Category Archives: Rail layout

Sensors management with Rocrail

In this article I will address a key point to control our network via Rocrail or any other software. This is the feedback signal, or simply train detection on the network. Without it, impossible to know where are the trains, and therefore impossible to give them the right orders. You must place wisely sensors along the track. These sensors inform the detection of a train (some even allow to identify the train). In my case, I currently only sensors based …
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Albums

(Français) A présent, vous pouvez accéder à l’ensemble des photos prises lors de la réalisation de mon projet de modelisme.

Pour publier ces albums, j’utilise les plugins NextGEN : Gallerie, FlashViewer et Sidebar Widget. La traduction de ces plugins est en cours pour ceux que ça intéresse.
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Mikadotrain X73500

The rainy day was an opportunity for me to advance the work on my new railcar: A X73500 Burgundy region of Mikadotrain . The railcar is very well done. You can find more information on the website of the manufacturer. I started in a small challenge: to equip it with a sound decoder and change the railcar to add interior lighting. Leds are white leds classic colors I paint with stained glass “deep blue”. The leds are mounted in parallel …
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Turnouts adding on Rocrail

Now we know to control our locomotive from Rocrail, we’ll see how to declare the turnout. This is little more complicated. First, they must be defined on the central Our “curve” turnout has the address 998 (250 group – position 2), our “dual junction” turnout has the address 999 and 1000 (group 250 – Position 3 & 4). To recall, there may be 2048 accessories, or 512 groups (512 x 4 = 2048). There is very little information to provide …
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Locomotives adding on Rocrail

After discovering Rocrail and saw its installation, we will immediately see how to declare a new locomotive. Once this is done, we will not be very far from what our ecos center can do ! First, you have to set the locomotive on your Ecos. From the menu “Object”, which contains a list of all network elements that we can declare we select “Locomotives.” A window with several tabs will open and we will inform each of these tabs to …
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Rocrail & Rocview configuration

For those who have followed the previous articles, you must have read that I want to do a digital network to be able to control it via a computer, a phone or a tablet. The interest is to have an interface as user friendly as possible and especially to overcome the limitations of a central (in my case to the ecos ESU). Eventually, my network must be fully automated or not. Either the computer controls the trains following a schedule …
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Work, wiring, landscape and tests

Some news about my layout. I have worked on several subjects. Ballast tests : Tortoise motor and turnouts wiring. The second curve is ready, I have still to set the Peco’s bretelle double, and the track 3 and 4. I have worked on the platform ; some passengers wait the train (the time can be long !).

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Platforms building

When you fix the platforms, you have to think to the position and the size of platforms. I have quickly defined the platforms that I want to use. Here you can find the normes (height, size, position, space…) – in alignement – in curve Now we can start the build… After a few time ; the first results :

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Buffer stops with leds

I continue my work about the track. The track curve is now installed. To avoid be boring, I have started an other subject ; the train station decoration with the buffers stop. At the N gauge, there are several models, but none with a led light. I have chosen the Peco’s buffers stop ; the painting step (Humbrol 130 & 174). Then I have fixed the buffer elements. And I have finally fixed a subminiature red led. The light will …
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Turnouts & Ecos

In the previous posts, I have shown how to use the Ecos to drive a train and use the S88 sensor. Now, I’m going to explain how to control the turnout. If you have read all my articles, I have installed tortoise engine to move the turnout. I have chosen a SwitchPilot from Esu. These modules, very interessant, can’t directly control the tortoise motor ! So, I use a little adaptator. A quick test with a lab permits to validate …
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