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The issue about the empty block is which train moved? Three blocks, A, B,
and C. Trains in blocks A and C. When block B becomes active, which train
moved? The ID that is held by A or C? That's the issue.

Now blocks can be built with whichever sorts of sensors you want to use.
While track circuit is following what the prototype used most, and is used
by many layouts, you can do it with optic sensors too. They may take a bit
more work, some optics only give a pulse and logic has to put them together
to know what sections are occupied. I've not used optic sensors for this so
I'm not sure how easy or not it works.

On the issue of blocks between two towns, here are my views, if using ABS
three block rules (clear - caution - stop).
1. If you only have one block, it is easy on the trains to know if anyone is
coming. You'd see a caution that somebody is in the block beyond (you on
track in town one, other train on track in town two). If either moves over
the turnout, the other end would show stop. All of these presume the two
trains are not protected by a turnout set against them.
2. If you put a signal/block boundary at the halfway point between towns
(total three blocks), then you would see clear from either town while
someone is sitting at the other town. If either moved over the turnout, then
the other town would see a caution. Here the issue is you don't know the
difference if that is a train leaving the other town and coming your way or
the other train is just doing a runaround.
3. If you have four blocks, then either train could do run arounds within
that first block past the turnout, and the signal at the other town would
still be clear.

Key here is this is using ABS signals. They are for protection only and do
not grant rights to use the track. Other forms of dispatching would have to
protect the train movements. Options like APB for when you have more than
one block between towns get you closer to making the movements clear but
there are still edge cases that would cloud this. Only using things like CTC
dispatching or double track with direction of travel ABS can you safely move
by looking at the signals only.

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

Remember to SEARCH - - for "automation" or "block detection" for more ideas.
Bob

When it comes to block boundaries by themselves, all I can think of is automatic operation.

Say you want to run a train automatic perhaps from point to point and back again.

I believe you can do this with boundaries or sensors. ?There are several tutorials on youtube regarding automatic operation. ?JMRI even has a phthon script called "backandforth.py or something close.

One id driven by sensor trip, another a timed delay before turning around, another with a station in the middle of the run. ?Marklin of Sweden on youtube has a current tutorial of this concept with blocks and sensors.
Model Railroad Hobbiest (MRH) has a tutorial series that is 7 parts and good to watch.

Bob S

Phil is correct. ?Your choices for sensors in your panel screen are those that YOU have created in the Table of Sensors. ?In this way when a sensor status comes in from your layout, and trips the sensor in this table, it will show up in your panel. ?If you are in simulator mode, then open up your panel on the screen so you can see it along with the sensor table a bit shortened off to one side. ?Find the sensor in the table and click it to change its status. ?Observe the change on the panel. If no change, there is a configuration link out of wack.
Bob S

In JMRI, I believe there is no setting for brightness. ?Study your decoder manual and if you do not see it there, than that is your answer.

Now if your led is just too bright, using your dropping resistor is indeed the answer. ?For me I use a resistor box and dial it in until I get it right, then replace it with a fixed resistor. ?220 ohms is about right,

The blue wire is "common" which does not mean GROUND. ?It is full track voltage which is applied to all elements connected to it. ?Headlight, cab light, firebox, AUX 3,4,5,6. ?Do not put the resistor in line with the blue wire as this will affect everything connected to it, unless that is what you want. ?For better independent control of lighting, put the resistor in series with the colored wire to the decoder. ?The decoder "pulls to ground" ?which is to say the elements are all "common anode". ?A LED should have its anode connected to the blue wire and the cathode to the colored wire going back to the decoder. ?In this manner your light elements can have different brightnesses....on a permanent basis of course.
Set your lights up with a resistor box first and then fit the resistor to it. Or for scenic lighting, some modelers put in a simple potentionometer which is a variable resistor and dial in their lighting desires.
The same is true for leds on a panel. For panels, some like 220 ohms, others prefer a softer light at 1k ohmes. ?Most leds are rated at 20 milliamps at 5 volts. ?

