Carsten Möllers Railroad pageDecentralized Bus Wire to control modular Layouts | 02.03.99 |
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Warning: This text is rather long, complicated and requires some
knowledge about cab-control. I recommend to download or to print
this page ! As digital train control advanced a lot since the formulation of this text, I do not advocate this concept for the FREMO any longer. But it may still be a solution if somebody wants heavy traffic on a modular layout without alteration of the engines. |
On this page a concept for a decentralized buswire which enables the operation of a cab-control with 5 cabs on the whole layout, was well as providing other necessary currents will be presented.
Please note that this page is not part of the FREMO-standards. But this concept is compatible with the existing 'Ringleitung' H0-Europe and there are already some operating modules equipped as per this concept.
My experiance with the 'FREMO-Ringleitung'
for the system H0-Europe are the basis for this concept.
Some disadvantages of the 'Ringleitung' shall be avoided by
this draft, on the other hand it should maintain compatibility
for common operation.
To connect the active parts a 25-wire cable with SUB-D connector
(male) will be used. These are widely available and relatively
cheap. The pins shall be connected 1:1. Such a cable is available
commercially un the name........., but can be made by yourself
quite easily
Each cable should at least be 3.0m (abt. 9') long. The maximal
length shall not exceed 10.0m (abt.32'). Each member is required
to provide cables with a total length of 1,5 times of his
combined module length, but minimum 3m. This should ensure
some redundancy. To connect two cables without a box (see below)
use a gender-changer.Each cable shall be marked at both ends with the name of the owner,
the length, the number of wires und (if needed) some internal
reference to assist assembly and disassembly.
are equipped with two SUB-D connectors (female).
(Operating modules with a greater length should have two connectors
at all standard interfaces).These two connectors are wired in such a way, that the regulated
DC of all cabs (according to the FREMO-Standards coded by colours)
are crossed. (In the following "wiring code"
these are the pins 1-10 where A/B needs to be crossed)
In this way the asymmetry of the 2-rail DC system
(positive/negative rail) is easily acomplished.(see:
Assembly)
is provided by a cable with both connectors (Amphenol and SUB-D). The interchange can be made at every control box or operating module. Such a cable is also useful, if somebody wants to operate more the one operating module at different meetings alternatively directly with the 'FREMO-Ringleitung'. (see wiring code )
shall lead the bus cable from end to end.
(Use one longer, separate cable and avoid short cables according
to the length of the sections of the operating module with the
additional connectors)
Inside the operating module the wires for the phone and the
blocksystem shall be disconnected and connected to an appropiate
swithboard.
Junction modules require an additional pair of connectors for
each joining line.
of the SUB-D-connectors compared to the FREMO-Ringleitung:
SUB-D Amphenol Funktion 1 6 A Gleichstrom Regler "braun" 2 6 B Gleichstrom Regler "braun" 3 3 A Gleichstrom Regler "gelb" 4 3 B Gleichstrom Regler "gelb" 5 2 A Gleichstrom Regler "grau" 6 2 B Gleichstrom Regler "grau" 7 4 A Gleichstrom Regler "blau" 8 4 B Gleichstrom Regler "blau" 9 7 A Gleichstrom Regler "violett" 10 7 B Gleichstrom Regler "violett" 11 - - Blocksicherung * 12 - - Blocksicherung * 13 - - Blocksicherung * 14 - - Blocksicherung * 15 bleibt frei (24-adrige Kabel) 16 8 A Bleibt mit Bezug auf die FREMO-Ringleitung noch frei 17 8 B Bleibt mit Bezug auf die FREMO-Ringleitung noch frei 18 - - Telefon ** 19 - - Telefon ** 20 5 A Uhrtakt 21 5 B Uhrtakt 22 1 A Wechselstrom *** 23 1 A Wechselstrom *** 24 1 B Wechselstrom *** 25 1 B Wechselstrom **** leave this out if necessary (20-wire cables)
** leave this out if necessary (18-wire cables)
*** can be realizied with 2 wires only(16-wire cables)
the cables are to be marked accordingly !Assembly
A starting point has to be defined. If the 'FREMO-Ringleitung' is in use, the connection shall be used for this purpose.
The layout will be wired starting from this point. Each new box will be connected using one (of the two available) connectors. The remaining connector is the starting point for the next cable.
Which one is to be used for the first/second cable, shall be determined by checking if the lokomotives run in the direction indicated by the direction switch on the handheld controller or not. See FREMO-standard 0.11.Following procedure is recommended:
- Define the electrical gaps between the control areas and the placement of the control boxes according to the operating necesseties (view, use of the line as leadtrack etc)
- Distribute the cables according to the required length.
- connect the cables and the boxes at random.
- Check if at each controlbox (operating modul) the FREMO-Standard 0.11 is in force internally. (The handheld controler is always in the box that powers the checked track) The buscable is providing AC only in this phase.
The connection box/tracks should not be changed after this check !- All control boxes are switched to a common cab. the controler will be plugged in at the starting box or, if available, at a box of the original 'Ringleitung', and a locomotive starts moving on the layout.
The controler will neither be removed from its box nor switched to reverse during this second phase !
If the loco stops or swings back and forward (depends on the locos momentum) at a electrical gap, both connectors of the next controlbox have to be changed. Boxes, which do not control the tracks, but provide possibilities to plug in the controlers only, remain untouched.- All Assignment boxes will be kept switched to the same controller. This will now passed on from one plug-in box to the next one, without any changes to the controls (especially the reverse switch to remain in the same position). The controller should never cross the track that is tested !
If the locomotive changes the direction after the controller is inserted into the next plug-in box - against rule 0.11 - both cables at this box are to changed.- the layout is now ready for operation.
- Do not remove or install addtional boxes after this check, as always both parts of the layout will be crossed electrically against each other. Compensating measures are possible.
additional possibilities
- Communication: two wires are provided for phones. These two wires shall be interupted at each station and can be used to the next neighbors only. With a convenient circuit it is possible to talk to both neighbors alternatively or to connect these with each other
- Block control: we have reserved 4 wires for this purpose. A circuit is not yet developed.
- Sub-D connectors for handheld control units
The handheld controlers can be equipped with SUB-D-connectors. As here only the AC and the relevant DC wires are connected, it is not possible to plug a controler in a wrong plug, as these are all the same.
Any easy ideas to provide for a spare controler ?