LOGIC RAIL Block Animator Manuale utente

OGIC

TECHNOLOGIES

AIL

"Sophisticated

Model Railroad

Electronics"

21175 Tomball Pkwy Phone: 281) 251-5813

Suite 287 email: info@logicrailtech.com

Houston, TX 77070 http://www.logicrailtech.com

Block Animator

Tomar semaphore motor, bulb-based &

LED-based, common-anode position

light signal instructions

Revised 10/20/18

Getting started

Thank you for purchasing a Logic Rail Technologies product! Please familiarize yourself ith all the instructions prior to

installing this board. These instructions cover the version of the Block Animator that provides 3-aspect signaling for Tomar

semaphore motors, bulb-based signals (including position light signals), and LED-based, common anode (positive) ired

position light signals.

The Block Animator (BA) provides automatic operation of t o 3-aspect block signals in a semi-prototypical ay. Four

photocells are used for bidirectional train detection. The layout of the signals (or semaphores) and photocells is illustrated

belo .

Photocell

Signal

W E

The BA operates the signals as described next. In the absence of any trains the t o signals ill be green. No consider a

train traveling eastbound. When photocell W1 is covered signal WB ill change from green to red and ill remain red as the

train continues eastbound and subsequently covers signal W2. When the train then covers photocell E2 signal EB ill change

from green to red. Once the train has totally uncovered photocells W1 and W2 then signal WB ill change from red back to

green. As the train continues eastbound to ards photocell E1 signal EB ill remain red. Once the train has passed over

photocell E1 and totally uncovers both it and photocell E2 signal EB ill change to yello ; this mimics the behavior of the

train entering the “next block.” After a time delay (10 or 30 seconds; see belo ) signal EB ill change to green. Signal

operation for a estbound train is similar ith signal EB changing from green to red and back to green hile signal WB

changes from green to red to yello and back to green.

You should make all of the connections to the BA before applying po er to it. You can mount the BA any here it is

convenient underneath your layout using the four mounting holes provided. The holes ill accept #4 scre s; do not enlarge

the holes as damage to the circuit board can result and your arranty ill be voided!

The BA board has a set of 6 configuration s itches on it. Each s itch is described belo .

Switch Name Meaning when OFF/OPEN Meaning when ON/CLOSED

SETUP BA is in normal operating mode BA is in photocell setup mode

DELAY Yello to Green delay is 30 seconds Yello to Green delay is 10 seconds

SIG_EB MUST use this setting Do not use this setting

SIG_WB MUST use this setting Do not use this setting

YELHUE Not used Not used

APPRL Approach Lighting is Disabled Approach Lighting is Enabled

Approach Lighting

The concept of Approach Lighting is quite simple. A signal (excluding semaphores) remains dark (not illuminated) until a

train approaches it (i.e. the block in advance of the signal is occupied). This has been primarily used in the estern U.S. in

remote locations here signal equipment operates on battery po er. Having the signals unlit most of the time saves battery

po er as ell as prolongs the life of the bulbs. The “rule” for illumination is simple: the signal shall be illuminated hen the

preceding block is occupied. The BA supports this feature ( hen the APPRL s itch is ON/CLOSED) and orks as follo s.

Signal EB ill be illuminated henever an eastbound train covers photocell W1 and ill keep signal EB illuminated until

photocell E2 is covered and then subsequently uncovered. Note that if the eastbound train covers and then uncovers photocell

W1 but after 35 seconds hasn’t covered photocell E2, then the BA ill assume the train has actually reversed direction and

ill turn the signal off. Similarly, signal EB ill also be illuminated henever a estbound train covers photocell E2 and

ill keep signal EB illuminated until photocell W1 is covered and then subsequently uncovered. The same 35 second

“timeout” mechanism is in effect for this direction of travel too. Signal WB ill operate in a similar manner ith respect to

photocells E1 and W2. You can turn approach lighting on or off at any time. Hopefully it is obvious that if you turn this

feature off then the signals ill be illuminated all the time!

Semaphore motor and signal wiring

Wiring for Tomar’s semaphore motor and signal is sho n in Figure 1. You ill need a current limiting resistor for the

semaphore bulb; refer to Tomar’s instruction sheet for details. Note that the input power range must be is 9 -

12V AC or

DC. The C terminal is not used ith this signal type!

