#ROCRAIL RASPBERRY PI HOW TO#
#ROCRAIL RASPBERRY PI CODE#

This can be done via timer driven interrupt, but I'm worried about adding such things to an arduino that is already busy driving the dcc waveform.

#ROCRAIL RASPBERRY PI CODE#

The code has to drive a pin high for about 100ms then drop it low again to energize the relay just long enough to trip the switch motor. This uses two arduino pins per track switch. This implies something like driving a relay board using two relays per track switch. They require a momentary pulse of current for each direction you want to throw the switch. Maybe base that one on the mega and load it up with various method of driving track switches, gates, lights, sensors, etc.Įxample: I've been trying to come up with a clean way of adding dcc++ control Atlas snap switches. Maybe stick to a Uno for generating the track signal and actually come up with a split off of code that uses /expands on the type commands to create a jmri controllable 'accessory' base station. would also be a good argument keep dcc++ a lean as possible. We should try to come up with an approach to expanding on functionality in a way that is always backward compatible as far as the set goes.Ĭlick to expand.hmm. I don't like the idea of using a single sourced mega clone that has wifi added in a nonstandard way.

I haven't had a need to add wifi to my base station yet but would be open to a simple 'stack this shield on top and hit reset' type of option.

#ROCRAIL RASPBERRY PI HOW TO#

I like the idea of keeping the dcc track control code in a library to keep the code modular but still include a 'sketch' that is the serial usb and /or networked interface and documentation on how to turn various 'dials' to tune it for your flavor of decoder that you are trying to read on the programming track. if you have a short with this thing, the board cuts the current before dcc++ notices it.Īnyway, I also like the idea of using the mega (genuine or cheap clone) as the minimum. I also have no idea why its fault signal pin was removed in the instructions. I would have liked to have found a source for the motor shield that was already soldered up with its various jumpers and such though. I really like jmri to control the throttles and I view it as a solid requirement for easily programming your locos. Given that the whole purpose of going dcc in the first place is to run more than one or two locos at the same time, I think we need to use a shield that won't get toasted when you start expanding your layout and try to run 3 or 4 double or triple headed trains.

My first iteration was the same but with the arduino motor shield.

I think this is about as simple as it gets.

My own iteration of DCC++ is running the original code on a Mega clone with the Pololu mc33926 motor shield usb connected to a raspberry pi 3b+ running jmri with track power coming from a Mean Well RS-100-15 (15V 7A) power supply. Some of the merged updates did bring DCC capabilities to BrickOS, so if anyone still has a Lego MindStorms RCX device around, there's another option, lol.įrom that context, though, the bjorniuppsala fork moving DCC signal generation to an ESP32 peripheral is understandable, as other processing and task scheduling and interrupt handling on the RCX could not be allowed to interfere with the timings of the DCC waveform generation output, if the DCC waveform was to remain compliant with the DCC spec (and in turn recognizable by standard DCC decoders). Once upon a time, I tried to unite various and sundry forks of the abandoned BrickOS project…a very tedious and time-consuming endeavor. As to which one might be the most progressed, I'm not sure of a good way to determine apart from either making an educated guess based on activity or inspecting the code of each. Which to choose?Īs additional reference, a network graph based on the atanisoft fork is here. There are forks with more recent updates, but they do not have as much activity over time. Click to expand.Appreciate the insight and background, Agree that the bjorniuppsala fork has not been updated in two years, but when reviewing the network graph for DccPlusPlus/BaseStation, while not the most recently active, it did seem to have a greater overall level of activity.

Rocrail raspberry pi