Coaling Station Control Demonstration Time Duration: - 7:23min.

Transcription

1 Hi All, I seem to be on a roll at the moment getting all my function items working with TrainController and this document is another record of how I configured TrainController for easy control of my ärklin Coaling Station and the important points required to successfully run it using macros embedded as function buttons in a Train Window. Note: - As there is no feedback from the ärklin Coaling Station all actions are time based and will be subject to time variations caused by temperature change, power supply variations, wear and tear etc. Systems Tested: - Uhlenbrock Intellibox and ESU ECoS Coaling Station Control Demonstration Time Duration: - 7:23min. Video on YouTube 1

2 Crane Control The diagram left shows it in RUN mode set at the default position for the embedded macros. The Block Coaling Station must be Reserved by engine (71) Coaling Station for the Diorama Macro to work. The diagram left shows it in Edit mode set at the default position for the embedded macros. The Coaling Stn Pwr Off/On toggle switch and Flagman indicators only show in edit mode and are controlled by the and icons in the Train Window. The toggle switch controls a k84 relay which turns Off/On the power supply to the Coaling Station. 2

3 Function Button Icons The icons in the top row of the Train Window represent all the function Buttons required to control the Coaling Station and are also shown as Icons (not the same) for the ECoS Command Station. F0 = Bucket closed and Bucket open Warning: The Coaling Station lights will flash if you leave this function on for too long and should be turned off as soon as possible. F1 = Traverse Select Off F2 = Cabin Lights Off F3 = Bucket Select Off F4 = Rotate Select Off and Traverse Select On and Cabin Lights On and Bucket Select On and Rotate Select On Function Button Macro Icons All function icons with a Blue background contain embedded macros. All the timing in the macros will have to be finetuned to suit individual Coaling Station speeds as I have tested my friends Coaling Station and his ran much faster than mine. Slew Bin 1 macro The Coaling Station will reverse traverse from the far right end stop position, (refer to photo of default position for macros) stop some distance from the left stop then rotate and traverse at the same time (Slew) and position the bucket above Bin 1, lower the bucket into the bin, open the bucket for 2 seconds, raise the bucket then rotate back to the default position. 3

4 Function Button Macro Icons continued Jog Rev Bin2, Bin3, End macro The Coaling Station will reverse traverse from the far right end stop position, (refer to photo of default position for macros) and stop with the bucket positioned above Bin2 then repeat the command and it will reverse traverse and stop with the bucket positioned above Bin3, repeat again and the coaling Station will reverse traverse to the left end stop, the default position. I call this process Jogging. Jog Fwd Bin3, Bin2, End macro The Coaling Station will forward traverse from the left end stop position, (refer to photo of default position for macros) and stop with the bucket positioned above Bin3 then repeat the command and it will forward traverse and stop with the bucket positioned above Bin2, repeat again and the coaling Station will forward traverse to the right end stop.. I call this process Jogging. Slew Bin 4 macro The Coaling Station will forward traverse from the left end stop position, (refer to photo of default position for macros) stop some distance from the right stop then rotate and traverse at the same time (Slew) and position the bucket above Bin 4, lower the bucket into the bin, open the bucket for 2 seconds, raise the bucket then rotate back to the most right of default position. CW 90 macro The Coaling Station will rotate CW 90 deg. CCW 90 macro The Coaling Station will rotate CCW 90 deg. CW 180 macro The Coaling Station will rotate CW 180 deg. CCW 180 macro The Coaling Station will rotate CCW 180 deg. Bucket Down L macro The Coaling Station will lower the Bucket for a long duration. Bucket Up L macro The Coaling Station will raise the Bucket for a long duration. Bucket Down S macro The Coaling Station will lower the Bucket for a short duration. Bucket Up S macro The Coaling Station will raise the Bucket for a short duration. Bucket Open macro The Coaling Station will open the Bucket for 2 seconds duration. Tip: - use this icon for all bucket openings. 4