Lets say that you are providing 12 volts to a led. ?12 volts - 5 volts is 7 volts that must be dropped or dissipated. ?Perhaps you would like to run your led around half brightness wich would be around 10 milliamps.

7 volts at 10 milliamps would be 7/.010 is 700 ohms or nearer to 1k.

If providing 5 volts - then 5/.010 is 500 ohms at half load.

Finally for firebox flicker or Mars lights oscillating, this is done with an algorythm in the decoder and is fixed.
Bob S

Yes, in my case, it was annoying to have the tip leave after about 3-5 seconds. ?I changed this value to 30 seconds so I could better study the message. ?If it times out just hover over it again.

On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 11:23 AM, langjus wrote:

I've been building a new panel in CPE and when I go to the item palette and chose the sensors tab the page comes up blank. All other pages come up like they should ie: indicator track, turnouts ect. where you can drag the icon to the panel. or edit the icons.

John, since no one else has jumped in, I will comment.?

When I start JMRI (and do not load any other panels) and choose new CPE panel, in the sensor tab, all I have in my Digitrax simulator is "ISCLOCKRUNNING". So unless you have added sensors to your simulator, there are none to choose from.?

If you open the "Tools/Tables/Sensors" table, are there any shown?? If not, then the CPE will also show empty.? If there really are sensors in the Table, then they should show up in the CPE tab for sensors.?

Phil in gorgeous Young Harris, Georgia, USA

Hello Dick I reset Loconet buffer as you said ie to LocoNet LocoBuffer-USB and the baud rate returned to 57600 and all seems to be working OK
Thanks for all your help? ?David Brown

Hi Bob

In JMRI, you can show tips for CVs. It's available thru the Display settings within the Preferences settings:

In the Display options, Guy tab, you define the numbers of seconds (1 to 3600 seconds) you want the tip to be displayed.

Take care and stay home.
--
Alain355

I am surpirsed that so many kind people have responed - thank you very much.

Introduction
I have a traditional DC controlled layout using switch operated signals and solenoid driven turnouts. It is a basic loop with a station at the front, hidden storage to the rear and a small branch line going up and over the hidden storage to a branch terminus.? The track from the loops is double in one direction but splits into the sinlge line branch and a single line back to the loops immediately after the main station. Period late 60's - recently converted to colour light signalling.

Aim
I dont want to go to DCC at the moment but would really like to setup the signalling and points so that routes can be set and the trains driven according to the set routes and signalling.? I would also like eventually to complicate operation a litlle by setting up a automatic shuttle between the main station bay platform, across the 'main line' and up to the branch station (DMU) whith an adjustable cycle time on the shuttle and the abitlity to override it for manual operation of the branch.

Having said all that, I have made a test track which is just a single track approach in both directions to a loop.? It is with this that I am trying to learn the JMRI principles.

Equipment
LED signals, servo point motors and both IR and photo resistor sensors - all of which I can get to work in a basic fashion with JMRI/CMRI and arduino kit using the arduino JMRI and RS485 libraries.

Signalling
In essence I have, in both directions, a combined outer home and approach distant signal(D1 - 3 aspect) followed by a home signal (H1 - 2 aspect) adjacent to the turnouts and a platform starter (H2 - 2 aspect) prior to exit from the loop.

In this scenario, all signals except the outer home (D1) are in fact controlled by points.? A train can run into the loop from one direction, a second can be held at the outer home while a third arrives from the opposite direction into the other loop platform.? This allows the first train to depart, the second to drop into the platform in the same direction as the first and then the third can depart.
.
I have managed to get the JMRI panel, the lights and turnouts to work all from the panel.?

