Here is where the ESU decoders come into their own, possibly Zimo and others as
well.
I use the asymmetric braking function in the decoder.
I isolate a section of rail on both tracks leading up to the turnout frog.
A diode array is switched in or out on the isolated rail according to the
position of the turnout points.
When a loco enters the isolated track section with the points against the loco,
the decoder applies the brakes and the loco comes to a stop in accordance with
brake and momentum setting in the loco.
The operator cannot move the loco, forward or back.
When the points are moved to favour the stopped loco, the brakes are released
and the loco accelerates at the rate it has been previously programmed.

The diode array is four diodes in series with a fifth connected in the opposite
direction.
Contacts on the Tortoise are used to control a relay that switches the diode
array in and out of the feed to the isolated section of track.

Two down sides of this system are that it is marginally complex to install but
the biggest hurtle is standardizing on one brand of decoder or brands that have
asymmetric functionality.

John

Tony -

good suggestions, but I think the placement of sensors is more of a issue than you let on. ?I run everything from 1 car to 8 car trains. ?I’d have to put a lot of sensors to make sure I’m always detecting the 1 car trains. ?However, ?some electronic or computer logic would allow you to determine if a block is occupied even if the sensors are spaced farther apart than a train length. ?I use Arduinos to capture sensor status and then process that info before passing results (which blocks are occupied or not) onto the panel (in my case, a JMRI panel on my computer, but could also be a physical panel).

Jerry
___________________________________
jerryg2003@...

Thanks Peter, that crossed my mind, but I am already using all the contacts on the Tortoise for signals etc.?
I think this idea is well worth following. Sounds like a great idea.

Thanks Jim, you make many good points. The reason I want to cut the power to a block is because I am always forgetting to reset them, then on the next loop they derail. Perhaps the easiest solution is to remember to change the points over. (shy grin). Also?once in a while when I start up the points are incorrectly labeled on my Panel, showing green when they are closed.?
I have spent a couple of years setting up JMRI and I am just not very good at understanding it. I have had heaps of help here on this site but you can only stretch a friendship so far. (another shy grin).
I was just thinking there might be easy to cut the power to an isolated block prior to a turnout that was thrown to prevent a derailment.?

Richard:

Are you trying to prevent a train running into a switch thrown in the wrong direction or just prevent a train running into a moving set of points?

But in general I can see adding an output with a timer that is triggered when a command is sent to change the points... That output would drop a relay or tell a solid state device such as a circuit breaker to turn track power off...

This is a bit overkill perhaps, why is this needed? If you're trying to run trains unattended while changing routes..?

Dropping power causes glitches in some decoders and is annoying with sound equipped egines listing to the sound recycle.

Where are you stuck with your signals? Just on the track display on a panel? I don't see any signal operating boards mentioned for lineside signals. There are several approaches to building signals in JMRI where were you starting from?

Jim Albanowski

Steve,
What you want to do is very possible and easy. First the exit detection can be the entrance detection for the next block so you don't actually need to add any extra detectors but you can have as many as you want. Just OR gate the outputs together (diodes on each output, most detector outputs go low for on so anodes joined together and connected to the Arduino input or cathodes joined and to the Arduino if they go high for on.) then if any of the detectors are set the block will show as occupied. If you are using one detector for exit/entry then have two diodes on that one and connect the second one to the next block input along with any detectors in that block, and follow this through all blocks. No changes to code needed

You will then get the sequence of
block A occupied / blocks A + B occupied / block B occupied / blocks B + C occupied?/ block? C occupied as the train passes along the track. the only thing with this approach is that detectors need to be placed so that at least one is detecting the train at any time or you will get a line clear on your panel. This can also be fixed by adding current detectors to each block.

To help eliminate the possibility of flicker set the detectors across the track at an angle

Tony
https//ozfreemo.com

I have a raspberry pi running my layout, use BD20's going through AIU's to detect trains onto my JMRI Layout. I am controlling my turnouts using Switch 8's and Tortoise motors.

In Tools, Tables, Sensors, everything is working.?

I am seriously stuffed when it comes to controlling Signals. For the life of me I cannot work out the Masts etc and have given up.? :-)
I wish to cut power to a block as a turnout is switched to avoid derailments.
Is there a simple way to do this?
I am thinking the simplest way would be to use an Arduino to detect the turnout thrown and cut the power to the block.
Hoping to get some advice to get me "on track".
Cheers,
Richard

I promised to get back...

Test/programming track DCC++/JMRI build for our club...

Raspberry Pi 3B+, Arduino Mega (Inland (MicroCenter) clone), Arduino Motor Shield and using onboard USB serial communications. JMRI is stock 4.15.4. Java 1.8.0_201.

DCC++ is current production build. Arduino IDE 1.8.5. Download? to Arduino via Mac not the Pi. Raspbian 2018-11-13. Update/Upgrade last done several weeks ago. xscreensaver added to keep screen from timing out.

No delays reading all CV's into new roster entry from a couple of decoders (MTH.)

I don't see a specific debug mode in config.h where we might have competing I/O's on the serial connection.

Sorry, no help here?

Jim Albanowski

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Dave
have replied, but unfortunately under a changed topic:DecoderPro: Programmer Error: Confirm failed (305), inverting locomotiv direction
Hope you will find it.
Regards
Joern

P.S.
I am new to this forum. Can one edit a post already sent like in others?