5 The supplied file coaling_stn_files.zip contains the following files rms_coaling_stn_ yrr rms_coaling_stn_ yrs rms_coaling_stn_ yrw coaling_stn.yrl coaling_stn.yra coaling_stn_defaults.jpg Grossbekohlung_5740e9fe81.bmp (Loco icon for the ECoS Command Station) Warning: - All files have been created using Gold TC software version 7.0E2 Testing your Märklin Coaling Station is done at your own risk. Installing Coaling Station Files To have a look at the Märklin Coaling Station operating, unzip coaling_stn_files.zip and do the following. 1) Place rms_coaling_stn_ yrr, rms_coaling_stn_ yrs and rms_coaling_stn_ yrw under the TrainController directory. 2) Make a directory called function_items under the TrainAnimator directory and place coaling_stn.yra and coaling_stn_defaults.jpg under the function_items directory. 3) Place coaling_stn.yrl under TrainController\Locomotive Data directory. Crane Control Testing 1. Start TrainController and select your digital system. The rms_coaling_stn_ yrr file was created using an ECoS. 2. Go into Edit Mode, Under the General Tab add the correct graphic from Function Items directory then under Connection Tab change the Coaling Station address (default is 71) to suit the decoder address that your Coaling Station has and you are now nearly ready to start testing. 3. Control you Coaling Station manually from your digital controller and confirm that the forward direction defaults are the same as shown. (Traverse = left to right, Rot=CW, Bucket=Up) Tip: - If your bucket goes down in the forward direction let it continue to the full length possible and it will then go up correcting the direction for further use. 4) Click the function button in the Train Window, the bucket should then open, click again to close the bucket. 5) Click the function button in the Train Window to test the cabin lights. 6) Click the function button in the Train Window, using the speed control and direction control arrow ensure the coaling station will traverse in the correct direction (see note3) 7) Click the function button in the Train Window using the speed control and direction control arrow ensure the coaling station will rotate in the correct direction (see note3) 8) Click the function button in the Train Window using the speed control and direction control arrow ensure the coaling station will raise/lower the bucket in the correct direction (see note3) 5

6 Crane Control Testing continued 9) The blue macro icons shown contain macros where the action required is first selected then the crane is controlled for a period of time. Make sure you are successful with points 3-8 before you start using the blue icons and wait until the action is complete before selecting the next action. a) If you notice the Coaling station overruns any action, edit the appropriate macro (listed below) and shorten the time duration. b) If the Coaling Station underruns any action, edit the appropriate macro (listed below) and lengthen the time duration. c) The Jog icons traverse is equal to a third of the total traverse distance, so you can click the icon more than once to jog between Bins and End stops. 10) The Slew icons are very complex and should only be tested once you have adjusted all the times in the macros in point 9. a) First adjust the traverse time so the Coaling Station just stops where the indent in the rail is. b) Next adjust the rotation time. You will note that the traverse is still on and this action requires more speed as 3 motors (traverse x2 and rotate) are running, this provides the Slew action. c) Rotate is now turned off and the traverse continues for a very short period to ensure the Coaling Station has reached the end stop. d) The embedded macros require a long delay that is longer than the time taken to complete that action (refer to the times in the particular macro) e) The Beep at the end of the macro informs you that you can correct the rotation angle manually before clicking another action icon. 11) The Diorama Macro push button should ONLY be tested once points 9-10 work really well. a) The Block Coaling Station must be Reserved by engine (71) Coaling Station for the Diorama Macro to work. b) The Flagman indicator must be associated with the Coaling Station Block (see Block Editor) c) The Coaling Station power must be On for the diorama macro to work. d) The Diorama Macro push button can only pushed once as there is a Timer beginning when turning off Memory associated to the Flagman. The push button can only work when the Flagman is off. 6

7 Bonus Time If you have successfully tested and run the Märklin Coaling Station as listed above and would like to enter the information into your_layout.yrr you will have completed most of the hard work required. I have outlined some procedures below. Warning: - Copying rms_coaling_stn_ yrr will take an experienced user 0.5 hours or less to complete. I know this because I copied the Märklin Coaling Station information to my friends *.yrr to prove that it could be done and test a different Coaling Station. Because this is an advanced topic the procedures below are an outline only of what you will have to do. TIP: - Copying data from one *.yrr file to another *.yrr file To do this process you must start another TrainController (you will have two TrainController s running) and resize both windows so they are side by side. rms_coaling_stn_ yrr should be open in the left side TrainController and your_layout.yrr is open in the right TrainController. In the left TrainController window select the items required in a window then hit Ctrl + C to copy items. In the right TrainController LMC (left mouse click) the location you want to place the items and Hit Ctrl + V to paste items. Do another LMC away from any other item in the right TrainController to finally place the items in your_layout.yrr Copy Procedure Outline 1. Create a new Switchboard in your_layout.yrr named Function Items. 2. Delete your Engine named Coaling Station (see point 3 for reasons). 3. Import the Engine named coaling_stn.yrl (supplied file) into your_layout.yrr. This provides all icons required and a speed profile for the Coaling Station so Dr. Railroad won t complain. 4. Using New Explorer windows copy all macros. Make sure that you copy Coaling Stn Slew Bin 1, Coaling Stn Slew Bin 4 and Coaling Stn Diorama last and in the order stated. 5. Copy all switchboard switches, Flagmen, text and image. 6. Check all switch properties and make any required changes. 7. Fix Flagman to required switches and check all properties. 8. Using the Block Editor delete all Flagman and reinsert the required Flagman for Block Coaling Station. 9. Edit the Engine Coaling Station and fix list operations (accessories and macro s). 10. Enjoy controlling your Märklin Coaling Station with ease. As always enjoy your model trains. 7