Good Job !!!!! I appreciate your dedication to the hobby .... BUT, this is why I stay in DC.... mainly because of two reasons... I am on a fixed income via social insecurity and I do not have a Master's Degree in electronics.... but, as my wife said, each to his own.... Good luck with it, I support you all the way...
I really enjoyed this video. It has a lot of good information in it. I don’t know everything about JMRI and learned a lot from this,, and will keep watching. However you are mixing up blocks with sensors. There is a blocks table further down the drop down menu. When you edit the block on the panel you are editing this table.
Another great video. The topic of blocks and signals can always be hard to follow. I'm still trying to find a tutorial that is way back at step 0 basics about the following. 1. Best way to divide layout into blocks. Where are the boundaries. How granular. 2. Where to put the signals and which signals (1 or 2 head) and tower vs. dwarf. 3. And related to detection, which blocks are not worth it detectors. I was hoping that Dave Abeles book would help me get started, but nothing seems to talk about step 0. BTW, does one of your videos show how you made the resistor wheel sets?
Simply... Impressive!! I cannot imagine the time spent studying and trial-and-error to get all this working like the way you do. I will have to explore JMRI more in depth at some point, sure does look complex. How many resistor per car? 1 per axle or 1 per car (i:e: 1 out of 4 axle) Interesting the conductivity of the resistor (dirty wheels) This is by far the most exhaustive and in-depth video on the subject. Well done indeed. I have bookmark this video for future reference. Cheers. Syl
Oh man, I’m gonna need to study this video in detail soon... I’m just about to that stage on my layout, and block detection will be important for remote dispatching...
Nice Set of Videos on block detection, I keep going over each of them to determine how your BD process finally ended up. Thank You So Much for sharing the knowledge you have learned. I have 1 question - I see you have 1 PM42 does it power all of the BD168s?
Perfect Dan as I am working on my block detection right now and I’m also using CATS over CMRI / JMRI. Are you going to the Amherst Train show next week?
I am currently trying to plan an automatic pass on my layout. 2 switches and one main line. I’ve been told using a bdl168 and a ds 64 should work. Any opinions on your end? I’m trying to research as much as possible before I buy unnecessary equipment! Cheers! Great video
Hi Samuel. Thanks for watching! 👍Those 2 components should do the trick. Will you be using the other BDL blocks for the rest of the layout? You get 16 blocks total.
@@rhythmrailroad1101 Thanks for the response. I believe so I’m going to have to figure it all out. My layout is N scale 12’ x 3’ and not very big so I’m not sure how I could break it into 16 blocks lol. Is there anything else you can use the BDL for ?
@@RenegadeModelRailroader the reason I was asking about your layout is because if you don’t need a lot of blocks there are other detection devices available that only do like 4 blocks for example and you can save money. I think Digitrax makes one called a BD4. I generally use 4 blocks for each siding (1 for each turnout, the siding and the main between the turnouts). I don’t think the BDL168 can be used much more than detection. I suppose you can get creative with lights and other automated things that would be triggered when a train is in a particular block. Hope this helps.
@@rhythmrailroad1101 Ok awesome !! Thanks for that tip. I was thinking the same thing But didn’t know if they made a smaller version. That’s great. Got it. Ya it really helps man! Very much appreciate your time on this.
Dan thanks for all the videos you’ve put out so far, they are a real big help. I’ve noticed you have a SE8C and I’m assuming that your using it for just signaling. Can you show how you did it. Also how sections of track are you designating for a block? I’m guessing that it shouldn’t make a difference but watching this video and the issue you found it might. Thanks for sharing
Hi Andrew…I just use a wall-wart type power source between 12 and 15 volts. Nothing special. I don’t recommend sharing the power source with other components.
I never looked into the amperage but I have 4 completely different power supplies for the 4 BDL’s on my layout and have had no problems. Check the BDL manual out. I’m sure it’s on there somewhere
Good Job !!!!! I appreciate your dedication to the hobby .... BUT, this is why I stay in DC.... mainly because of two reasons... I am on a fixed income via social insecurity and I do not have a Master's Degree in electronics.... but, as my wife said, each to his own.... Good luck with it, I support you all the way...
