Hello,

I want to show you a loco that can control the next switch point to which it approaches.

This is pretty simple: there is a second PF-receiver in the engine.

But there is no motor attached, the output is routed to a contact below the model.

Via an old 12V-Conducting Rail the power is sent to a PF-Motor controlling the switch point.

So no battery or receiver is needed for a switch.

Here is a video (1.30 min) showing this with a testwaggon and a real model.

The components in an overview, on the left hand side the loco (battery, receiver, contact), on the right hand side the switch point (Conducting Rail, PF-Motor)

This is the complete switch point assembly

… and the contact, it is a little bit higher than the tracks.

The testwaggon

and seen from the side

As you can see in the video it works really fine.

It needs some care to adjust the components.

Warning: I don't kow if a short could do any damage to the receiver, so please be careful if testing ......

Hope you like this little idea.

The link with further informations of the model V100 shown in the video:

http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=102048

cu

Lok24

Edited November 2, 201410 yr by Lok24

So I i get this its like that.. You tell the second receiver in which way to send the current and when the train gets to the 12V rail the signal is reuted to the motor which switches the switch. Thats brilliant! And because the receiver remembers the direction you sent you can set up the switching direction way ahead of the switch!

That's brilliant!

This is a great idea.

Very ingenious.

Really a nice system

Awesome system! :thumbup:

this is amazing, the people in here creates awesome stuff!!

Great way to blend the old with the new!!! Definitely saves on having to completely opt-in with old 12V technology - which seems to be getting more expensive by the day.

As others have said, ingenious!!!

Hi all,

thanks for your commments.

There are (at least) three ways to use:

- PF, contact in the loco

- PF, using en existing loco without modification, receiver and contact in an additional waggon, power supply via cable from engine

- 9V (why not?) ,receiver, battery and contact in an additional small waggon

cu

Lok 24

Absolutely brilliant!

You could use the same setup for a level crossing or other track-side structures.

Very clever! What part did you use to make contact to the conducting rail?

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=bb53b

You can see it in some of the pictures.

Awesome idea! Now you can make working level crossing gates.

Also: I think I've seen people do something similar with isolated 9v track/ motors driven by PF. I'll see if I can find it again...

Very impressed. This could have lots of applications - automatic working semaphore signals too, goes back to 'danger' when a train passes!

Outstanding! I love the mix of the new and old 12v technology.

Great stuff! Beautiful way of thinking outside of the box :)

Just wondering: did you have to modify any of the PF cables? Out of the pictures it looks like it. But then again, I grew up with 9v and have never had any 12v stuff in my hands, so I could be totally wrong to begin with.

Good Idea, but does not look cost effective if you need to do a large amount of switches.

There are cheaper none lego/modding of lego options out there.

Hi all,

here's my article of methods to connect the different plugs without modification, article is in german, but the pictures make it all claer

http://www.1000stein...280117#id280117

cu

Lok24

Edited November 4, 201410 yr by Lok24

Hi,

Good Idea, but does not look cost effective if you need to do a large amount of switches.

That depends on the ralation between engines and witch points.

In any case you need the switch and some kind of motor.

The 12V-Track ist about 1,-- €.

Controlling the switch via PF normally takes additionally a batterybox, a receiver and half IR-Control.

And: only 8 channels availble.

So with only two engines there are not more than 6 switches available.

There are cheaper none lego/modding of lego options out there.

Cheaper? Don't kow, but I doubt.

My intention (and challenge) was to show a solution only with lego and without modification of any parts.

The philosophie is the same as it is very useful for model railroading too.

Imagine a layout in a large area with 20 switches. Like a garden i.e.

You only have one control for the engine and one(!) for all(!) switches, and you have it all with you when walk around.

This is quite different from a stationary control panel, and it is different from the method of entering the "switch-adress" in a DCC hand-held-controller.

I've used it in that way for years wicth DCC systems.

cu

Lok 24

Edited November 4, 201410 yr by Lok24

in that situation that would be true.

It costs me about $5 to make a point motor for my switch's, but i control these from a core switch board as I am a 9v guy.

So cost wise I would need to by all the PF hardware to do this what is a higher cost for me.

I set mine up the same as Analog model trains.

Wonderful!

I like the idea that you use the battery power from the loco to power trackside structures, I want to try this!

Brick on!

It costs me about $5 to make a point motor for my switch's, but i control these from a core switch board as I am a 9v guy.

I see. Thats a nice solution as well, its's simply different ideas for indiviual people.

Are there any pics of your switch board in www?