Reuniting a Walthers Interstate Fuel & Oil kit

One of the industries that will be in Battle Mountain will be a bulk fuel distributor receiving product by rail and shipping by truck.   Turned out that I really didn't have to buy anything to build this as I had parts from a Walthers Interstate Oil kit that I had purchased about 25 years ago and used parts of it on several different scenes on my modules and old layouts.

The building had been used in a junk yard scene, the loading platform in a refinery, and the pump house in an oil field.  Some finished tanks used in a locomotive facility got sold on ebay but I still had enough tank sections left over to assemble two more tall storage tanks.

So now almost all the remaining parts from the original kit will be together again on this layout.  Goes to show that if you carefully pack items removed from a layout they can be kept safe and used again.

What I like to do with structures or detailed scenes is to create a little depression in the surrounding scenery by gluing styrene strip around the structure or in the case of a scene I create a little base.  The scenery is then built up around the outside and the structure or base can be placed inside the depression.

In the case of the group of smaller structures in the middle of the fuel distributor I made a base from a scrap of fiberglass reinforced plastic with the smooth side up.  This scene can be now completed on the work bench and installed on the layout later.

The original loading dock on the building was damaged so I built a new loading dock that is actually attached to the scenery base which in this case is a .020 thick styrene sheet with .040 x .040 styrene strip perimeter.

This next photo shows the building placed in it's spot.  The fit is snug enough so not to be easily knocked loose with normal layout usage but can be easily removed for access or maintenance.  On modules I do something similar as shown in these examples but with screws added to hold the building or base onto the module.

More on this fuel distributor in future posts.

My first Arduino project - a grade crossing

I have always wanted to create an automated grade crossing. Several years ago I had purchased a grade crossing bell sound module and a pair of NJ International crossing signals with LED signals.  I have experimented with these items a few times but never got around to actually incorporating them into a layout.

As mentioned in the last post for the past few years I have also been experimenting with Arduino micro-controllers.  It was time to bring everything together.  The road that connects a few industries in Battle Mountain to the rest of the world seemed like a good place to finally create a nice crossing scene.

It was a bit of work but I have the results I was looking for, an automatic grade crossing signal with flashing lights and bell sound.  Work remains to be done to finish the scene but this photo shows it working.

It took all this hardware under the layout to make this grade crossing happen.  Probably not the most efficient setup but it works.

Infrared sensor pairs are hidden in the scenery on either side of the grade crossing.  In this photo looking up from a low angle one of the receivers can be seen inside a cave in one of the rock outcroppings.  At a normal viewing angle this is hardly noticeable.

Transmitters are embedded into the scenery on the ground on the other side of the track and because they face away from the viewer they can't be seen at all.

And now for the tricky bits

Here is the complete schematic drawing of this project.    After almost 1 year with a new computer and learning new versions of software,  I think I am finally getting up to speed with the latest version of Microsoft Visio.

The code and some other notes:

This program is only using part of what the Arduino Nano can do and only using a small part of space available for program storage.

No gates on this crossing but they could be could be added if desired using left over outputs.  I have seen on the Internet where the analog outputs can be used to drive a servo but I have not tried this yet myself.

Arduino outputs are rated for 40ma.  There are a total of 8 LED's on the signals wired in pairs.  I measured the current flow on each pair of LED's at 6ma so two outputs could have done them all but since I had extra outputs I elected to use 4 outputs with each output running 1 pair of LED's.

Sound module runs continuously with connection to the speaker controlled by the relay.  One sound module could be used for multiple crossings with each crossing having it's own Arduino controlled relay module.  The sound module will drive a small 8 ohm speaker.
 

