The New PistonBroke Line

[OBJack]

the layouts looking good , all that electronic stuff looks impossible (for me) , all my stuff is 12 volt DC .

Looks impossible to me too Mr Bachmann.     Really  ........  But most of the stuff is plug and play now. 

Just plug the controller into the computer and let the computer do all the work!! Computer just takes over from the hand throttle, if you want it too.

I use tortoise for DCC turnout control.
Below is a group of Wabitts that send messages to the Tortoises. Nothing unusual for DCC
Plus 2 current detection modules to detect what section of the RR is occupied
  

   



I started like most with a circle on the floor and a 12 car battery, (yep, a car battery inside   ) with a screw inserted into the casing 3/4 of the way along to make the connection to the Hornby line @ 9v. Most likely about 1955.

Life got in the way about 8 yrs later. Then Grandchildren came along, I bought a train set for them one Christmas and helped them put it together.

It stayed with us, and was brought out each visit,  then they found other things to do and I stole their Christmas present.

And from a straight DC circuit train set it just got bigger than Ben Hur in a very short time. Maybe going on 15/16 yrs now it is what it is.



From DC to DCC and decoders in trains and then to Computer control, learning all the time. Mostly from sites like this and good ol' Google, because the nearest reasonable size town is 200km (120miles) away, so interaction and advice was hard to come by.



I have let a bit of magic smoke out of a few things along the way, but mostly all has been OK and the mistakes not too expensive.



When people see the wire mess under my baseboard they have a fit, but it is just progressive wiring as you know, and any modeller will tell you. One thing/wire after another.  

Below are 3 "wabitts" .... each control 2 turnouts. for future reference I have put the turnout identification number next to the side which controls that turnout.
Same wiring for a hand throttle.
The yellow & orange wires go to temp. on/off switches to also control said turnouts.


   



Jack