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email Colin Mitchell: [email protected]

17 CIRCUITS as of 1-10-2016

CONTENTS
 Arc Welder Simulator 27MHz Link
Capacitor Discharge Unit MkII
Capacitor Discharge Unit MkII - modification
Flashing Railroad Lights
Flashing Lights
LED Tester
Make your own point Motor using a servo
Model Railway Time
Over-Current Detection
Point Motor Driver
Reversing A Motor
Servo as Point Motor
Track Tester
Traffic Lights
Train Throttle
4-Way Traffic Lights

INTRODUCTION
This e-book presents some
interesting projects for Model
Railways.
Talking Electronics has produced two books
for Model Railway enthusiasts (book-2 is now
out of print).
The two books are:
Electronics for Model Railways 1:
Electronics for Model Railways 2:
The projects in these books can be found on
Talking Electronics website in the left-hand
column.
Since releasing these two books, we have
designed some extra projects and more are
being released all the time.
The projects will be presented in this eBook
and you will need to come back on a regular
basis to see the updates.

Colin Mitchell

If you have DCC Digital Command Control on

your model railway, or are thinking about
using it or starting a layout with this feature,
here is a website dedicated to helping you:
http://www.dccconcepts.com.au/

Digital Command Control is a standard for a

system to operate model railways so that two
or more locomotives can be controlled
independently on the same section of track.
We will not be covering any projects for DCC
so it's best to visit the DCC website.

NOTE:
Many of the projects and circuit and ideas in this eBook are available from
Talking Electronics as complete kits, fully assembled, or as components or
on the web at very low prices.
Email: Colin Mitchell and ask for assistance before launching out on your
own.

PROJECTS
TEST EQUIPMENT
LED TESTER
This project tests LEDs and tests for continuity and tests for other things as well.
It's a very handy piece of test gear.
See the full project HERE

The LED Tester Project

 The 3 button cells are held in place with narrow heatshrink
after soldering fine tinned copper wire over the cells.

TEST EQUIPMENT
TRACK TESTER
This project tests the voltage on your track.
It's another very handy piece of test gear.
See the full project HERE
The Track Tester kit costs $10.00 AUD plus $4.50 AUD postage.
The Track Tester is also available ready-made for $16.50 USD
(posted)
FLASHING RAILROAD LIGHTS
This circuit flashes two red LEDs for a model railway crossing.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Here's a clever circuit using two 555's to produce a set of traffic lights for a model
layout.
The animation shows the lighting sequence and this follows the Australian-
standard. The red LED has an equal on-off period and when it is off, the first 555
delivers power to the second 555. This illuminates the Green LED and then the
second 555 changes state to turn off the Green LED and turn on the Orange LED
for a short period of time before the first 555 changes state to turn off the second
555 and turn on the red LED. A supply voltage of 9v to 12v is needed because
the second 555 receives a supply of about 2v less than rail. This circuit also
shows how to connect LEDs high and low to a 555 and also turn off the 555 by
controlling the supply to pin 8. Connecting the LEDs high and low to pin 3 will not
work and since pin 7 is in phase with pin 3, it can be used to advantage in this
design.

Here is a further description of how the circuit works:

Both 555's are wired as oscillators in astable mode and will oscillate ALL THE
TIME when they are turned ON. But the second 555 is not turned on all the time!
The first 555 turns on and the 100u is not charged. This makes output pin 3 HIGH
and the red LED is not illuminated. However the output feeds the second 555
and it turns on.
Output pin 3 of the second 555 turns on the green LED and the second 100u
charges to 2/3 rail voltage and causes the 555 to change states. The green LED
goes off and the orange LED turns on.
The second 100u starts to discharge, but the first 100u is charging via a 100k and
after the orange LED has been on for a short period of time, the first 555 changes
state and pin 3 goes LOW.
This turns on the red LED and turns off the second 555.
The first 100u starts to discharge via the 100k and eventually it changes state to
start the cycle again.
The secret of the timing is the long cycle-time of the first 555 due to the 100k and
the short cycle due to the 47k on the second 555.

