Model Train Electronic Circuits or Electronic Schematics

Model Trains Circuits   Page 7
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Last Updated on: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 05:05 AM

Circuits Designed by Dave Johnson, P.E. :

LED Lighthouse Flasher for HO Model Train - HO train sets often have authentic looking scale model homes and buildings. The hobby circuit below can be mounted inside a model lighthouse. The electronic circuit drives a single LED lamp in such a way that it produces light which simulates the rotation . . . [Hobby Circuit designed by David Johnson P.E., 07/11/06]
Lighthouse LED Flasher - This was originally designed for a model in a HO train set. It simulates the behavior of the light from a lighthouse. The LED intensity gradually increases, then flashes with a bright light and finally decreases slowly in intensity . . . [Circuit by Dave Johnson P.E., 07/11/06]
Miniature Lighthouse Light Simulator - The circuit I came up with is shown below. It uses two dual low power op amps. The first two devices form a classic oscillator circuit whose output is a triangle waveform signal. That signal is routed to a current regulator circuit, which converts the triangle voltage signal to a triangle current signal through the lighthouse LED. A third op amp generates pulses timed so they occur at the peak of the triangle waveform. The result is a LED, which gradually grows brighter, then flashes even brighter before dimming again. This should produce a light, which simulates a rotating lighthouse light . . . [Circuit Solution by David Johnson P.E., 05/07/06]
Model Train Lighthouse Flasher Revisited - HO train sets often have authentic looking scale model homes and buildings. A while back someone asked me to design a flashing LED light, which he could mount inside a model lighthouse and have it operate so it would appear to rotate and flash. I designed a working circuit but I was never pleased with the results. I’m still not 100% pleased but the revised circuit below seems to operate a bit better than the older circuit.… [Hobby Circuit designed by Dave Johnson P.E., May 2012] . . . [Hobby Circuit designed by David A. Johnson P.E., 12/20/12]

Links to electronic circuits, electronic schematics, designs for engineers, hobbyists, students & inventors:

L.M.R.G. Incline Railway System - The drawings and photos below are for an operating incline railway that was built by the London Model Railroad Group for its 'O' scale model railway club located at London, Ontario, Canada. This is a single car model loosely based on a double car incline that operated at Port Stanley, Ontario. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Laser Pointer Train Detector - This train detector makes use of hand held laser pointer devices that are widely available to detect trains over long distances. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LED Out Circuits For Tortoise Switch Machines - Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LED Traffic Lights - The LED traffic Light circuit controls 6 LEDs (red, yellow and green) for both north/south directions and east/west directions. The timing sequence is generated using a CMOS 4017 decade counter and a 555 timer. Counter outputs 1 through 4 are wire ORed using 4 diodes so that the (Red, North/South) and (Green, East/West) LEDs will be on during....[Bill Bowden]

LED-Current Limiting Resistor Calculator - The calculators on this page can be used to find current limiting resistors and currents for Light Emitting Diodes. The first calculator determines the resistance for a desired LED current while the second calculates the current for a given resistance. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LEGO® RCX Brick Rechargeable Battery Tester - The circuit on this page is for a rechargeable battery tester using a LEGO® RCX Brick to gather voltage verses time data and then upload the data to a PC using the ROBOLAB Software. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LEGO® RCX Brick Voltage Recorder - The images shown on this page show circuits that can used to measure and record with a LEGO® RCX Brick that comes with the LEGO® MINDSTORMS and LEGO® ROBOLAB robotics sets [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Level Crossing Lights - Every model railway has a place where road and rail meet, and when it does, some form of warning is needed. Flashing lights work well, but something is needed to drive them. And that is where this circuit comes in. All it does is flash lights and it is so simple anyone could build it!....(design added 10/06)

Light Emitting Diode - Current Limiting Resistor Calculator - The calculators on this page can be used to find current limiting resistors and currents for Light Emitting Diodes. The first calculator determines the resistance for a desired LED current while the second calculates the current for a given resistance. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM311 Thermostat Circuits - Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM3909 replacement information - This page features a replacement circuit for the LM3909 LED Flasher / Oscillator. The replacement circuit uses discrete components and is essentially the same as the internal circuit of the LM3909. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