Figure 1 – Semaphore motor and signal

3-light signal wiring

Wiring for 3-light bulb-

based light signals is sho n in Figure 2 belo . You ill need the current limiting resistors if the

voltage rating of the bulbs is lo er than the input voltage to the BA

. For example, if the input voltage is 16V and the bulbs

are rated at 12V (get t

his information from the manufacturer of the signal) then e ould suggest a resistor value of 100

ohms (e.g Radio Shack #RSU 11345519. If the input voltage is equal to or slightly lo er than that of the bulbs then no

resistors are needed. NOTE: The C terminal is not used with this signal type!

Figure 2 – 3-light bulb-based signal

2-light signal wiring

Wiring for 2-light bulb-based light signals is sho n in Figure 3. Three diodes (e.g. Radio Shack #276-1101) must be added to

the yello and green outputs as sho n. You ill need the current limiting resistors if the voltage rating of the bulbs is lo er

than the input voltage to the BA. For example, if the input voltage is 16V and the bulbs are rated at 12V (get this information

from the manufacturer of the signal) then e ould suggest a resistor value of 100 ohms (e.g Radio Shack #RSU 11345519.

If the input voltage is equal to or slightly lo er than that of the bulbs then no resistors are needed. NOTE: The C terminal is

not used with this signal type!

Figure 3 – 2-light bulb-based signal

Bulb-based Position Light Signals e.g. NJ International)

Wiring for bulb-based position light signals is sho n in Figure 4 belo . You ill need the current limiting resistors if the

voltage rating of the bulbs is lo er than the input voltage to the BA. For example, if the input voltage is 16V and the bulbs

are rated at 12V (get this information from the manufacturer of the signal) then e ould suggest a resistor value of 100

ohms (e.g Radio Shack #RSU 11345519). If the input voltage is equal to or slightly lo er than that of the bulbs then no

resistors are needed.

C Y R G

Eastbound

C Y R G

Westbound

Block Animator

E1 W2 E2 W1 5V DC GND AC IN

Current limiting resistors

(see text

Common

Clear position

Stop position

Approach position

Center bulb

Figure 4 – Bulb-based position light signals

If your signal is an “absolute” type (that

means it has t o red bulbs for the stop

position hile all others are yello ) then

you ill have to cut the exposed lead on the

diode (D9 for the EASTBOUND signal or

D12 for the WESTBOUND signal) on the

BA board as sho n in Figure 5. Use a pair

of diagonal cutters to make the cut. Be sure

that the t o cut ends no longer touch each

other by separating them slightly. Failure to

do so on’t cause any damage but it may

cause the center yello bulb to illuminate

hen the signal is in the stop position.

C Y R G

Eastbound

C Y R G

Westbound

Block Animator

Figure 5 – cutting diodes for absolute type signals

LED-based Position Light Signals common anode wiring)

The position light signal head is sho n as a circle on the right-hand side of the dra ing in Figure 6 belo . Within the signal

head are the seven LED “lights”; if you have a B&O style color position light signal then it ill not have a center LED. The

value of the current limiting resistors depends upon the value of the input voltage to the Signal Animator. For a 16V input

voltage e recommend a resistor value of either 390 ohms (e.g. Radio Shack # 271-1114) or 330 ohms (e.g. Radio Shack

#271-1113); you should use ½ att resistors. Use a higher value for the center LED; e recommend a value of 680 ohms

(e.g. Radio Shack #271-1117).

C Y R G

Eastbound

C Y R G

Westbound

Block Animator

E1 W2 E2 W1 5V DC GND AC IN

Common

Clear position

Stop position

Approach position

Center LED

Current limiting resistors

(see text

Figure 6 – LED-based common anode wiring) position light signals

If your signal(s) is an “absolute” type (that means it has t o red LEDs for the stop position hile all others are yello ) then

you ill have to cut the exposed lead on the appropriate diodes on the BA board as sho n in Figure 5 above. Use a pair of

diagonal cutters to make the cut. Be sure that the t o cut ends no longer touch each other by separating them slightly. Failure

to do so on’t cause any damage but it may cause the center yello LED to illuminate hen the signal is in the stop position.

The Photocells

The photocells should be mounted bet een the rails.