4 WAY TRAFFIC LIGHTS

This circuit produces traffic lights for a "4-way" intersection. The seemingly complex
wiring to illuminate the lights is shown to be very simple.

MODEL RAILWAY TIME

Here is a circuit that will convert any clock mechanism into
Model Railway Time.
For those who enjoy model railways, the ultimate is to have a
fast clock to match the scale of the layout. This circuit will
appear to "make time fly" by turning the seconds hand once
every 6 seconds. The timing can be adjusted by changing the
47k. The electronics in the clock is disconnected from the coil
and the circuit drives the coil directly. The circuit takes a lot
more current than the original clock (1,000 times more) but
this is one way to do the job without a sophisticated chip.
REVERSING A MOTOR-4 (see 1, 2, 3 in 200 Transistor
Circuits)
In this example the power is applied via the start switch and the train
moves to the away limit switch and stops. The 555 creates a delay of 1
minute and the train moves to the home limit and stops. Turn the power
on-off to restart the action.
FLASHING LIGHTS FOR MODEL RAILWAY
CROSSING:
A flashing LED is used to create the timing for the flash-
rate and the transistor provides the alternate flash for the
second set of LEDs.

CAPACITOR DISCHARGE
UNIT MkII (CDU2)
This project is available as a kit
for $10.80 plus $6.50 post. email
Talking Electronics for details.
This circuit will operate a two-solenoid point-motor and prevent it overheating and causing any
damage. The circuit produces energy to change the points and ceases to provide any more
current. This is carried out by the switching arrangement within the circuit, by sampling the
output voltage.
If you want to control the points with a DPDT toggle switch or slide switch, you will need two
CDU2 units.

HOW THE CIRCUIT WORKS

The circuit is supplied by 16v AC or DC and the diode on the input is used to rectify the voltage if
AC is supplied. If nothing is connected to the output, the base of the BD679 is pulled high and the
emitter follows. This is called an emitter-follower stage. The two 1,000u electrolytics charge and
the indicator LED turns on. The circuit is now ready.
When the Main or Siding switch is pressed, the energy from the electrolytics is passed to the
point motor and the points change. As the output voltage drops, the emitter-follower transistor is
turned off and when the switch is released, the electrolytics start to charge again.

The point-motor can be operated via a Double-Pole Double-Throw Centre-Off toggle switch,
providing the switch is returned to the centre position after a few seconds so that the CDU unit
can charge-up.

The Capacitor Discharge Unit can also be purchased

with screw-terminals for the input and output leads:

See the full article: HERE.

 CDU MkIIB with 2 x 2,200u
electrolytics and screw terminals
$12.50 plus $6.50 postage.
Click HERE for details

CAPACITOR DISCHARGE UNIT MkII (CDU2) - modification

If your transformer does not supply 15vAC to 16vAC, you can increase the input
voltage by adding a 100u to 220u electrolytic and 1N4004 diode to the input to create
a voltage doubling arrangement. You can also change one or both the 1,000u
electrolytics for 2,200u. This will deliver a much larger pulse to the point-motor and
guarantee operation.

POINT MOTOR DRIVER

One of the first things (you will want) when expanding a model railway
is a second loop or siding.
This needs a set of points and if they are distant from the operator,
they will have to be electrically operated. There are a number of
controllers on the market to change the points and some of them take
a very high current. (You can get a low-current Point Motor).
The high current is needed because the actuating mechanism is very
inefficient, but it must be applied for a very short period of time to
prevent the point motor getting too hot.
Sometimes a normal switch is used to change the points and if the
operator forgets use it correctly, the Point Motor will "burn-out" after a
few seconds.
To prevent this from happening we have designed the following circuit.
It operates the Point Motor for 5mS to 10mS (a very short time) and
prevents any damage.
You can use a Peco switch (PL23 - about $10.00!!) or an ordinary
toggle switch (change-over switch - SPDT - single-pole double-throw).
You can connect to either side of the Point Motor and both contacts of
the other side go to 14v to 22v rail.

Point Motor mounted The Point-Motor shaft moves

under the track. left-right to change the points.