I really enjoyed this video. It has a lot of good information in it. I don’t know everything about JMRI and learned a lot from this,, and will keep watching. However you are mixing up blocks with sensors. There is a blocks table further down the drop down menu. When you edit the block on the panel you are editing this table.
Another great video. The topic of blocks and signals can always be hard to follow. I'm still trying to find a tutorial that is way back at step 0 basics about the following.
1. Best way to divide layout into blocks. Where are the boundaries. How granular.
2. Where to put the signals and which signals (1 or 2 head) and tower vs. dwarf.
3. And related to detection, which blocks are not worth it detectors.
I was hoping that Dave Abeles book would help me get started, but nothing seems to talk about step 0.
BTW, does one of your videos show how you made the resistor wheel sets?
Simply... Impressive!! I cannot imagine the time spent studying and trial-and-error to get all this working like the way you do. I will have to explore JMRI more in depth at some point, sure does look complex. How many resistor per car? 1 per axle or 1 per car (i:e: 1 out of 4 axle) Interesting the conductivity of the resistor (dirty wheels) This is by far the most exhaustive and in-depth video on the subject. Well done indeed. I have bookmark this video for future reference. Cheers. Syl
Oh man, I’m gonna need to study this video in detail soon... I’m just about to that stage on my layout, and block detection will be important for remote dispatching...
Nice Set of Videos on block detection, I keep going over each of them to determine how your BD process finally ended up. Thank You So Much for sharing the knowledge you have learned. I have 1 question - I see you have 1 PM42 does it power all of the BD168s?
Perfect Dan as I am working on my block detection right now and I’m also using CATS over CMRI / JMRI. Are you going to the Amherst Train show next week?
I am currently trying to plan an automatic pass on my layout. 2 switches and one main line. I’ve been told using a bdl168 and a ds 64 should work. Any opinions on your end?
I’m trying to research as much as possible before I buy unnecessary equipment! Cheers! Great video
Hi Samuel. Thanks for watching! 👍Those 2 components should do the trick. Will you be using the other BDL blocks for the rest of the layout? You get 16 blocks total.
@@rhythmrailroad1101 Thanks for the response. I believe so I’m going to have to figure it all out. My layout is N scale 12’ x 3’ and not very big so I’m not sure how I could break it into 16 blocks lol. Is there anything else you can use the BDL for ?
@@RenegadeModelRailroader the reason I was asking about your layout is because if you don’t need a lot of blocks there are other detection devices available that only do like 4 blocks for example and you can save money. I think Digitrax makes one called a BD4. I generally use 4 blocks for each siding (1 for each turnout, the siding and the main between the turnouts). I don’t think the BDL168 can be used much more than detection. I suppose you can get creative with lights and other automated things that would be triggered when a train is in a particular block. Hope this helps.
@@rhythmrailroad1101 Ok awesome !! Thanks for that tip. I was thinking the same thing But didn’t know if they made a smaller version. That’s great.
Got it. Ya it really helps man! Very much appreciate your time on this.
Dan thanks for all the videos you’ve put out so far, they are a real big help. I’ve noticed you have a SE8C and I’m assuming that your using it for just signaling. Can you show how you did it. Also how sections of track are you designating for a block? I’m guessing that it shouldn’t make a difference but watching this video and the issue you found it might. Thanks for sharing
What do you use to power your BDL168 Breakout boards?
Hi Andrew…I just use a wall-wart type power source between 12 and 15 volts. Nothing special. I don’t recommend sharing the power source with other components.
@@rhythmrailroad1101 Thank you, do they have a certain amp rating?
I never looked into the amperage but I have 4 completely different power supplies for the 4 BDL’s on my layout and have had no problems. Check the BDL manual out. I’m sure it’s on there somewhere