Approximate costs and sources:

  $5.00 - Relay module, ebay
  $6.00 - Arduino Nano, ebay
  $4.00 - Arduino Nano terminal adapter board, ebay
$89.95 - Azatrax MRD8 detector set,  Azatrax
$39.00 - Sound effects module, ITT Products
$35.00 - Crossing signals, NJ International

I had originally acquired the 8 channel Azatrax unit to work with staging yard automation and plan to replace it in this application with a pair of single channel units at $20.00 each and move the MRD8 to it's original purpose.  Azatrax also offers a unit specifically for grade crossings which might not require the use of an Arduino at all.

Now that the ice has been broken for me with the Arduino I hope to try out some other projects in the near future.

Experimenting with Arduino micro-controllers

When I was still working one of the systems I was responsible for used an Allen-Bradley Programmable Logic Controller or PLC.  The PLC itself was so reliable it never required any repair and I just had to make minor programming and wiring changes depending on my employer's needs.  I used to think something like this would be great for doing things on a model railroad but of course these PLC systems are for commercial applications and are not cheap.  So what I was really thinking of was something similar but smaller and at a consumer price.

Shortly after retiring 5 years ago I discovered the Arduino line of micro-controllers and purchased a Uno board at Radio Shack to play around with.  I taught myself to write some code for it and set up several simulated model railroad applications with LED's on a proto-board but found the mounting and connections to be awkward for practical applications.

More recently I discovered the Arduino Nano on ebay which does about the same job as the Uno but is physically a bit smaller.

What makes it work for me is that for a very reasonable price I can get a terminal board kit that  the Nano plugs into and that has mounting holes.

The programming is done by using an editor program downloaded from the Arduino web site.  The programs are checked and compiled by the editor and loaded onto the Arduino by USB connection to your computer.

The outputs of the Arduino are limited to 40ma which is fine for most LED's not for bigger loads such as a relay.  These small relay modules are powered separately from the Arduino and the input uses an opto-isolator device so the output of the Arduino is protected.  These come in single or multiple relay configurations and are also reasonably priced on ebay.



So with these building blocks I am ready to start some practical projects on the Palisade Canyon layout or on my Ntrak or AsiaNrail modules.  Some of the ideas I have include:

• Grade crossing flashing light and bell
• Staging yard controls
• Point to point operation with stops and turnouts
• Model buildings lights on and off
• Signal controls
• RFID reading and train routing

Experimenting with Infrared detection circuits

Looking at some different options to trigger the grade crossing signals that I am planning for the Battle Mountain section and thought I would try an off the shelf product that uses pulsed Infrared or IR light.  IR light would have an advantage over normal photocells because it is less likely to be effected by room lighting and would work even in the dark.  I still have my "test layout" with Kato Unitrack which will be used to check things out before actually installing anything on the main layout.

For my experimenting I am using the Azatrax MR8D board.  Power for it can be from 8 to 16 volts AC or DC.  It can support up to 8 transmitter / receiver pairs and provide a solid state contact closure output for each of the 8 channels.  Each channel has an LED indicator which lights when something breaks the invisible IR beam between transmitter and receiver.

The set came with pairs of transmitters and receivers with leads attached and styrene tube protecting the connection.  The devices themselves look like 3mm LED's.

The Azatrax instructions recommended setting the devices at an angle across the track so the beam would not pass through the space between cars.  I used flat head screws and cut the styrene tubes into short lengths to hold the devices.  A 1/8 inch brass rod through both tubes holds the alignment until the adhesive sets.

I installed one set at a 3/4 inch height and another set at 1/2 inch height.  I then made up a test train with one each of several types of freight cars.

The 3/4 inch height worked OK except for empty flat or well cars.  As the instructions had suggested, there was no problem at all with the spaces between cars using the angled arrangement.

The pair set at a 1/2 inch height worked well for the 50 ft flat car that failed on the 3/4 inch height but was too low for the tank car.

Thinking about how the lateral angle was used to prevent the signal from passing between the cars, I thought that using vertical angle as well could help

So I lowered the transmitter screw on the pair that I had set at 3/4 inch to 1/4 inch.

This worked the best with very few instances of the signal getting around or through any of the cars in the test train.