Drill a

9/64" hole through the ballast, roadbed, and sub-

roadbed. For

the

smaller scales this drilling may end up hitting the ties. Take

your time so

you don’t mangle them! Figure 7

illustrates the

placement of a

photocell in bet een the rails. Insert the leads of

the photocell into the hole from the top of your layout. One of

he photocell leads has a piece of insulation on it so be sure the

t o leads don't touch each other (you on't damage anything if

they do but the circuit on't ork properly!) If the leads do not

Figure 7 – photocell placement

protrude enough from the underside of your layout then it ill be necessary to extend the leads; soldering ires to them is the

most common method; make sure you insulate any connections you make to the photocell leads so that they don't short out.

Once you have ired the photocells to the BA and verified their

operation you may ish to put a dab of hite glue under the

photocells to hold them in place; make sure you don't get glue on the top surface of the photocells

as this may prevent it from

operating properly. Figure 8 illustrates the photocell iring

; make sure you have the photocells in the correct order as sho n

at the top of page 1.

Photocells do not have any polarity so you can connect either lead to the GND terminal and connect the

remaining lead to the appropriate photocell input.

The spacing bet een the outer photocells (W1 and E1) and inner

photocells (E2 and W2) depends upon ho long of a signal “block” you ish to define for each signal. Ho ever, keep in

mind that there is a 35 second timeout that the BA uses. This means that if it takes more than 3

5 seconds for a train to cover

the nearest inner photocell after uncovering an outer photocell then the BA

ill think the train has actually backed up and

exited the block!

Figure 8 – photocell wiring

The photocells require a light source above them to function properly. On most layouts the room lighting should be

sufficient. Ho ever, if any of the photocells are located in an area that doesn't get much overhead lighting or if you have

simulated "nighttime" operations then it ill be necessary to locate a light source on the layout near the photocell(s). Street

lights and yard lights are common light sources. Locate the light source slightly to the left or right of the photocell(s) and not

directly over it; this ill allo the BA to still properly detect a train that has stopped over a photocell ith the gap bet een

cars over the photocell.

Photocell sensitivity setup

You can adjust the sensitivity of each photocell on the circuit board using a small slotted head scre driver. Along one each

of the board are four potentiometers (or “pots”) that are labeled "W1", “E2”, “W2” or “E1”. The BA supports a SETUP mode

to make this adjustment process easier. To enable this mode, you must have the s itch labeled SETUP in the ON/CLOSED

position. In this mode the signals ill not change colors. The BA circuit board contains a red LED near the configuration

s itches; this LED ill assist you in setting the photocell sensitivity. No follo these steps:

1. Remove all obstacles that may be covering the photocells or blocking overhead light to them.

2. Insert the blade of the scre driver (from the edge of the circuit board, not from the center of the board) into the

adjustment pots, one at a time. Turn the scre driver completely counter-clock ise (left) in all FOUR of the pots.

3. For the adjustment pot labeled W1 turn the scre driver clock ise (right) until the on-board LED just lights up. Then

turn the scre driver back counter-clock ise until the LED goes out.

4. Repeat step 3 for the three remaining pots.

5. Exit SETUP mode by putting the SETUP s itch in the OFF/OPEN position. The signals should no operate

properly. It may be necessary to repeat this procedure if layout lighting conditions change significantly.

Turning the pots clock ise adjusts for brighter overhead lighting conditions hile turning the pots counter-clock ise adjusts

for dimmer overhead lighting.

Signal delay

The signal color delay ( hen the signal changes from yello to green) can b

e either 10 seconds or 30 seconds. Choose the

value based on your o n personal preference. To select 10 seconds the configuration s itch labeled DELAY

must be

ON/CLOSED; for 30 seconds the s itch must be OFF/OPEN. You can change this as you ish even hen

the po er to the

BA is on.

Power

The BA accepts AC or DC po er (7 - 16V); ho ever, if you’re using semaphore motors then the input po er should be no

higher than 12V. Po er consumption is approximately 125mA (including the signals). If you are only using a single BA then

use the AC IN terminals to provide po er (polarity doesn’t matter). You can use the AC or DC accessory terminals on your

throttle/po er pack provided the voltage doesn’t exceed 16V. You can even po er the circuit from the rails if you’re using

command control (e.g. DCC, Railcommand, etc); in this case use the AC IN terminals on the BA. If you are using more than

one BA you can po er them all from a single DC source as sho n in Figure 9 belo .

