Weekend Update 11/24/24

[daniel_leavitt2000]

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[Sumner]

Took a detour from designing/printing parts for the HandCab-DC. Wanted to see if I could add some sound to this throttle. No it won't be in the loco but in the throttle in your hand so not the same but wanted to try it anyway. Let me know your thoughts on this.

I seem to end up trying to write code for an Arduino about every other year. Meaning I forget about all of the syntax for writing it. Know how I want the code to go but spend way to much time writing it so that it compiles. I was about ready to give up on this sound deal as I couldn't get the buttons to work and thought the sound wasn't all that good using the small speaker.

About 'give-up-time' I figured out how to use Audacity (sound recorder and editor) to create a decent .wav file that would play using the Arduino Nano. See video above ( HERE ). So now back to finishing up the rest of the case design and printing the rest of the case and finishing up the sound files for the throttle.

To be continued.....

A link to the DCC HandCab modeled off a GP7/9 control stalk ( HERE ).

Sumner

[u18b]

Sumner,

I have an old SDX sound system by Gutierez as found in Model Railroader 30 years ago.  He digitally recreated an SD40-2.
What I did was connect it to DCC and put a decoder in it.   I program the decoder to match the road number of the decoder in the loco I'm running.

If you were not planning that already, this is something you could do.  Put an ESU decoder in the throttle.   Then give it the same road number as a DCC loco on the track.
Now the sound comes out of your handheld and the sound will vary with the movement of the loco.

I like your idea.

[Jesse6669]

I've been accumulating the various hardware to assemble and install the East Norwood modules and decided I'll use simple shelf brackets to attach them to the walls.  In the meantime I've been working on the GK Tower design which is coming along.   

 

I couldn't resist a Black Friday deal and acquired another 3D printer so I'm looking forward to getting that up and running again in the next few weeks.  First up will be the tower and who knows what after that, I might have to try some rolling stock in Z;  I've been checking locomotive bolster spacing vis-a-vis the current AZL and MT offerings but will likely just scale up some of the T scale freight car or caboose designs and see how they work out first.

[Jesse6669]

Wanted to see if I could add some sound to this throttle. No it won't be in the loco but in the throttle in your hand so not the same but wanted to try it anyway. Let me know your thoughts on this.

Personally, I think I would like it.  Speakers in the locos are too small to sound very good anyway, let alone that I'm modeling in Z and sound isn't really an option--so sound in the cab would be fine. 
I'm looking forward to the HandCab DC either sound or non-sound!

[jpwisc]

Love the station .. is it scratched?

Proper answer below!

[TrainCat2]

Still working on Merchants Warehouse when I get time. I got the COB Lights permanently installed.



I also installed a 1/4in plywood base to keep the warehouse from both warping and twisting as it was not sitting completely level on the cork. The plywood also provided a light block at the ground level.



I used a good chunk of my remaining Middlesex Fire Escapes since these will not be the ones I will be using anywhere else. Middlesex has a 0.7in vertical spacing that is not usable with DPM buildings & modules of .9375in nor Walthers buildings & modules with a 1.25in vertical spacing. I ended up using some of my N Scale stairs and cutting them to fit. Once the DPM and the Walthers Fire Escapes arrive, it will be easier. Not bad though ....

[craigolio1]

I have a Shapeways Jordan spreader that I’ve been wanting to finish for a while and decided that to make all the lighting I’m putting on it have a purpose, I need the wings to move. So that last little while I’ve been turning this:



Into this:









Craig

[zophia]

No - I have not ..  This was on sale at Amazon for $151 - so I really don't expect much, but for a budget system it's ok ...  My siting location is too protected by woods and the house to give any kind of accurate reading .. both direction and speed -- to get above the obstructions, I would need to mount this on the roof about 10 feet over the ridge.    Another drawback is the system has the temp sensor and tipping bucket stuck up at the top of the mast .. so its a maintenance issue and also not an accurate rain measuring location.   At my age, I don't want to climb roofs

What I do like about this thing - it uses a super capacitor to drive the circuitry which is recharged by a solar panel .. the system works in the 900mhz range. It turns on the transmitter every 16 seconds, long enough to transmit the data into the base station, which then uses the wifi network to upload to Ambient Weather Net and in turn Weather Underground.

One of my jobs in the Navy was the weather equipment maintenance officer on the east coast and this gives me a chance to relieve those days ..

I am going to tinker with a roll your own setup using a solar powered arduino with a smaller footprint that I will probably stick on the roof above the obstructions that won't raise the ire of the HOA

https://www.techhive.com/article/583407/ambient-weather-ws-2902-osprey-weather-station-review.html



I

my weather station has been trouble free for 4 years now

[bbunge]

I seem to end up trying to write code for an Arduino about every other year. Meaning I forget about all of the syntax for writing it. Know how I want the code to go but spend way to much time writing it so that it compiles. I was about ready to give up on this sound deal as I couldn't get the buttons to work and thought the sound wasn't all that good using the small speaker.
....
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Sumner

I've had good success writing "pseudo code" where I list the pinouts, variables and input/outputs, write paragraphs where each one describes the function of a loop, then paste the document into ChatGPT and it spits back clear easy to read code that has some documentation.  While there might be logic errors, the code compiles every time. 

I usually look the code over and realize I've got some logic errors that I have introduced or where it wasn't able to read my mind in the way I wrote the paragraph.  I rewrite the requirements and run it again and after a few tries I have something pretty close to what I need.

 I find this far more enjoyable than spending hours matching up brackets, curies, and counting up for statements.  My hobby is trains, not writing code.

Bob

[bnsfdash8]

Not a ton of work done lately but I did get decals back onto NS 3329. The planets must've been in alignment or something because they went on without a single wrinkle this time around. Next will be getting all details back in.



I started getting things ready for lighting on my NS SD70M-2 build. I've been using these resistor boards from Laisdcc on all my recent DCC installs and they really help keep things tidy under the hood. They come with 8 resistors from Laisdcc, but they're easily cut down with a razor saw if you only need a couple resistors. Running a wire from the + common is all that's needed. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

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I highly recommend having a good photo spot on your workbench.

[dougnelson]

I had the pleasure to run my train on the legendary N scale MODUTRAK at Milwaukee Trainfest. I brought a train I thought would be worthy of MODUTRAK led by a Pennsy Baldwin transfer unit. Many thanks to Bill Denton, Mike Skibbe and the entire MODUTRAK crew.

[mu26aeh]

Scored 5 ExactRail hi cubes for almost nothing at a show today..  that's good bc I didn't make anything as a vendor at the same show.

[milw156]

Love the station .. is it scratched?

GC Laser kit, Sturtevant, WI, just west of Racine.