Ringbalin Light Railway

[GAP]

Some more work on the pathway re-development.
Same turf but with treated pine garden edging I am using what is termed H4 treated timber to replace the H3 that was there.
H4 can be in contact with soil but H3 can't hence it rotted away.

P1080608.JPG (84.24 KiB) Viewed 45469 times

P1080609.JPG (83.67 KiB) Viewed 45469 times

P1080610.JPG (84.03 KiB) Viewed 45469 times

Work is progressing on getting the raspberry pi WiFi function working and talking to the relay modules.

[GAP]

Another update showing progress on the re configuration of the railway.
Been slow going as it is summer with high temperatures (35C today) and rain stopping work plus life getting in the way.
https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... st%20Posts

[GAP]

Another update this time about using a computer to draw a schematic type drawing of my tracks with icons at positions where points are located.
At the flick of a switch I can tell which way the points are set because the icons change colour.
The control of the points will be controlled by the same switches in the future.

Warning contains code if you don't like code look away.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... board.html

[GAP]

I can now successfully change my points out in the backyard by toggling a switch in my shed via WiFi.
Not only can I change the points I can see on a screen which way they are set.
Involved a bit of messing around with an AI bot (thanks for the suggestion to use one Greg) to get the programs written but it is doing what I want it to do.
This link has other links to other pages that explain how it all works.
A couple of future improvement in the works is the ability to change signals by clicking on an icon on the display screen and sensors in my passing sidings to show that there trains occupying them.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... gnals.html

More electronic projects are in the pipeline including a Picaxe controlled servo driven point motor.

There is code in the links but just do not look at it if it doesn't interest you.

[gregh]

You are certainly deep into the remote control aspect Graeme. Well done.

[GAP]

You are certainly deep into the remote control aspect Graeme. Well done.

If you hadn't made the comment about using ChatGPT none if the ideas in my head would have made it out into the world.

The picaxe servo controller I am building has morphed into something else its now a WiFi controlled one with "fine tuning" pots to exactly set the point throw. Should work well.

AI has certainly helped me but it does have its limitations, you still have to provide clear and concise instructions to it and if, tweaking a design, state that "absolutely no other changes except for this one are to be made" that usually stops it running off on a tangent which they are prone to do.

I sometimes put an answer from one into another and ask it to verify if it is OK as an error check.

The "thinking" models (the new generation) work better than the quick answer models as they do more searching for answers.

[GAP]

Bit of progress on the getting something running again front.
I finished the baseboards for the loop through the shed so now the next step is to lay some track so that I can have a loop to run trains on while working on the 2 yards at either end of the line.
This took some time as it was one of 3 competing projects, computer controlled points, laying artificial turf to control out of control weed infestation and re configuring the layout.

https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... lower.html

[GAP]

More progress on getting the line loop working.
I have now completed all the work needed outside of the shed so now it is time to head indoors and do the loop to join the 2 ends up.
This will give me a loop that I can run trains on as I build the 2 levels for the point to point
I have included a couple of siding for future industries once I get into doing scenery and give the railway some purpose.
Updates to my blog show what has been done.
Ethanol and sugar for the product coming from the sugar mill.
https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... dings.html

A gravel Pit siding for my gravel train with the gravel coming from a dry river bed.
https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... iding.html

[ge_rik]

How do you find the three way points in practice? I worry about their tight radii.

Rik

[GAP]

How do you find the three way points in practice? I worry about their tight radii.

Rik

They are fine with short wheel base locos and wagons, the bogie wagons I will be using are short ones and run through OK..
My 1:20.3 shay goes through OK (it is really a group of short wheelbases after all) but my Consolidation has a struggle so will probably not be used to shunt into them.
I think they are R1 radius good for sidings but not on a mainline.
I am planning a rake of Ethanol tanks built on your 16mm chassis that I will 3D print.

[GAP]

The loop through the shed has now been finished; I now have a complete loop to run trains while I am working on the rest of the layout.
https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... st%20Posts
I now can run trains again for the first time since January 2024.

[GAP]

The "upper Yard" has now been renamed "Ringbalin" and its track laying is now complete.
The current work being done is adding servo motors controlled by an Arduino clone to all the points,when it is fully operational not only will the Arduino move the points it will also relay their position via WiFi to the Raspberry Pi main controller to update the GUI display to show point settings. Signals are planned to be integrated into the system as well.
WiFi is being used to get information across the aisles and out to and from in the backyard infrastructure.

Pictures in my blog post
https://ringbalin-light-railway.blogspo ... s-now.html