Block Detection

Apr 11, 2009 1 Replies
P

I've taken a quick look at a partially implemented signalling system on our club layout, and it looks like it uses a diode-based block detector where one feeder is split between the block detector. There's no noticable voltage drop in those sections, so I'm wondering if detection can take place by splitting a feeder and installing other parallel feeders to the bus.



The layout is DCC, but I've got no idea what vintage the block detectors are.



I don't have the part numbers to try to find the manual.



Puckdropper


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B

Not too sure what you are meaning by splitting the feedwire. On a current block detecter (what a diode block detecter basically is, the current going through a diode and detecting the voltage drop across the diode) all of the current going to the train goes through the current sensor (in htis case, a diode) and a voltage is obtained (in this case, usually about .7V or so) which further circuitry declares to be something on the track and sends out the dignal that the track is occcupied. At high speeds, the voltage drop doesn't seem like much but at slow speeds, it is a lot more significant. The detector can feed as many feet of trackage as is desired as long as it is all one block (you can't detect presence in two blocks as you don't have the ability to say which one the train is in!).

-- Bob May

rmay at nethere.com http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net

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