Electronics SIG Zoom meeting Thursday 18th April 2024, 8 pm

[Graeme Dunbar]

Details of our next meeting:


Topic: Electronics SIG - Graeme Dunbar

Time: Apr 18, 2024 20:00 London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86173221289?pwd=aOU3k55e5Pr5sywOL5D7CNNqm9GWCj.1

Meeting ID: 861 7322 1289

Many thanks to Iain for setting it up.

Passcode: 614339

[Dave Cooper]

A very interesting and wide-ranging meeting. I especially enjoyed the technical presentation on train identification. However, apart from long tunnels /multiple tracks etc., I can't really see the benefits of all this unless, perhaps, one is going to 'computer-ise' the whole layout ? Personally, I only run one train at a time and I can see it the whole time except briefly when its in a short cutting....Nevertheless, a very interesting topic for further discussion. Regards, Dave

[Graeme Dunbar]

Yes, it was a fascinating presentation and I look forward to seeing the system progress.

I guess there are many reasons why someone might want to implement partial or full automation. For larger layouts at exhibitions automation I can see it may certainly ease running. I'm not sure how many operators it would take to run say Iain Morrison's Kaninchenbau layout manually at the level it does. For home operation perhaps it goes back to systems such as the 'Automatic Crispin'. I can see the attraction of being able to call on trains from a fiddle yard and have them return by themselves leaving the operators to deal with the scenic parts and letting the 'rest of the world/railway system' look after itself.

At a much lower level, there are simple shuttles and 009 versions are sometimes seen as feeder lines for OO layouts.

The aspect that intrigues me is the automation of 'through trains' leaving me to do the shunting.