Where my grade crossing is the track has low hills on one side with some exposed rock.  My plan is to embed the transmitter in the foreground scenery at ground level and the receiver in the hillside scenery at a higher level.

This photo with the IR beam path drawn in shows how the sensors could be installed on the  approaches to the grade crossing.




The Azatrax IR detection circuit seems to work very well and come in several configurations.  To learn about what is available check their website.

2017 year end wrap up

As I have mentioned in prior posts the train room can get a bit chilly in December.  This fall we purchased a new electric heater and it has been a big help.  I keep it pointed toward the area I am working in and it is surprising how far the heat is reflected so even it is not raising the temp in the room that much it keeps me comfortable.  It has been a big improvement over what I was using before.

I have not been posting as much as I was in the fall but I have been working on the layout, primarily on the Battle Mountain section that I started last summer.  Here is a round up of the work I have been doing.

The SP / West bound main, siding, and the spur tracks for the two industries at the back have now been painted and ballasted.  I made track bumpers for those spurs from scraps of brass and code 55 rail.  One of those is seen in this photo.  Paint on the warehouse started today with what will be a blue stripe running the length of the building.  This will be masked with tape and the whole building will get a spray of a light gray.

I have been working on rock castings and base scenery along the front edge where the WP / East bound track is.   This is a bit lower than most of this section to help visually separate the scenes as on the prototype they are actually a couple miles apart.

There will be a grade crossing on this track along the front edge.  I would like to add some flashing grade crossing signals with sound to this.  This should be a great rail fan spot.

Trainboard.com is having the winter layout party again and I'll be posting some of my layout progress there for the next couple of months as well as the regular updates here on the blog. 

This will be the last post of the year so I want to wish everyone who follows a cheerful holiday and good fortune in the new year.

Line side poles - round 2

Last March I had posted about my use of Atlas telephone poles in Line side poles.  As I prepared to do another batch it was bothering me again that 2 of the 12 poles in each set I was not using because of the transformers.  I was also noticing that in the prototype photos the poles all had 2 cross arms instead of the 3 on my models.

So I decided to remove the top cross arm on all of the non transformer poles by cutting the pole at the top of the middle cross arm.

On the ones with the transformers, I cut the pole at the bottom of the middle cross arm leaving only the bottom cross arm.

I then filed a notch through half the back side of the top arm and half the front side of the pole and bottom arm.  This is shown in this photo with both facing the same way so the notches can be seen.  The top arm will be turned around when gluing them together.

After some adjustments in the notches to get just the right fit, the two pieces were glued with Zap-A-Gap medium CA.  With a little sanding and paint it will be very difficult to see the splice.  Using this technique I will be able to use all 12 poles in each box plus have some cross arms left over.

Another thing I am doing is to paint the insulators a different color to differentiate between the two different railroads.  I have no idea what colors either railroad used.  I have been using NYC jade green for the WP and a light gray for the SP.


Over the Thanksgiving weekend we had a train show in the SF Bay Area where my Ntrak group had a layout.  It was another good show for shopping as several dealers had piles of stuff to dig through and I came up with another box of the Atlas poles for $2.00.  A bonus was that there were 18 poles inside so it was actually a box and a half.

There are 36 poles now done and installed on the layout with another 120 "stock" poles waiting to be worked on.  That is more than enough to populate the layout as it is now but I estimate the complete layout will need about 250 poles so there will still be many more needed.

Single turnout control panel

It if often said that a higher layout height gives a much more realistic view of the railroad.  While agreeing with that concept I am also aware that it makes it more difficult to see the position of the points on any turnouts compared to a layout that is lower especially if the turnout is not close the the edge of the layout.   On the Battle Mountain section of the layout I have a long siding and 4 industrial spurs for a total of 6 turnouts.   These turnouts will be controlled by push / pull rods and all are toward the back about 12 inches from the edge.  So I decided I needed some indication of the point position near the control for each turnout.

