Subject:
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Re: "cat whisker" trip switch
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 18 Oct 1999 16:00:33 GMT
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Viewed:
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796 times
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Robin,
Sounds very simular to how I riged it. I had to run the speed at "2" Since the
trolley is very small and pulls nothing. In fact I can "wheelee" it pretty
easy. How do you determine when to decrease the voltage, is it merely timed?
Otherwise you get too many ($$$) sensors. Oh yea I certainly did run off the
end of the track when testing!
TIP, don't test close to the edge of a table!
BTW I have to give credit here to Christopher Masi for the trolley design!
Jim, Where are the shades placed? Is it a shroud?
SteveB
www.PNLTC.org
steve.bar.home.att.net
In lugnet.trains, Robin Werner writes:
> Steve,
>
> I have also used Mindstorms to run a train, like this. But I used it in a
> railroad yard, not for a trolley. But it’s basically the same concept. I put
> the touch sensor at a 90 degree angel with the track and about one brick
> away from track at both ends of the track. Then I built a bracket (use round
> pieces) on the loco that line up with the sensor. When the train hits the
> sensor it stops after about 30 sec. it goes the other way. Note set the power
> level high in your program at the start and then slow it down after it get
> rolling. If you don’t it will have about a 50% stall rate and don’t go to fast
> or your train will pass the sensor. You might try putting a piece on the track
> to stop the train from passing the sensor (the new super high slope bricks
> work good, with the flat side facing the train).
>
> Good luck man...
> Robin W.
>
> In lugnet.trains, Steven Barile writes:
> > Hi All,
> > I was playing around with Mindstorms tonight and was working on the
> > automated trolley line. I have been looking for alternatives to the light
> > sensors (the ambient light can kill ya). I was thinking about touch sensors
> > but just plopping a touch sensor at the end of the line is a real mess if
> > the train has any speed, either you knock the sensor right off the tracks or
> > the trolley looses it's front end! So I tried a "cat whisker". Basically it
> > have a "+" beam attached at a pivot point held loosely against a touch
> > sensor with a rubber band (LEGO brand of course). When the train comes by it
> > pushes the "+" beam out of the way of the trolley thus releasing the
> > sensor's switch. The rest is a simple mater of programming.
> >
> > SteveB
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: "cat whisker" trip switch
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| (...) ower Steve, Steve, I poked around on the Web a little regarding model railroad sensors. Infrared sensors are generally placed between the rails facing up. They emit a constant infrared beam which is reflected back to the sensor when a train (...) (25 years ago, 18-Oct-99, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: "cat whisker" trip switch
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| Steve, I have also used Mindstorms to run a train, like this. But I used it in a railroad yard, not for a trolley. But it’s basically the same concept. I put the touch sensor at a 90 degree angel with the track and about one brick away from track at (...) (25 years ago, 18-Oct-99, to lugnet.trains)
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