Nice! Have you heard of any way to set up signal lights and sensors so that if the second train on the same track gets too close to the train in front the light would turn red and the second train would stop until a sensor of some kind detects no cars above it. At that point the second train would get a green light and the second train would start moving again? That would be really cool if it is possible, and prevent the Gomez Addams effect!
Thanks, Ed. Yes, you can set up automatic signals with occupancy detection to see if there is a train in a specific section of the track. It would flip the train signal to red if the operator was paying attention (well, obviously that is a problem with the prototypes too). I know if we move into full computer control there are ways to get it to slow or stop the train from entering the occupied section. I think we could do it without going quite that far though, maybe rig a circuit to cut power to the section of track just before the signal. I have been thinking about eventually building the signals and occupancy detectors just to make the layout more realistic, but adding an automatic power cutout would probably be a good idea. But the Gomez effect is still so cool, just a little more expensive than I can do often.
Nice! Have you heard of any way to set up signal lights and sensors so that if the second train on the same track gets too close to the train in front the light would turn red and the second train would stop until a sensor of some kind detects no cars above it. At that point the second train would get a green light and the second train would start moving again? That would be really cool if it is possible, and prevent the Gomez Addams effect!
Thanks, Ed. Yes, you can set up automatic signals with occupancy detection to see if there is a train in a specific section of the track. It would flip the train signal to red if the operator was paying attention (well, obviously that is a problem with the prototypes too). I know if we move into full computer control there are ways to get it to slow or stop the train from entering the occupied section. I think we could do it without going quite that far though, maybe rig a circuit to cut power to the section of track just before the signal.
I have been thinking about eventually building the signals and occupancy detectors just to make the layout more realistic, but adding an automatic power cutout would probably be a good idea. But the Gomez effect is still so cool, just a little more expensive than I can do often.