There will be 6 acrylic panels sized 1.5 x 3.75 inches.  They will be distributed along the front edge of the layout in line with their turnouts.  A paper drawing can be placed under each panel.

A 7th panel is the master for hole locations on the panels and in the front frame of the layout.

I am using a bi-color Red / Green LED connected to contacts on the slide switch that holds the points in place.  A hole was drilled in the front frame large enough for the LED to pass through. 

The panel can then be placed with the LED fitting snugly into the hole made for it in the panel.  The paper drawing is on the outside now but in the final version will be behind the panel.

This pair of photos shows both the aligned and diverging conditions on a temporarily installed control panel for testing.  Once the knob is installs it covers the larger opening made for the 1/8 inch head of the control rod.

I have since added "Pull = Diverging / Push = Aligned" or "Pull = Aligned / Push = Diverging" at the bottom as the positions can be different depending on if the turnout is right hand or left hand.

This is a diagram of how the LED is connected through the slide switch that holds the points.  The resistors are of different values as the red seemed brighter to my eye than the green with the same voltage so I gave it a larger resistor.



I am using a common anode LED.  When using a common cathode LED the voltage source polarity would be reversed.  These LED's will be powered by a 5 volt regulator circuit under the bench work which gets it's power from the 12 volt bus that runs through the layout.  The bi-color LED's are readily available on the Internet.  I get mine from www.led-switch.com.  They have a great selection of items for model railroad controls.

The layout's first buildings are taking shape

Battle Mountain will include the first actual buildings on this layout.  A start has been made on the first two.  They are both shallow relief flats and both are being scratch built.  I wanted to represent some good sized industries and am only modeling the parts that interface with the railroad.

The first industry is a large warehouse that is a scale 360 feet long.  It is intended to ship products by box car and can handle up to 4 at a time.  I plan to also have some interior detail visible through the open doors.

I tried something new with this one.  Because it is very close to the siding I did not want it loose but at the same time I wanted to be able to remove it in case of future maintenance needs.  So I am using two small magnets attached to the underside of the roof contacting long flat head screws.  It was easy to adjust the screws to get just the right height.

The second industry is a company that manufacturers industrial sized plastic pipe.  They ship their products by truck but receive plastic pellets by the car load.




This has been just a quick overview of these two industries.  As progress is made with these I will fill in more details and the story behind each of them in future posts.

Hand throws for turnouts

For the Battle Mountain industries I want to have a hands on operation so the turnouts will be controlled by push / pull rods from the fascia.  This is something I had done on the Los Angeles Terminal District layout and saved all the components for use some day.  That day is here.

The control linkage goes to a DPDT slide switch that has a hole in it for the wire and another for another for a wire that goes up to the turnout.  The switch will hold the turnout points in position and provide electrical switching for frog power and for a turnout position indicator on a panel.

On the LATD layout and Ntrak modules I had first used glass beads attached to the end of .040 piano wire.  Then I switched to using push pin heads with the pin part removed.

Because I am adding a finished fascia to the front after installing the section into the layout this was going to require a different solution because I was going to need to remove the knob to put the fascia on.

One of the common sizes for the shafts of electronic controls is 1/8 inch.  A short length of 1/8" brass tube was mounted at the end of the .040 music wire by notching one end of the tube, making a bend right at the end of the wire, then sliding the tube on from the other end until the bend stops it and rest in the notch.

Super glue can be used to attach the two metals securely and small set screws on the knob will hold it to the brass tube.

A knob was borrowed from a Digitrax throttle to test this.  After confirming that this would work, I visited an electronics surplus store in my area and picked up 20 similar knobs so I will hopefully have enough for the whole layout.

The knob can be removed to allow for the installation of the finished fascia and a small control panel after this section is installed in the layout.

Enough space is left between the knob in it's pushed in position and the frame to allow for the thickness of the fascia and control panel.

More on the control panels and indicator lights in a future post.