Great Northwestern Railway

The blog post on configuring a node raised some eyebrows since the nodes come essentially already configured for detection.  I had to configure a bunch of Tortoise stall motor drive outputs, so presenting a step-by-step for configuring those kinds of outputs. For this post, I am using an RR-Cirkits Tower-LCC board with an RR-Cirkits SMD-8 stall motor driver board attached.  As before, everything is done via JMRI Panel Pro.   Open Panel Pro and then the OpenLCB config tool: As before, open the node and click on the Config Dialog: You'll see the info upload from the node.  This is a tower LCC with several points already configured.  We will do point 11: Click on tab Line 11 and, just as before, name the point.  Note that it changes to an orange background to show it was not changed on the node: Click on "Write" and it's in! Now scroll down to the Producer/Consumer options.  The whole discussion about producers and consumers can get a bit

One of the hardest things about learning about a new hardware system is to simply understand the parts and how they go together.  Here is an introductory walkaround of the LCC components on the GNW.  In the video, you will see the "hubs" - collections of nodes, nodes, both Tower-LCC and Signal-LCC, how the LCC Power-Point ties in, as well as the USB computer interface.  Also presents a few ideas on how to install the system. Link is   HERE Enjoy!

The radio silence does not mean that progress has not been happening!  In fact, the main deck benchwork is complete and track is quickly being laid.  Here are some highlights and commentary: Before building everything out, I set up a temporary mockup of the elevation the main deck will be set at.  Recall there was some adjusting during design on this.  Looks like it is working out! Next set up backdrop supports along the peninsula. Framing of the main deck proceeding.  I built them off the layout, then set them in place.  Screwed to the wall and then temp supports for the front edge. Pieces coming together! I tried joist hangers on the previous buildout and really like them.  Did so again on this expansion.  They look flimsy, but in reality, they are rock solid.  Recall the lateral support comes from the back edge, not the front.  These just provide vertical support.   A couple more examples of the vertical support system. Note all the wiring for the s

Recall one of the drivers for trying out LCC was to avoid writing detailed code.   Yes, I ~can~ write code.   But it is not my interest or hobby.   As such, anything that can help me translate what is in my head to implementation on a chip somewhere with as little brain damage as possible is quite welcome in my book.   Additionally I did not want the brains of the layout to live in a PC.   There are days when I just want to come down to the basement, flip on the power switch, and run trains.   And… if I am going to go through the trouble of having signals, I want them to come up and operating properly immediately.   Yea, I know I can set up a PC to boot up, execute the right programs and get running on its own.   Sorta.   It’s just one more piece of equipment and step I just don’t care to deal with.        Anyway…. So a big part of my hesitation of leaping into LCC was the angst associated with programming one of these nodes.   I do not have any model rail friends nearb