Dave in Australia

Thank you for your most helpful reply.

Since you are an expert in ESU Decoders, I have another question concerning that same decoder. (Doesn't really match this topic, so I changed and expanded it a little):
Lighting (bw/fw) of this loco equipped with this decoder does not correspond to the direction the loco is moving.It is just the other way round. Of course one could alter that by changing the motorleads. but I would prefer to do that by changing the CV 29 value.
However, any change normal --> inverted in the "Motor Sheet" will have no effect and seems not to be accepted by the decoder. Same applies for direct manual change of the CV value. ( bit 0 = 1, bit 1 = 2, so the value should be 3).
By the way, i'm working with SPROG II v4. I am not very experienced, but think this should not be the reason.
Any idea?
Thanks for help and regards to "Down Under"

Joern

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tried to reset ESU Lopi 4 and got that message above. Apparently the values were resetted though.
But what does that message mean ?

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5. Turned the track/layout power ON.
6. In PanelPro, I opened Tables >> Turnouts. Clicked "Add". I added a new turnout with hardware address "201" under "Pi Sprog Command Station"
7. I threw and closed the turnout a few times to send a few commands on the layout.
8. Turned the power OFF.
9. Removed the yellow wire from the track.
10. Turned the track power ON.?
11. Went back to "Turnout Control" and tried to throw address "ST201" a few times. Nothing happened. The track neither threw nor closed.

Hello, all.

I've got a Raspberry Pi that I'll be using for some LCC/DCC integration using JMRI PanelPro. I've been working with it from my main computer (W10) where I've been working quite comfortably with PanelPro running on the R-Pi, but displaying on the W10 xWindows server (using XMing).

Now that I'm close to final testing, I've mounted the R-Pi under the module, far away from my main computer, and am attempting to do the same thing from my laptop (also W10). Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the exact same settings for Putty and/or XMing on the laptop as on the main computer, and could use some suggestions. I originally had problems with the WIndows FIrewall, but seem to have passed that by opening ports 6000 (TCP & UDP) to the R-Pi.

Below are the PanelPro startup text and a cat of the PanelPro log file, along with echo $DISPLAY and cats of the ssh_config and sshd_config. The symptom (now) is that PanelPro seems to start up, but I never get any windows displaying on my client. I have to Ctrl-C in order to get control back.

As far as Putty goes, I've tried BOTH "Enable X11 Forwarding" selected, and not selected. It's not selected on the "Main" computer where PanelPro works.

Anyone have any ideas? Right now, it's REALLY difficult trying to troubleshoot issues if I have to go to the opposite end of the house to see the LCC logs after I've pressed a button. :-(

Brian Pickering

Doc,

Most of the data looks fine. I think there was a driver update, March 2019,
a 10.1.7.2399 driver version. The new download (in a zip file) has an
installer that updates Windows nicely.

I suspect the issue is likely contacts or cables. No jumpers, you are
correct for 9600 baud and cab 3 for the device. I would use the same socket
and cable from the second throttle. Make sure that second throttle works,
acquire a loco, make it move, that sort of thing. That should be a coiled
cord, and by testing first that the second cab worked, you confirm the
connection and cord to the PCP. Changing more parts than one at a time
doesn't get as far as when we can substitute one thing at a time.

Look at the NCE-USB. There are very small leds on it for traffic. If they
become locked on, that's a problem that requires removing both cables from
the NCE-USB to cause a reset.

-Ken Cameron, Member JMRI Dev Team
www.jmri.org
www.fingerlakeslivesteamers.org
www.cnymod.com
www.syracusemodelrr.org

Hi Dave

Thank you for your continued interest in my layout. I have moved on a bit since your last email to set up additional routes so your comments don't match up exactly with the NX sensors I now have. I have made additional NX sensors at the mid points of the fiddle yard split roads as that would be where trains would be sent out to. I have placed NX sensors on the exit tracks (left hand running) at the crossing at J1Y and also put one approaching SW29 to set direction of departing trains. I have also put them at SW30 & 31. At the moment I'm doing a bit of suck it and see to get to grips with this and it's becoming clearer where I need to have the sensors.

You have been of great help so far and I appreciate that but I think you could stand down now and I'll get back to you if/when I need more help. I think it might also be better for any further discussion to be off list as we are dealing with quite a specific situation. You can get me as my first name at cairntoul dot net.

Thanks again

Fraser

JMRI ver 4.14+Rd060e0b. Java ver 1.8.0_201. JMRI settings NCE, NCE USB, com 3, V7.x.x (also tried V6.x.x), Power cab, N, NCE, 9600 baud. ?USB board has no jumpers installed. ?Windows device manager has driver installed on com 3. Driver is 10.1.6.2388. ?JMRI system console reports warn timeout on reply to message AA consecutive timeouts = 0 in nce.ncetrafficcontroller. ?Warn incorrect or no response from nce station.using 2 power cab throttles set to ID 2 and 4. Assuming usb board is set to ID 3 with no jumpers installed. ?We tried another usb board and changed both cables. Still not able to connect to nce system. This had been working and just stopped working recently even though nothing changed to the best of our knowledge.

Here is pic of the number 4 switch with a DS51K1 installed.
These work fine on my layout.


Jay