Table 3: JMRI scripting for crane


##### Set Speed to Forward, stopped self.throttle.speedSetting = 0. self.throttle.setIsForward(True) self.waitMsec(self.delay*400) ############## F8 on, forward” self.throttle.setF8(True); self.throttle.setIsForward(True) self.waitMsec(self.delay*50)


############## F6 rear light on self.throttle.setF6(True); self.waitMsec(self.delay*500)


############## Mute (F8) off” self.throttle.setF8(False); self.throttle.setIsForward(True) self.waitMsec(self.delay*1000)


########## Whistle self.throttle.setF2(True); self.waitMsec(self.delay*500) self.throttle.setF2(False);


A Digitrax sound decoder is embedded in this model float plane (below). It controls the plane’s lights and the figure on the dock, who waves his hands and yells to the pilot (above). Small driver boards (bottom) can be used along with the Arduino for a variety of applications.


started using the Arduino in tandem with a small SN754410 H-Bridge driv- er to generate DCC commands (like a combination of DCC command station and throttle). This was greatly facili- tated with the freely available DCC li- brary, CmdrArduino, created by D.E. Goodman-Wilson and downloadable from www.Railstars.com. A picture of some of the small driver boards is shown in the accompanying photo. While DCC control at this level is not for the faint of heart, sometimes re- quiring much trial and error, it is a tremendous capability to combine in- dependent DCC control and direct ani- mation timing control, and it opens up many new opportunities. In particular,


######### Crane Boom Up, 20% self.throttle.speedSetting = 0.20 self.throttle.setIsForward(True) self.throttle.setF3(True) self.waitMsec(self.delay*4500) self.throttle.setF3(False); self.waitMsec(self.delay*1500)


######### Whistle self.throttle.setF2(True); self.waitMsec(self.delay*500) self.waitMsec(self.delay*500)


########## Turn Cab CW, 11%” self.throttle.speedSetting = 0.11 self.throttle.setIsForward(True) self.throttle.setF1(True); self.waitMsec(self.delay*4000) self.throttle.setF1(False); self.waitMsec(self.delay*2000)


########## Whistle self.throttle.setF2(True); self.waitMsec(self.delay*500)


the fuselage of a Lockheed Vega float- plane. Scripts can work DCC functions well, just like the example of the rail- way derrick above, but I had plans to in- clude action on the dock with the figure waving his hands and yelling at the pi- lot. This required millisecond timing with the d.c. motor control of the figure animation in synch with sounds. Dedicating laptops or personal com- puters to multiple specific animations would not be feasible. Ultimately,


I RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN 79


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