Building "Clearwater Industries"

[Tyson Rayles]

Great to see you are back at it!

[clearwater]

Hi all

thank you for welcomming be back so kindly!
Best regards!

Thomas

[clearwater]

Hi Thomas

I'm currently working on adding servo controlled switches. I wanted to know what was used for controlling.
I want to know if you have found a way to use DCC to control the boards.

Thanks for any information.

Dave

Hi Dave

I use Microchip PIC 16F630 to control my turnouts.
I programmed a slowly rising PWM (pulse width modulation) from 0.5 micro seconds to 1.5 micro seconds within 2.5 seconds by 64 steps.
That is slow enough but not too slow and nice to watch when the rails bend like the prototype does (way back it is falling from 1.5 downto 0.5 ms).

My turnout Controllers do not work with dcc - only a small pushbutton in the Signal box tells them to turn to the other side.

Regards Thomas

[railbuilderdhd]

Thomas,
I would be interested in more details of what you did if you have time and wouldn't mind helping someone that's a little slow when it comes to first time electronic stuff. I do know some basic programming and electronics so I'm not at a total loss but I do know I have a lot to learn.

These boards you use, can they be programmed with the Arduino board or is there some other way that you need to program these boards/chips?

Dave

[clearwater]

Hi Dave

I do program the controller in Assembler - that is not "rocket science" but you have to have
a deeper understanding of it because you are closest as possible to the hardware - that is something
I can not teach you. Microchip Controllers are differnt from Arduinos which have Atmel Controllers
on board.

But don´t hesitate to program an Arduino. Lot´s of libraries and the development System are free
and you have just to lerarn how to use them. They can solve Jobs like the Microchip Controller as well.
As you write you seem to have some experience in programming them.

The Arduino homepage itself has many examples to learn the language "C" and offers lots of "how to´s"
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage">https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage</a><!-- m -->

There you´ll find examples for PWM as well:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/Servo">https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/Servo</a><!-- m -->

now you have just to start ...

Regards

Thomas

[railbuilderdhd]

Thank you Thomas. You are correct the only thing left now is starting.

I may be asking more later as I get into this servo controlling.
Have you done other fun projects with the microcontollers? I would love to know what else your doing.
Also did you learn assembler for this or do you have more experience with programming/electronics.

Dave

[clearwater]

Thank you Thomas. You are correct the only thing left now is starting.

...Have you done other fun projects with the microcontollers?

Sure!

for example this here - an "Alabama state trooper" car in 1/87 scale that I pimped for my friend Hardy:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://freeslotter.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=793462">http://freeslotter.de/index.php?page=Th ... tID=793462</a><!-- m -->

or the turnouts for my 1/32 racetrack in wood:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://freeslotter.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=882938#post882938">http://freeslotter.de/index.php?page=Th ... post882938</a><!-- m -->
I do have to admit that Hardy supported me - he created the layout for the circuit boards.

I would love to know what else your doing.
Also did you learn assembler for this or do you have more experience with programming/electronics.

Dave

I learned Motorola M68000 Assembler and IBM3090 assembler about 30 years ago.
About 10 years ago I became more interested in how electronics work.
Since about 5 years I learn and use PIC assembler, supportet by Hardy who is an electronic engineer.

So: yes I learned it to program my tools for model railroading, slot racing, rc airplane flying and whatever I do in my spare time.

Regards Thomas

[clearwater]

I think I should speed up a little bit.
Good is - during the last years Clearwater Industries became a prospering part of the city.
Bad is - I checked my pictures - I have only a few that document the development.
So here is a small choice of pictures I took during our FREMO-meeting in November 2015.

Martin operating Clearwater Industries with a local freight train.



from left to right we do have the following customers:

Highland Tractors: John Deere dealer
Sentry Industries: Chemicals
Trujillo: Food
Pier 69: fresh fish, shells and lobster (directly oppisite to Trujillo)
Lindworm Tyres: Good Year Dealer
Overhauling: Car repair and tuning
Ely Plastics: plastic furnitures for the garden
Di Salvo: Italian quality furnitures

behind his right hand:
Alegria Grain mill: flours
OCP (Ordinary Concrete Products) : Concrete tubes

All togehter Clearwater Industries is capable to handle/receive maximum 18 freight cars per session!
But that means it becomes really tight - so I normally order about 10 cars to have a little variety.









OCP left, Alegria Grain mill right
My friends call this part of clearwater Industries "the shark fin" because it looks alike from the top





Highland Tractors, then Sentry Industries





Regards Thomas

[clearwater]

Last meeting we decided to run our next session in about 1950 transition era which means
we are in a time when steam and early diesel locomotives were pulling our trains.

For me it meant that I do have to substitute some buildings by older ones.

I was just happy to (almost) finish "Di Salvo" italian furnitures ....

[Tyson Rayles]

[clearwater]

Thank you Mike,

you´re welcome!


Now the challenge has started. I gave myself the task to put Clearwater from about the year 2000 back in time
for let´s say about 50 years into the 1950s for that what we call 'transition era' where we will ride steamers and early diesels.

How that?

Exchange local customers and their buildings by something which might have had been there 50 years ago.

First (while I think easiest example) is to let 'Highland Tractors" disappear from the scene.
The building is to be substituted by a bush and a heap of gravel or coal, the ramp will still stay
and become a team track:

Old cars and trucks will help to create the imagination of a time shift.



Regards Thomas

[Schraddel]

...
Good is - during the last years Clearwater Industries became a prospering part of the city.
Bad is - I checked my pictures - I have only a few that document the development.
...
Regards Thomas

Hello Thomas,

if you like ans interested, i have some pictures of Clearwater Industries taken in Mutschelbach 2014 and 2015.

Cheers Lutz

[shortliner]

Lutz - please post them for others far away
Best
Jack

[clearwater]

Hello Thomas,

if you like ans interested, i have some pictures of Clearwater Industries taken in Mutschelbach 2014 and 2015.

Cheers Lutz

Hi Lutz

thank you for your kindly offer - let us get in contact directly!

Regards Thomas

[clearwater]

As you might remember - there are 3 industries at that one module on the left of Clearwater industries.

From left to right:
Di Salvo - finest Itaian muebles
Ely plastics - garden furniture from plastic
Overhauling - car repair and "pimping"



for our Steam and early diesel session I decided that there has to be

"Fury´s Slaughter House":



from left to right:

Cold storage
Slaughter house
stable for fresh animals

the "how to build" I will show you during the next days ...

Merry Christmas every body!

Regards Thomas