RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 19, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2022 (edited) It's now about 40-odd days to Warley, so it's about time I started the layout wot I'm taking. You won't find me on the Layouts list, as this will form part of the Scale Model Scenery stand as it is to demonstrate the new Modulus system. So, a track plan. Not the most ambitious, nor necessarily the most exciting to operate, but....... it will have sounds & lights and moving things (other than the trains) and all be operated & controlled via the wireless functionality. Sporadic ( & frenzied updates) will appear here. Edited October 19, 2022 by Stubby47 7 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 19, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2022 One feature will be this servo-operated sector plate. 7 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 19, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2022 There will be one of these: 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 19, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2022 And a least 1 of these: 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 19, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2022 Then, of course, this might be the track plan... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 20, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 20, 2022 But, actually, this is the track plan. At least, it is today. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 21, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2022 Some sort of wiring is being done. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduncan Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 How does the sector plate work? Duncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 23, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2022 (edited) 20 minutes ago, drduncan said: How does the sector plate work? Duncan A servo directly drives a large gear wheel, which in turn moves a straight geared rack in a fixed horizontal plane. The rack has a bolt up through the baseboard, into a long slot in the sector plate This allows the slight movement necessary for the arc the sector plate makes. Edited October 23, 2022 by Stubby47 5 3 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 23, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2022 Interesting stuff there Stu. I don't suppose the Modulus system offers a solution to these two old chestnuts (i) horse shunting and (ii) gravity shunting? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 23, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2022 4 minutes ago, Mikkel said: Interesting stuff there Stu. I don't suppose the Modulus system offers a solution to these two old chestnuts (i) horse shunting and (ii) gravity shunting? Hi Mikkel, If you can think of a mechanism that can be worked by a servo, Modulus can control it. Horse shunting - the main challenge would be the movement of wagons by themselves ( eg a High Level chassis), not to mention a moving horse, but neither of which is really solved by a servo. Gravity shunting - it should be possible to create a flange-gripping brake contraption, servo operated, which could be semi-automatic if required, as well as the uncoupler at the top of the slope. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 24, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2022 Thanks Stu, food for thought. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 24, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2022 A Sentinel with a short fish train arrives on scene (ok, you need to image the scenery and hidden loop line and overbridge and factory). 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 24, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2022 I've now added a micro switch to detect if the train has fully arrived on the sector plate. This will trigger an event to light an LED on the mimic panel. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 26, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2022 Stuff moves. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 26, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2022 It's strange how a simple viewblock increases interest. Visually, but also because as a viewer you stick around to see if the d*mn thing really does come out on the other side 🙂 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 26, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2022 1 hour ago, Mikkel said: It's strange how a simple viewblock increases interest. Visually, but also because as a viewer you stick around to see if the d*mn thing really does come out on the other side 🙂 The hidden loop will extend the full length of the layout, from the to-be-added FY on the left all the way to the sector plate. The reasons for the loop and sector plate are twofold - to remove the need for a second FY and operator, and to display the capabilities operating a servo. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 26, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2022 Ah right, I had forgotten the trackplan. Still, my own misunderstandings are giving me ideas. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 26, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2022 8 minutes ago, Mikkel said: Ah right, I had forgotten the trackplan. It has changed, several times. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduncan Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Stu, What exactly is modulus, it’s components and how do they fit together? And how much? Duncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 Just one word Stu, well two actually, blooming wow. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 27, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2022 (edited) Modulus is a set of modules which can operate sound, lights and animation, on model railways, Lego, robots, or any other framework. It has been developed for and on behalf of @ScaleModelScenery. It uses it's own WiFi network to communicate, removing the need for massive inter-board connecting cables. Each module is identical, and can be configured to perform one of several functions (Input, Servo, Relay, etc), each of which has an appropriate slave module. For examples in action, please see my YouTube channel ( stubby47), and there is much more information on the RailwayModellers.com forum https://community.railwaymodellers.com/folders/1316 Prices have not yet been released. Hope that helps. Edited October 27, 2022 by Stubby47 1 1 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted November 1, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 1, 2022 After picking up various pieces of Modulus kit from Justin at SMS HQ yesterday, today I installed some of the kit on both baseboards. Board #1 has a Servo and a Relay module, Board 2 has the same with an extra Input module too. As the layout had been previously wired, with droppers on all the tracks, it was a simple job to add the 3rd servo, mount the modules and connect the various bits of wire. Each section of track, apart from the two points, can be individually isolated, making DC operation more interesting. Obviously for DCC, all sections are turned on. Once both boards were wired to the modules, I configured a new base unit and the 5 modules. I then set the various values for the 3 servo positions, and then checked/tweaked the settings for the 2 frogs and all the separate sections. Tomorrow I will connect the boards and run trains around. Once I'm happy all is working, I will make the control panel, wiring it up to match the recorded settings. We also plan to have a Mimic panel to show the various track information. Board #1 - Goods Yard Board #2 - Factory 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted November 3, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2022 Trains can now run on the layout which is under Modulus control. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted November 10, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2022 Let's have some fun today... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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