C Y R G

Eastbound

C Y R G

Westbound

Block Animator

C Y R G

Eastbound

C Y R G

Westbound

Block Animator

Figure 9 – DC power

Alternate signal positioning

Rather than place the signals and photocells as sho n on page 1 you may choose to locate the signals at the opposite ends of

a long section of track as sho n in the next dra ing. All iring should follo hat has been previously described. Please

note that with this usage of the Block Animator you CANNOT enable approach lighting; you MUST have the APPRL

switch in the OFF/OPEN position in order to have proper signal behavior.

Photocell

Signal

W E

Other Applications

Please contact us if you are interested in kno ing ho to interlock your signal (i.e. force it to red) ith the position of a turnout

or if you are interested in controlling a dual head signal. We have an instruction supplement that covers these applications. You

can also access this documentation online from our ebsite at http:// .logicrailtech.com/lrt_docs.htm.

Minimizing electrical noise effects from other sources that may cause false triggering

S itch machines, s itch motors and electrical uncouplers are notorious for generating electrical noise hen they are

energized. Such noise can be inadvertently coupled onto the BA’s photocell connections hich can then lead to false

triggering of the signal circuit. The first remedy to try is to make sure that iring for those devices is kept apart from the

photocell iring. This may not al ays be practical (especially if you’re interlocking the signal head(s) ith turnout position

as described above). If that’s the case, adding decoupling/filter components to the BA circuit ill usually eliminate the false

triggering. The dra ing belo illustrates hat needs to be done. Note that capacitors C1 and C3 are polarized so make sure

you connect them correctly; C2 has no polarity. Also, pay attention to the component location as outlined belo in the parts

list. The numbers in parentheses are Radio Shack part numbers. The dra ing only sho s one photocell. Each photocell ill

need its o n “R1” and “C3” components; only one “C1” and “C2” are needed for each BA.

E1 W2 E2 W1 5V DC GND AC IN

It may also be necessary to add filtering to the po er source for the “offending” item. For example, if you are using s itch

motors po ered by a DC (unipolar or bipolar) po er source you may need to add filter capacitors to that po er source. We

suggest a 0.1ufd/50V ceramic disk capacitor (such as C2 above) in parallel ith a 100ufd/35V electrolytic capacitor (similar

to C1 above, but obviously a higher value). Connect them similar to the ay C1 & C2 are connected above (i.e. positive lead

to positive po er output; negative lead to the negative po er output or ground).

Finally, if noise problems still exist you may need to use coaxial cable for the photocell connections. Connect the shield of

such a cable to GND terminal on the BA and connect the center ire to the appropriate photocell terminal.

Using an infrared emitter and detector instead of the photocell

It is possible use infrared emitter and detector pairs instead of the photocells for train detection. The iring for one photocell

input is sho n belo . When the infrared beam is not obstructed from the detector the output of the detector ill be

approximately 0.2V. When the infrared beam is obstructed the output of the detector ill essentially appear like an open

circuit to the BA’s photocell inputs hich ill be interpreted like a covered photocell.

E1 W2 E2 W1 5V DC GND AC IN

Warranty

This product is arranted to be free from defects in materials or orkmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase.

Logic Rail Technologies reserves the right to repair or replace a defective product. The product must be returned to Logic Rail

Technologies in satisfactory condition. This arranty covers all defects incurred during normal use of this product. This

arranty is void under the follo ing conditions:

1) If damage to the product results from mishandling or abuse.

2) If the product has been altered in any ay (e.g. soldering).

3) If the current or voltage limitations of the product have been exceeded.

Requests for arranty service must include a dated proof of purchase, a ritten description of the problem, and return shipping

and handling ($6.00 inside U.S./$10.00 outside U.S. - U.S. funds only). Except as ritten above, no other arranty or

guarantee, either expressed or implied by any other person, firm or corporation, applies to this product.

Troubleshooting

If your signal is not reacting properly hen a particular photocell is covered or uncovered then you can perform the follo ing

tests. First, perform the photocell setup routine previously described. If one or more of the photocells does not function properly

then you kno it/they is/are faulty. If the photocells are determined to be OK then you might have a problem ith the BA, the

signal, or the iring bet een them.

Technical Support

We hope the preceding instructions are sufficient for ans ering any questions you might have about the installation of this

product. Ho ever, technical support is available should you need it. We ould ask that you first contact your place of purchase

for assistance. If you still need further assistance then please do not hesitate to contact us. You can reach us via phone, fax, mail

and email; our contact information can be found on the top of page 1.

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