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LM555 - Astable Oscillator Calculator + Capacitor Calculator - Uses the LM555 timer or its cousins with other letter prefixes. There can be minor differences between 555 timer IC's from different manufacturers but they all should be useable for any circuit. Designed for Model Trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM555 - Monostable Oscillator Calculator - Uses the LM555 timer or its cousins with other letter prefixes. There can be minor differences between 555 timer IC's from different manufacturers but they all should be useable for any circuit. Designed for Model Trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM555 LED Blinker Circuits - The circuit uses independent timers to flash two light emitting diodes. Any time that light emitting diode D1 is lit__light emitting diode D2 will be switched off. Light emitting diode D3 is on if both D1 and D2 are off....Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM555 Timers - Circuits and Calculators - Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

LM556 Timers with Complimentary or Push-Pull Outputs - Uses the LM555 timer or its cousins with other letter prefixes. There can be minor differences between 555 timer IC's from different manufacturers but they all should be useable for any circuit. Designed for Model Trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Low Battery Voltage Cutout Circuits - Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Low Power Crossing Light Flashers - The following are Low Power - Grade Crossing Flasher circuits based on the LM555 and LM556 timer chips. They are designed to drive Light Emitting Diodes but could be used to drive low current incandesent lamps….. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Matrix Systems For Stall-Motor Switch Machines - The circuits on this page are basic designs for "Diode Matrix" switch machine control systems that can be used to operate "Stall-Motor" switch machines in 'Ladder' type storage yards or other multiple turnout areas. The driver circuits themselves use LM556 dual timer chips to reverse the polarity of the voltage to the switch machine motors. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Miniature Lighthouse Light Simulator - The circuit I came up with is shown below. It uses two dual low power op amps. The first two devices form a classic oscillator circuit whose output is a triangle waveform signal. That signal is routed to a current regulator circuit, which converts the triangle voltage signal to a triangle current signal through the lighthouse LED. A third op amp generates pulses timed so they occur at the peak of the triangle waveform. The result is a LED, which gradually grows brighter, then flashes even brighter before dimming again. This should produce a light, which simulates a rotating lighthouse light....[Designed by David A. Johnson]

MiniDCC© System - This page features schematics and diagrams that are for use with the MiniDCC© system. A DCC ( Digital Command Control) do-it-yourself project....[from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Miscellaneous Signals - Some simple signals circuits that do not have pages of their own. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Missing Pulse Detectors / Negative Recovery Circuits - Uses the LM555 timer or its cousins with other letter prefixes. There can be minor differences between 555 timer IC's from different manufacturers but they all should be useable for any circuit. Designed for Model Trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Model Railroad - Infrared Proximity Switch - Circuit for model railroad trains…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Model Railroad Odometer Car - This page features a photo and schematic from an article that was published in the August 1994 issue of Model Railroader Magazine. The article was titled "Build a model railroad odometer car". [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

Model Railway Level Crossing Lights - The level crossing warning lights are switched on automatically as a train approaches. First an amber light shows, then two red lights flash until the train has passed the crossing.… [Designed by John Hewes]

Model Railway Signal - This signal is controlled automatically by a passing train fitted with a magnet. It can also be manually set to red or green by pressing the switches. Trains will automatically stop at the red signal.… [Designed by John Hewes]

Model Railway Time - Here is a circuit that will convert any clock mechanism into Model Railway Time. For those who enjoy model railways, the ultimate is to have a fast clock to match the scale of the layout. This circuit will appear to "make time fly" by turning the seconds....

Model Train Diesel & Horn Sound Module - TIL 112 opto isolator, 741, LM566 VCO, CD4017 CMOS counter, LM386 power amplifier, LM556 dual timer (circuit added 9/04) [Circuit by Stepan Novotill]

Modernized Toy Throttle - This page will show a number of variations on transistor type throttles. The throttles range from 'tried and true' types to 'experimental' designs. Scroll to this one…. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

My MiniDCC© System information - This page shows schematics and diagrams for a MiniDCC© system that was built for my personal use. [from Rob Paisley's Model Train web site]

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