Wiring a Point Motor

Point Motor connected to track

See the full article: HERE

CDU with SPDT switch

$13.50 plus $6.50 postage.
Click HERE to buy kit
Here is a video showing a point motor connected to a set of points,
from the Rail Video Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW67CFSWGzU&feature=related
MAKE YOUR OWN POINT MOTOR using a SERVO
Point Motors can be expensive. You can save over 75% by making your own.
Point Motors (or switches) are also known as Turnouts or Points.
A point Motor can be made from an RC Servo (Radio Control Servo).

Connecting the push-rod

Servo and Horns

Fitting the Servo to the track

Mounting the Servo on a
bracket
All servos come with a variety of attachments for the output shaft. These are called "Servo Horns"
or "Servo Arms" and are "single leg horn, (or servo arm), double servo horn, circular horn (wheel)
and others.
They convert circular motion into straight-line motion with the aid of a push-rod.
That's exactly what we want, to move the track-rails. Any of the horns can be used for this
project as you only need a very short travel. The push-red needs to be spring-steel and you can
unwind a small spring to get this item.
Servos have 3 leads. Positive, Negative and Signal. The Signal wire is connected to a PC board
containing a chip that detects pulses to activate the motor. We do not need this feature. The PC
board needs to be removed. Open the servo and remove the PC board and signal wire. The pot
can be left in position but the wires need to be removed.
The two remaining leads are connected directly to the motor.
Our circuit drives the motor and gearbox with a short pulse of energy to provide clockwise or
anticlockwise movement.
No limit switches are needed because the railway track provides the limits-of-travel and the motor
effectively stalls when the end-of-travel is reached. The gearing produces adequate torque (or
effort) to move the rails and a current of about 50mA is sufficient to operate the motor to provide
this effort.
See the full article HERE

Point Controller
for Motor/Gearbox
PARTS LIST $15.50 plus $6.50
postage.
Click HERE to buy kit
TRAIN THROTTLE
This circuit connects an AC transformer (or a DC supply) to a track to
provide a voltage from 0v to max voltage (depending on the voltage of
the transformer).
The transformer can be AC or DC and any voltage from 12v to 18v.
The throttle handle connects to the 1k pot.
The diode on the output protects the transistors from reverse polarity (if
another controller is also connected to the rails).
The circuit is limited to about 1amp due to the 1N4004 diodes.

Transformer with 12v AC output and 18v AC

An impressive throttle handle

 Train Throttle Circuit

OVER CURRENT DETECTION

Requested by William Hicks:
This circuit detects when the tracks are overloaded by too many trains.

Arc Welder Simulator

This project adds reality to a work-site. It produces realistic flickering from an arc-
welder.
The full project can be viewed HERE. A full kit is available from Talking Electronics
for $21.50 plus postage.
27MHz link for about $10.00
These two modules are available from Talking Electronics for about $10.00 plus
post.
They produce 2-channel transmission and can be used for all sorts of
communication on your layout.
You may want to control something at the far-end and running cables may be
practically impossible.
Or you may want to control something that moves around the layout.
This is an ideal way to solve the problem.
The range is about 10 metres.
The modules come with whip antennas.
The two outputs can be used to reverse a motor or each output can be used to
turn on a device.
When there is no transmission (reception) both outputs have zero volts.
For Forward, one output goes high and the other goes low.
The voltage lost across the output FETs is only a few millivolts (about 3 to
5mV).
The output FETs can handle about 200mA to 300mA.
Each output can be used to turn on a separate motor:

You don't have to buy these modules. You can use the transmitter/receiver from
a toy car that no-one wants any-more. (some of them are 4 channel).
You can operate sound modules, lights, gates, points and anything up to 6v and
200mA.
Every module is different with different circuitry and chips. This article is just to
give an approximate idea of how to use the modules.
 If 3rd band is gold, Divide by 10
If 3rd band is silver, Divide by 100
(to get 0.22ohms etc)

25-9-2016 Colin Mitchell

You can copy and use anything for your own personal use.
Direct copying to other websites is not allowed as these projects are updated and too many
websites have copied my eBooks and not given credit to me.