got the idea a while back from some one here about a box car for the Arduino , so i set myself to working on on. today i gotterdone 20 hrs print time. here are my pics cause i know y'all like pics . so now i have a box car for my Arduino setup dcc++ex no wifi yet. enjoy
Very impressive and cool Sid. Makes my cases look pretty boring . Did you design the print or find it someplace? For about $15, which includes shipping, go for it... Makerfabs WiFi Shield.......................................................................................... $15.00 .. ( Makerfabs HERE includes shipping ) It is an easy install with only two jumpers required and mine worked right off the bat. You can find the instructions ( HERE ). Can't add WiFi to any other Command Station to run your phone throttle for $15 that I'm aware of. For well under $100 you can have a DCC Command Station with WiFi and it is comparable to about any commercial system and more capable in some areas as features are being added all the time, such as they now have TurnTable control. As they add features there is no expense to upgrade and the only expenses are an Arduino, motor board, WiFi (if you want it) and a power supply (Again under $100). Some simple assembly and you don't need computer skills or electronics skills to set it up. More on it ( HERE ) and ( HERE ) and you can run wireless phone throttles with a physical throttle knob ( HERE ) Sumner
HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...interesting I am NOT all that computer literate and even I understood most of that (on a quick read)... .
sumner i bought a makers fab a while back and now have that up and running very (i don't know why i didn't do this from the get go ) im having a blast now running trains with out the computer attached OMG its so fun now.. AS for the cattle car (i called it a box car but its a cattle car ) i found it on thingy verse as an HO car and modified it to suit my needs. took a bit to get it right , but now that Ive added the WiFi i need to redesign that bugger so everything fits (its 15mm short ) so i need to 1 shorten the Arduino supports down to 7mm and raise the height of the cattle car about 10mm. I still have that case from your thingy verse for the Arduino and pi4 . saving it for another day (never know when i might need it) its a very good case by the way. i still use the phone throttle from your design as well (that's another good design that i love ) although for some reason i have to unplug the phone in order to charge it (still trying to figger that out as i followed your design to the T ) it simply will not charge until i unplug it from the phone. (it just blinks back and forth ) I had intended to dump the Pi4 i have but Ive been thinking while i sleep that i do have the screen for that and so i could get that running with the Pi4 and ditch the steve 's dcc on it as it still wont work for me and just install the os only then put engine driver on that instead of me buying a tablet( ill try that today maybe tomorrow ). Right now im really liking playing with the train now (don't know why i have not install that maker bot WiFi up until now bad sid bad sid ) mtntrainman Thanks it was fun to do. Hardcoaler DCC++ex is a software for Arduino board that is a very good mini computer type of train control for DCC operation. its very dependable and works extremely well (i had many problem with the PI4 hooked up and i just ditched that ) With the Arduino and and a couple other items attached it work splendid. basically a small computer running trains (im not good at explaining this stuff) sumner and others are better at explaining this than me.
I should go back and see how I wrote that up as the older Android phone that I use as my main throttle has the older USB-B Micro port and using the splitter cable like you I can't get it to charge and also use with the physical throttle knob at the same time. When I'm done like you I unplug the cable to the throttle knob and plug in the charging cable. No big deal if you don't use it long enough to run the phone's battery down. Not sure why it isn't working like what Jimmy did at DIY and Digital Railroad. Using it and having it plugged in for charging at the same time would defeat the ability to walk around the layout since it is to big to have a long charging cable attached. With my smaller test layout or one where one doesn't walk around having the charging cable attached could possibly be a plus. Sumner
ill have a peak at jimmy's post and see what can be done. maybe a switch to turn off the volume knob would be in order ? something to think about ? i do know were there is a will there must be a way..... i do have a couple micro switches some place.....
deaconKC i dont know about dc there is a DIY throttle for dc on the web. maybe google diy dc throttle . i do remember seeing one built some place may even be here on this forum some place. edit Ive looked a bit for a dc controller but they all seem to be wired and not wireless.
ok sumner from what i have seen and learned from jimmys page is that he is using a USB C head phone and charge splitter and that's how he charges the phone with out unplugging from the phone . i have ordered cables and some adapters to use for my phones . i will post updates when i get these parts in. ill include a pic of what he used.
