probably make the timeout adjustable and program the tortoise states. The display could be removed during use.
A PIC or Atmel processor is probably adequate if you're willing to design and build your own board. Otherwise you can use one of the Arduino boards.
if you were to do this on more than one turnout, it would be less complicated to password protect the control panel(s) with such a device. A password is required to enable the control panel as well as restoring the switch position of one or more turnouts after the timeout period.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
A Key Pad? Out here BNSF just uses a regular switch lock. The conductor unlocks the switch lock, he must pump the handle a dozen times maybe more to throw the switch points against the spring, he then locks the handle back down.
The train moves forward, and when the train clears the track detectors, (or maybe activates the detector at the other end of the siding) the track returns to the mane lion. Conductor does the same thing upon exit at yonder end.
If LION were to build such a thing (and him would not do so since subway of him is controlled only from the tower) him might use a key switch instead of the key pad, throw the switch, remove the key and when train reaches detector at other end the switch reverses itself.
Wiring of this may be more complicated, but LION does not understand black chips, him rather use circuits him understand. Relays go CLICK, LION knows what it does. Who knows what goe on in the SHADOW of the black semiconductor.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
There's most likely functionality for such a thing built into JMRI. It can handle most signaling and automation tasks. I wouldn't reinvent the wheel here, unless one wants the learning experience of rolling your own.
In truth unless you somehow need 8 digits (seriously, no one has 10,000,000+ turnouts on their layout) and the restore after 12 minutes (scale or real time?), a NCE or other DCC system has turnout throwing built in if you decoder your switch machines. Only 4 digits, so you'd have to have 9,999 or fewer turnouts for it to work.
I guess I'm having difficulty figuring out the need for a passcode. Have there been "incidents"? Maybe you need RR police to keep an eye on your operators or an alarm set in the layout room to keep bandits from messing with the controls?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehmanand the restore after 12 minutes (scale or real time?),
Railroad of LION uses real time. Trains are THREE or FOUR minutes apart. so much for your 12 minute switch.
There is a CTI_users group at Yahoo Groups that may be able to answer your question more specifically.
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.