15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

with Momentary Contacts with Momentary Contacts and a Diode-Matrixand a Diode-Matrix

ByBy

Jerry Hoverson, MMRJerry Hoverson, MMR

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

• Easy to install• Reliable• Rugged• Provides slow, quit movement of points• Provides constant pressure to hold points against stock rail• Provides 2 sets of contact points

• Frog polarity control• Panel indicator lights• Switch indicator signals

• Has become the hobby standard for remote control of turnouts

Why the Tortoise switch machine motor in the first place

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

The biggest disadvantage of the Tortoise switch machine motor is that it requires a constant, reversible 9-12 VDC power source.

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

So what happens if you try to control that turnout from more then one control panel with that constant power source?

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Enter the 556 circuit!

556

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Where you can control the Tortoise with MOMENTARY devices

556

- S 8 R 1 +

MomentaryPushbuttons

MomentaryDT Center OffToggle Switch

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Here’s the circuit diagram for those who just have to have one.

R12.2K

R210K

R310K

+ 12 VDC

- 12 VDC

IC1LM556-B

62

1

7

5

IC1LM556-A

14 8

13 9

12

C110uf

+

-

D1

D2

Set

Reset

Tortoise

1 8

300 ohm

300 ohm

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

OK, lets look at how we would install this on a simple track arrangement.

MAINLINE

Track A

Track B

Track C

Track D

15 November 2008

Slave Control Panel Master Control Panel

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

One method is to mount the 556 circuits in one “master” panel and then connect additional “slave” panels to the master.

556

- S 8 R 1 +

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

What’s good and what’s bad about this method of installing?

• PROS• 556 Circuit is accessible inside the control panel not under the layout• Multiple circuits can be ganged together

• Single board• Single power connection with Positive and Negative 12 VDC buses

• Only 2 wires going from main panel to Tortoise

• CONS• Takes up real estate inside the control panel• Depending on other items may be difficult to get to connectors• Large number of wires going between each panel• Hard to add another tortoise once complete

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Here’s a “ganged” set of 556 circuits in a control panel.

15 November 2008

Tortoise

Tortoise

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Let’s look at a general setup using a “master” panel.

Tortoise

MasterSlave

12 VDC

2-Wire (+ & -) 12 VDC

2-Wire from Master Panel(1 & 8) for Tortoise movement

16-Wire from Slave to Master(S & R) for control of each circuit

(1 & 8) for LED indicators for each circuit

556

Tortoise

556

556 556

15 November 2008

Control Panel B Control Panel A

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Another method is to mount individual circuits near each Tortoise Machine

556

- S 8 R 1 +

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

• PROS• Frees up space inside the control panel• Multiple circuits can be ganged together if tortoises are close together (i.e. a yard ladder)• No massive bundle of wires between panels• Simple to add another circuit between panels

• CONS• Takes 4 wires from each panel to the tortoise• Takes 2 wires to supply power to each circuit

• Set up as a bus and daisy chained

Why use this method of installation?

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Here’s an individual circuit mounted near the Tortoise Machine

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Let’s look at a general setup using the individual 556 circuits mounted at the tortoises

556

556

556

556

MasterSlave

12 VDC

2-Wire (+ & -) power bus

4-Wire from Master(S & R) for control

(1 & 8) for LED indicators

4-Wire from Slave(S & R) for control

(1 & 8) for LED indicators

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Now let’s take this a step further and implement a Diode-Matrix to control several turnouts with a single button.

Otherwise known as “route control”.

A

B

C

D

EMAINLINE

Track D

Track C

Track B

Track A

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

To implement a Diode-Matrix you simply wire each button to an input on the matrix and the outputs of the matrix to the “S” & “R”

connections on each 556 circuit

A

B

C

D

E

We’ll start by numbering each turnout

1

2

3

4Then we need to determine which direction is Set “S” or the default position

S

S

S

SThe unmarked direction is then the “R” or Reset position

If we push button “A” then 1=R, 2=S, 3=S, 4=S

If we push button “E” then 1=S & we don’t care about the others

Mainline

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Let’s take a few minutes and set up our Diode-Matrix

