Re: Model Railway control Systems

C. Dewick · 2005-04-26T20:27:24+00:00

I think there are ways to implement dead-man controls with DCC, and perhapseven simulate vigilance controls such as what RailCorp has fitted to all ourSydney suburban trains in the blind belief that it solves all the problemsof trains going out of control when a driver becomes incapacitated... 8-)I don't think the hardware side would be too tricky - it just comes down todesigning and positioning of appropriate switches and actuators for them.The software side might be a bit trickier since there needs to be a way tofirst of all interface a pushbutton of some sort then a way to integratethat with the command station firmware to shut down a train if the button isreleased when the train's 'master controller' is not in the 'off' position.Vigilance would be similar, and be a lot more of a software approach sinceit involves timers, etc.DCC throttles could easily be designed with one or two extra buttons - onefor a deadman feature that needs to be held in at all times otherwise thetrain being controlled will stop, and the other for vigilance when needs topressed within a predetermined time period or the train will be stopped.The deadman switch would need to be something easy to depress but set up insuch a way that the simple action of releasing the handgrip around ahandheld throttle drops out the switch. the VC switch can be a smallpushbutton somewhere.Regards,Craig.

Apr 26, 2005 21 Replies

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Wolf Kirchmeir 21 years ago

Ah, yes, when we don't have tone of voice and facial expression, subtle jokes are hard to recognise.

How about (hah!) ?

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Terry Flynn 21 years ago

A bit like my my DC walk around systems. If you unplug the handcontroller, eventually the voltage goes to 0 volts. More of a coasting stop than an emergency stop in my case.

Just the way it is.

Sounds like a job for good old fashioned relays. On the other hand DC Block control methods usually do not need relays to achieve the same thing. Track detectors of some form are required.

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