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Possible Availability of Block Post Simulator Over the years, I have had several enquiries as to whether I offer my block post simulator electronics for sale. Some home made circuit boards are in the hands of other people, although I'm not sure whether these were ever populated with components and made into working systems. I've had a lot of fun with my system over the years, and it works well. Recently, I've been looking into whether it would be possible to make a batch of simulator electronics. I have also redesigned the electronics into something more convenient, such that one simulator 'card' or 'module' is required per block instrument (= adjacent block post). Each card is built around three PIC microcontrollers, which provide the following functions: Timetable chip- this PIC holds a section of a train register. You can 'fast forward' to different times, so you don't have to 'replay' the same trains every time you run the simulator. I can easily reprogram this PIC for a different TRB extract - I just need a text file in right format. Block chip This PIC looks after ringing the block bells and the indications on the non-pegging block. It works with 3-wire, 3-position block instruments. Track Circuit chip This PIC looks after lighting the lamps on an illuminated diagram (or other TC indicators). It allows for up to 9 track circuits and up to 7 signal routes. That doesn't sound much, but it's enough to make a simple layout. The PIC can be programmed to do different layouts, again via a text file in a suitable format, although the file is more complicated than that for the Timetable chip! Connections to the block shelf equipment are via 9 way D-connectors. One card is required for each block instrument. For example: One card would allow you to simulate a simple terminus Two cards would allow you to simulate a double line section of railway (crossover moves may be possible) Three cards would allow you to simulate a simple junction The 'block chip' simulates the main bell signals for both absolute and permissive block working (BR 1960 regulations), including 1-2-1, 2-2, 2-4, 3-3, 2-4-2, 3-4. The main omissions are the emergency signals, or wrong direction movements, which are not really practical on a simulator like this. Availability If other folks want a copy of the simulator, there seem to be three options: 1. I provide a set of programmed PICs, you build the rest of the electronics on strip board. 2. I provide a set of programmed PICs, and a professionally produced PCB (printed circuit board) - you purchase the components (from Maplin or CPC) and populate the board with them. 3. I provide a completed circuit board, using a professionally made PCB. Producing home made PCBs is too much hassle, and they are not gauranteed to be fault free. Cost I have had one PCB made commercially, and have populated it with components. It works (after a few very minor modifications) - here it is. So I am now - almost - in a position to make a batch of them... Obviously, option 1 above is the cheapest, and (3) the most expensive. A set of programmed PICs alone would be about 30 pounds. The price for (3) depends on number of boards made, and availability depends on my time available for making them! But option 3 would probably be in the range 100 - 140 pounds per card, which is pretty much the cost of a reasonable block instrument. Option (2) would be somewhere between options (1) and (3). The price does not include: block shelf equipment, power supplies. Having said all that - is anyone interested in this system? - either just the PICs or complete systems. It would be useful to have some idea of interest before I make a batch of boards (if I get that far...).
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