Hi all, I've been a member since 2008 but I don't think I have looked at the board since. I was searching for information regarding automated switching to prevent derailments from a forgotten switch, haven't found it yet, know it is available because I've seen it, just not sure where. I belong to San Juan Pacific Model Railroaders Club in Hollister, CA. We have HO and N Scale layouts. Myself and one other guy are N-Scalers, everybody else is HO driven. Needless to say there are no operating sessions on the N layout, mainly because of major rework to correct issues found during the 3 continuous days of running for the Fair. Ran 5 trains at a time (DCC) three on one track albeit a long one (when done will be almost 500 feet long). The other guy joined after the last fair (Oct). I will be participating more now as I have retired from the everyday grind. Nice to belong. Don
By Jove, you are alive. You had us worried, but we're happy that you've returned to this den of fools. As far as your "forgotten switch" question, there may be a way to design a circuit that can detect point position by measuring across the rails beyond the frog. Seems to me that the two rails beyond the frog would be opposite polarity if the points were aligned for that track, but be the same polarity if the points were aligned for the other track because one point rail would be touching (shorting) across both the rails at the frog.
Glad to have you out in the light, and hope you can find the answers you're looking for (actually, you'll probably find that and then some...)
Don - This might not be exactly what you want - but it will certainly give you Non-moving turnouts - Stand-by for a sharp intake of breath when you watch a train run happily through a turnout that you know is soldered solid and immovable - It is by my friend Prof Klyzlr http://www.zelmeroz.com/album_model/members/klyzlr/DynamiteCanyon.pdf Hope it helps
