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In lugnet.trains, Nate Jacobs writes:
> The journey down the long and winding road of trains....
>
> Earlier this month I had the opportunity to participate in the GATS show in
> Syracuse, NY with LUCNY. This event really kicked my entrance into the
> Train aspect of LEGO into high gear. I had bought some track and had the
> Santa Fe and Metroliner before the event, but the thrill of showing off a
> layout and interacting with the crowd was the coup-de-gras.
Glad to hear you caught the bug. I should have never given you the remote
control that day... :-)
*snip-o-matic*
>
> Automatic Switch House
> I took the designs of Jeff Elliot
> (http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=10867) and
> Ed McGlynn (http://news.lugnet.com/trains/?n=15934) and added my own little
> twist.
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=32202
> (After Moderation)
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/njelmo98/Train/Switch/switch1.jpg
> (More pictures available)
Jeff's design is great, and it looks like you have compacted the footprint a
bit. What's the cycle time on the swithching mechanism? Shorter is better,
I'd say. Nice roof lift-off feature.
*snip-o-matic*
> Automatic Decoupler
> I did some digging looking for any designs people had done of an automatic
> decoupler. I found Martin Legault's design
> (http://news.lugnet.com/trains/?n=16347) and
> Rick Clark's design (http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=18638).
> I then set out to build my own. It works quite well. It is fantastic not
> to have to take the train apart by hand.
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=32203
> (After Moderation)
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/njelmo98/Train/Decoupler/dec3.jpg
> (More pictures available)
I fiddled with Rick's design as well, but preferred the newer motor as
you've used it (since I only have one older-style motor). I ran into
problems balancing with the speed and torque of the motor and stopping the
throw of the pushrod used to force between the magnets. Do you use and RCX
to control your version? What happens at the far end of the pushrod throw -
fully extended? Does the small gear attached to the output shaft of the
motor hit a brick or grind away at the rack? I had those problems. Lemme
sort that out:
Old motor style: Used pulleys, not very effective at the extent of the
pushrod throw.
New motor style: Used small gear directly in contact with a rack. Got
gummed up and started stripping rack teeth at the end of the throw if I
wasn't watching.
How do you line up the trains for decoupling?
This type of automated decoupling is fantastic for an automated layout. I
can't wait to use your design in our next show. Nice work!
Ed
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In lugnet.trains, Ed McGlynn writes:
> In lugnet.trains, Nate Jacobs writes:
> > The journey down the long and winding road of trains....
> Glad to hear you caught the bug. I should have never given you the remote
> control that day... :-)
I agree, it was a monumental event!
> > Automatic Switch House
> > I took the designs of Jeff Elliot
> > (http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=10867) and
> > Ed McGlynn (http://news.lugnet.com/trains/?n=15934) and added my own little
> > twist.
> >
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=32202
> > (After Moderation)
>
> Jeff's design is great, and it looks like you have compacted the footprint a
> bit. What's the cycle time on the swithching mechanism? Shorter is better,
> I'd say. Nice roof lift-off feature.
The cyle time is 2.75 seconds. Only issue is about every 27 or so times it
has to be run twice to complete a cycle.
> *snip-o-matic*
>
> > Automatic Decoupler
> > I did some digging looking for any designs people had done of an automatic
> > decoupler. I found Martin Legault's design
> > (http://news.lugnet.com/trains/?n=16347) and
> > Rick Clark's design (http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=18638).
> > I then set out to build my own. It works quite well. It is fantastic not
> > to have to take the train apart by hand.
> >
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=32203
> > (After Moderation)
>
> I fiddled with Rick's design as well, but preferred the newer motor as
> you've used it (since I only have one older-style motor). I ran into
> problems balancing with the speed and torque of the motor and stopping the
> throw of the pushrod used to force between the magnets. Do you use and RCX
> to control your version? What happens at the far end of the pushrod throw -
> fully extended? Does the small gear attached to the output shaft of the
> motor hit a brick or grind away at the rack? I had those problems. Lemme
> sort that out:
> Old motor style: Used pulleys, not very effective at the extent of the
> pushrod throw.
> New motor style: Used small gear directly in contact with a rack. Got
> gummed up and started stripping rack teeth at the end of the throw if I
> wasn't watching.
I am controlling it by the RCX. I have it set now so that when it receives
message 3 from the remote, motor turns on for 0.4 seconds (just enough to
extend the pushrod, but not enough to cause the gear to come off the rack),
then wait 5 seconds (plenty of time for engine to pull away), followed by a
change of direction of the motor and then motor on again for 0.4 seconds.
It works great. I have no slipping of gears or any harm to anything.
> How do you line up the trains for decoupling?
Pretty hapzardly...For a trial run I pulled an engine and three cars onto a
siding with one of my end of the line bumpers on it and then attached the
decoupler to the track by where the engine and first car ended up. Kinda
confusing, but I will take some pictures to show what I mean. The placement
would all depend on the size of the train.
> This type of automated decoupling is fantastic for an automated layout. I
> can't wait to use your design in our next show. Nice work!
That is what I was thinking!
Nate
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