A

B

C

D

E1

2

3

4

S

S

S

SR

R

RR

S R4

ABCDE

S R3

S R2

S R1

Remember, if we push Button “A”• 1 goes to “R”• 2 goes to “S”• 3 goes to “S”• 4 goes to “S”

if we push Button “B”• 1 goes to “R”• 2 goes to “S”• 3 goes to “S”• 4 goes to “R”

if we push Button “C”• 1 goes to “R”• 2 goes to “S”• 3 goes to “R”• 4 we don’t care

if we push Button “D”• 1 goes to “R”• 2 goes to “R”• 3 we don’t care• 4 we don’t care

if we push Button “E”• 1 goes to “S”• 2 we don’t care• 3 we don’t care• 4 we don’t care

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary ContactsSo let’s wire up the Diode-Matrix with the 556 Circuits

A

B

C

D

E

S R4

ABCDE

S R3

S R2

S R1

556 #1- S 8 R 1 +

556 #2- S 8 R 1 +

556 #3- S 8 R 1 +

556 #4- S 8 R 1 +

+ 12 VDC

Connect the buttons to the matrix inputs

Connect matrix outputs to the 556 circuits

Connect the buttons and the 556 circuits to ground Connect the 556

circuits to + 12VDC

And last connect the “1” & “8” outputs on the 556s to the tortoise machines

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

OK, now that you’ve seen all the wonderful things a 556 circuit can do for you, what does it consist of and what does it cost?

Parts ListPart Nominclature Price

  2 x 2.375 circuit board $ 0.59   14-pin solder IC socket $ 0.20

C1 10uf Electrolitic Capacitor $ 0.16 D1 "Set" Red LED $ 0.17 D2 "Reset" Red LED $ 0.17 IC1 LM556 $ 0.89 R1 2.2K Resistor $ 0.12 R2 "Set" 10K Resistor $ 0.12 R3 "Reset" 10K Resistor $ 0.12 S1 3-Socket Connector "+", "1", "R" $ 0.39

S2 3-Socket Connector "8", "S", "-" $ 0.39 $ 3.32

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

Here is what individual 556 circuits for mounting near the Tortoises looks like

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R

1 o o o o o o o o o o o o 12 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23 o o o o o o o o o o o o 34 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 45 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 56 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 67 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 78 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 89 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 9

10 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1112 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1213 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1314 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1415 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1516 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1617 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1718 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1819 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1920 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 2021 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2122 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2223 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R

Component Side

8

+

--

S

R

1234567 8

910111213141

IC1

C1

D1 D2

R2

R3

R1

R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

1 o o o o o o o o o o o o 12 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23 o o o o o o o o o o o o 34 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 45 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 56 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 67 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 78 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 89 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 9

10 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1112 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1213 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1314 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1415 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1516 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1617 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1718 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1819 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1920 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 2021 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2122 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2223 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23

R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

Solder Side

D2

8

+

--

S

R

12345678

91011121314 1

IC1

C1R2

R3

D1

R1

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts• The 556 circuit used in this presentation was developed by Rob Paisley• Rob has published a lot of model railroad circuits, for example:

• Stall motor turnout controls like this one (several variations exist)• Automatic grade crossing controls• Traffic light control• Infrared detectors• Block occupancy detectors

• His web site: http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/CircuitIndex.html#index

If you are interested in building this circuit and trying it out there are handouts available that include:

• Electrical diagram• Parts list• Parts layout diagrams• Detailed step by step instructions on building the circuit

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

15 November 2008

Controlling Tortoise Controlling Tortoise MachinesMachines

With Momentary ContactsWith Momentary Contacts

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

1 o o o o o o o o o o o o 1 1 o o o o o o o o o o o o 12 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2 2 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23 o o o o o o o o o o o o 3 3 o o o o o o o o o o o o 34 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 4 4 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 45 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 5 5 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 56 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 6 6 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 67 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 7 7 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 78 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 8 8 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 89 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 9 9 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 9

10 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 10 10 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 11 11 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1112 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 12 12 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1213 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 13 13 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1314 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 14 14 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1415 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 15 15 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1516 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 16 16 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1617 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 17 17 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1718 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 18 18 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1819 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 19 19 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1920 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 20 20 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 2021 o o o o o o o o o o o o 21 21 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2122 o o o o o o o o o o o o 22 22 o o o o o o o o o o o o 2223 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23 23 o o o o o o o o o o o o 23

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

Component Side Solder Side

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

- + + -

- +

+

1

R

8

S

-

556