Minneapolis, Louisville & Southern Railroad

hoyden Dec 24, 2012

  1. hoyden

    hoyden TrainBoard Supporter

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    The signal system monitors the Digitrax LocoNet for track occupancy and switch positions, and implement 3 block, 4 signal, ABS. I implemented CTC when I integrated the signal system with my JMRI control panel. The signal system can display:
    typedef enum
    {
    STOP = 0, // Rule 292 Red / Red
    RESTRICTING = 1, // Rule 290 Red / Yellow
    MEDIUM_APP = 2, // Rule 286 Red / Flashing Yellow
    APPROACH = 3, // Rule 285 Yellow / Red
    APP_SLOW = 4, // Rule 284 Yellow / Yellow
    SLOW_CLEAR = 5, // Rule 287 Yellow / Flashing Yellow
    MED_CLEAR_B = 6, // Rule 283 Red / Green (Branch)
    MED_CLEAR = 7, // Rule 283 Red / Green (Main)
    APP_MEDIUM = 8, // Rule 282 Yellow / Green
    ADVANCE_APP = 9, // Rule 282a Flashing Yellow / Red
    APP_LIMITED = 10, // Rule 281b Yellow / Flashing Green
    LIMITED_CLR = 11, // Rule 281c Red / Flashing Green
    CLEAR = 12, // Rule 281 Green / Red
    DARK_DARK = 13, // Dark / Dark
    SPARE____ = 14, // All on / All on
    E_COM_CATH = 16 // Drive common cathode LED
    }E_INDICATION;

    Grrr...again. I chose Courier monospaced font but the spacing shown in preview is not preserved in the post.

    I invented my own two aspect Slow Clear indication because the prototype rule only defines a three head aspect. Otherwise I chose to model based on Conrail Oct 1, 1988 rules.

    My layout is rather small 4.5x8.5 with a twice around, two track main. The track plan was posted earlier.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Are you uploading your pictures from a mobile device?
     
  3. hoyden

    hoyden TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ken, yes. They came from my iPhone.
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I thought that was a possibility. This seems to happen now and then, when using that upload method.
     
  5. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    When using cell phones for taking pictures horizontally, make sure the "shutter" button is on the right. Lessens the chance of upside down pictures if not totally eliminating them.

    It's the orientation sensor that screws things up.
     
    BoxcabE50 likes this.
  6. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

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    My phone has to have the shutter on the right to take photos properly but for some reason Space Station photos kept turning sideways. I think it's because I didn't have them standing up all the way. Going to make a stand to prop them up in the future, I'm taking photos of photos that I got from work at Boeing.

    Joe
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  7. hoyden

    hoyden TrainBoard Supporter

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    I might have taken the upside down picture with the lens closer to the track in order to get a better eyeball view. I edited the photo to create an upside down variant but the computer was not fooled by such a cheap trick.
     
  8. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    LOL! Been there done that! Yeah, the computer is smarting than us! :ROFLMAO::LOL::D:eek: It's a different flag than the rotation flag embedded in the file.
     
  9. hoyden

    hoyden TrainBoard Supporter

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    I built a simple shield board to drive the signals and connect to LocoNet. The board is sitting on my bench. I won't mount it on the layout until I get the rest of the signals deployed. The small wires connect to the signals, the plug out the left is USB for power and a console window, the phone jack is the LocoNet, and the wires on the front side go to the debug pod.

    IMG_6237.jpg


    I've spent about two years developing the hardware and software. Both are fairly mature. The software consists of the embedded code running on the Atmega 2560 board and a JMRI control panel running on a PC.

    I designed the embedded software using various tables to contain the railroad context:
    1. Block State shows the occupancy status for 48 track blocks. This data is read from LocoNet.
    2. Switch State shows the status for all 64 turnouts. This data is read from Loconet.
    3. CTC Status shows the dispatcher's commanded track authority to each track at each control point when running in CTC mode.
     
    MK likes this.
  10. hoyden

    hoyden TrainBoard Supporter

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    The embedded software constantly scans the railroad context (block occupancy, switch state, and CTC authority), computes each signal indication, and displays the corresponding aspect.

    There are seven control points (CP) on the two-track main. Each CP consists of the turnouts and track blocks within the CP. Here is a representative CP:

    block.PNG

    Each CP is isolated from the track that connects to the next CP. Signals are located track-side at the entrance to the CP. Each CP on the panel has switch controls for the turnouts and CTC authorization. The above pic shows Switch 13 (north entrance to Linden Yard) and Switch 15 (crossover), and Signal 12 (Main 1 authorization authorizing movement to the right) and Signal 14 also authorizing movement to the right. The pushbutton between Signal 12 and 14 is the Code button that sends commands to the field authorizing movement and turnout control.

    Each CP has tables that identify:
    1. The OS (on sheet) track segments and turnouts within the CP
    2. The blocks connecting to the CP
    3. The next CP
    4. The available routes through the CP; crossover normal, crossover reverse, and branch.
     
    Sepp K and MK like this.

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