Yep, since I have a new phone that is "C" I could go that way but there is only one of me so only need one throttle at this time so will use the old phone where I've been doing like what you have done. I thought I had all the same type parts he used with the "C" connection so still not sure what is going on. I'll be interested in your results. I don't see an easy way to use it as it is actually designed to control the volume on a phone, tablet or computer and has electronics in it that accomplishes that. With EngineDriver running on an Android phone and connected to the command station besides the throttle that you use on the phone's screen you can also use the physical volume controls on the side of the phone to control the speed (I didn't know that until this came up). Not sure if the Apple based DCC phone app would work or not). On another note about wireless throttles I for sure wanted one when I got back into this and used one on a club layout. To get the Command Station that I wanted (what that club was using) I was going to be into it for about $500 by the time I got everything I'd need besides the throttle. Then I found DCC++ and found out with a little work I could build a DCC Command Station for about $50 in less than an afternoon. Then Fred and others came along and took DCC++ to a whole other level with DCC++EX. A DCC Command Station that in its simplest form can still be built for less than $50 and for about $30 more you can have a more powerful version that also has WiFi as part of it. You can also run a wireless phone without the build in WiFi running the free JMRI software on a computer if you have another home WiFi hotspot. Then I used a phone I had running Steve's EngineDriver app and had a wireless hand throttle for nothing more than taking the time to put the app on the phone. The only thing now missing in my mind was a physical throttle knob I could use vs. the sliders on the phone screen. Jimmy then came along with the $30 volume control and solved that problem. Now for a little over $100 and a phone I wasn't using I have a wireless phone throttle with a physical throttle knob and a screen that has much more info on it than the throttle that what I was using a couple years ago at the club layout. With the phone throttle and JMRI you can see your entire roster on the screen and select an engine either by the road number or from the roster. You have all the functions shown that work for the engine you've selected. Especially cool if you have a loco with a sound decoder. You don't have to memorize which function buttons do which things. You can have multiple throttle running on the phone at one time. Screen wise two is probably all you would want to run at the same time but with an inexpensive tablet and a larger screen run 3 or 4 if you want. Bottom line if one has been putting off DCC for one reason or another maybe take another look at where things are now... http://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/DCC/page-1.html Sumner
I have no engines at this time with DCC installed. What is a realistic estimate on how much it will cost per engine? And can itty-bitty engines like the Bachmann 040 Docksider take a decoder?
I've put the Digitrax DZ123 in a few locos and you could find them at about $16 pre-Covid, looks like they are about $20 now. It is a little larger so need more room. I'm guessing we are talking about N Scale. I also like the DZ126T as it was smaller and inexpensive at $24. Looks like they are about $27 now. I have a number of 123's and 126T's that I bought and will continue to use them but if I want smaller yet and more functions and they say better motor control I'd go/am going with ESU's LokPilot 5 Micro DCC which are about $28 right now. To give you an idea of size: 123 -------- .55 X .36 X .130 126T ------- .55 X .28 X .128 5 Micro ----8.0 mm x 7.0 mm x 2.4 mm (0.32 in x 0.28 in x 0.10 in) The 5 Micro is about as small as you can find. Not sure if you could squeeze one into the 0-4-0 or not. Can't tell from the pictures on Spook Show's site... http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bach040.html I've been surprised at some of the installs I've seen in really small loco's so bet there is a way. On that note installs on older locos that weren't advertised as "DCC Ready" are all going to be hard wired install and most are probably going to need at least some minor frame milling to make room for either the decoder or the wiring but that isn't expensive or that hard. Inexpensive frame milling ( HERE ) I personally like doing them, but some don't. Here is a link to my installs.... http://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Decoder-1/Decoders-Index.html and Brad's site is a great resource and you can get a lot of ideas there as to what is involved..... http://n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/ Sumner
Sumner, thank you Sir! I am presuming the less expensive decoders are not sound equipped. So, you could take an older notebook and/or cellphone, put decoders in your Nscale locos for a LOT less than it was historically?
As soon as you go sound the go to decoders that most use that want a good decoder with custom sound files (ESU) are going to cost around $90 and up plus a speaker. I figure about $110 if I want sound. I believe you can get into some Digitrax sound decoders for a little over $50 but haven't looked at them. I guess I should. I'll just have a few select locos that are sound, at least for a while. I put a $40+ sound decoder in one loco and .... ( http://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Decoder-1/page-20.html ) .... it is sound but not a custom file for that particular loco and I think it is discontinued also. Besides the phone and computer (about any old one will do) you do need to build the Command Station that I posted a link to. Sumner
Thank you again for the excellent and thoughtful answers. Sound is not a requirement for me. You could still run regular DC locos on a layout with DCC ones, from what I understand. Is that correct?
DeaconKC yes most dcc loco will run on dc until you change the decoder programing they run dcc or dc most not all
So would the layout itself be DC or DCC? As Sid mentioned most DCC locos can run on DC but running a DC loco on a DCC powered track can be a different story. I'd read some of the links ( HERE ) and draw your own conclusions. One option depending on the layout size and so forth is to use a DPDT switch to change the layout back and forth between DC and DCC. I did that for my test track ( HERE ) since most of the locos I've bought are older DC ones and I want to be able to run them some and test them if needed before and after decoder installs. It has worked very well but my main layout will be DCC only so need to still do a lot of decoder installs. Sumner
ah ha i got the phone throttle set up to charge with out unplugging the cable from phone parts needed #1https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09CKKS5ZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 #2 THIS EXACT CABLE https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0882Y5RWG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 #3 1 of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MV5NFCH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this setup works then of coarse you need a volume knob https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PH3VXZT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Okay another DCC question for you guys. Can you use a PC to run a DCC program? I mean is there an app or program for that? Or is the computer simply to give Wifi to the DCC system?