Sticking Point
What I cannot seem to be able to do is combine this satisfactorily to include signal masts and occupancy indication on the panel - especially getting the logic sorted out for the outer home/distant (D1) to show a yellow aspect when a train is held at the starter - I end up with both yellow and green showing.? In addition I cannot seem to be able to show occupancy on the panel.? I cannot seem to get a grip with how JMRI bocks work or find any starter documentation on Logix..

This is a bit long winded, but I hope clear enough and any further help would be very much appreciated.

Have a great day and stay safe,

Mike

Op words........... "I am now bogged down in JMRI help death by circular cross reference."
............................"I simply want to add occupancy blocks taht control signals but not necessarily turnouts."
............................"Also does anyone have a non-circular explanation of the best way to set up occupancy blocks."

Nothing is more complected than signal hence it is implemented onto a layout.

Inobu

Dimming support is very limited in Digitrax decoders. It can only be used as per 'Rule 17': see manual v2 p56-57, sections 9.3.6 and 9.3.7.
It is not possible to dim each light individually and assign dimming control to a function of your choice, like some other decoders offer.
This has always been the case for years (decade) and the Digitrax SW is not evolving a lot.
--
Alain LM

Mike,

You have to get the basic concept down in order to to apply it on to your layout.
Forget about your layout and create a test bed to put the pieces together.
(Click on the link and when it pops up, click download in the lower left for the better resolution image)

Testbed

Create this test bed (I'm not sure what system you have) so you can utilize cause and effect to understand the concept..

Replicate this track configuration so you can duplicate it in JMRI

SE8C Signaling system

This Digitrax system listens on the loconet for the Switch address and their command condition. It in turns illuminates the corresponding LED's
The signal masts are the culmination of those LED's. Go over this document and make the associations in the next link/image ?

JMRI Association

This diagram shows the association in JMRI.

The next step here is applying the Logic behind what
Ken said "The usual purpose of signals are: what's ahead. This is either continuing
track or a turnout. Next is that signals usual are at some block boundary."?

If LS161 is occupied then the logic must illuminate 267/268 and 265/266 which are signal masts associated with B Main. The switches are A1 and A2.

You can build this in JMRI in simulation mode first then roll it to your testbed and wire if for functionality.

Once you do this then what Suzie posted will be clearer.

Inobu

Dave, I want to say a big Thank You!!! I got it working with your help.

I have learned a couple of things about Layout Editor, SSL signals and Crossovers.

1.? Do not be afraid to delete surrounding signals of the location of an error and recreate them.? it fixes things.
2.? A turnout will not auto throw by Dispatcher if it is part of an occupied block.
3.? In the Sections Table, Use the Tools options for Removing Direction Sensors and then Setting Direction Sensors.??
4.? If you get errors in step 3 but it is not in the logs, probably the fault of a Cross over.? You can find the problem area by trying to make a transit around the layout. It will give an error if it contains the offending issue.? ?I would just start to remove a block at a time from the transit until it work, thus telling me where to start working with Steps 1 and 3.
5.? If you make track changes, delete sensors, rebuild sections and delete transits thru that area.? Just do it, your fingers start learning how to type TC, TD, C, D? really fast.
6.? I edited my XML file by hand a couple of times to put my Blocks and Sections in Alphabetical Order.? This helped a ton.? I just did a find and replace and made all the new numbers +100 of the old ones so I had no false replaces.? This saves so much time in the drop down menus.??
7.? I have a IT degree and used to do a lot of programming.? I am pretty tech savy and am not afraid of computers.? I have been using JMRI for 4 years and have played with auto running off and on for 2 years.? Tonight is the first real success.??

As of tonight I had 2 engines passing each other running opposite directions, also was making transits to run turns and transfer trains between yards.? I have a lot of work to do.? I will be getting Ardrinos and IR sensors on Thursday to put in stop sensors on the layout.? I will report back once I get that going or if I run into other issues and questions.

Thanks again Ken and Dave for all your help over the past 2 years!!!? Next time I see you guys will make sure to shake your hand.? Maybe nationals???
Tim