Tomix JR E1 MAX Toki
21 May 2013 01:22 Filed in: Model Trains,Review
My latest model, which actually arrived back in March, is this Tomix model of JR East’s E1 “MAX” Shinkansen. Trains of this series operated on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line, north-west from Tokyo to Niigata, from 1994 until 2012 when they were replaced by the E4 series. Both the E1 and E4 were branded as the MAX (for Multi-Amenity eXpress).
This train was designed (per Japanese wikipedia) to fill a need for increased capacity on this line, driven in part by commuters. Thus there was an emphasis on capacity over speed, with the double-decker design capable of holding 1,235 passengers in standard and green (first) class. A total of six trains were built, identified as sets M1 to M6.
This model is of the version that operated the limited-stops Toki service after 2003 (up until it was replaced by the E4 in 2012), identified by the color, and pink stripe. The name Toki comes from the Crested Ibis, an endangered species native to Niigata. The E1 was also used in the all-stops Tanigawa service. Both trains had a top speed of 240 kph (150 mph), with 410 kW motors on all 24 trucks, for a total of 9.84 MW (13,196 hp). However, this model specifically reflects the M6 set as decorated with a Crested Ibis logo after August 28, 2012 for one month, until the E1 was withdrawn on 28 September, making it a rather time-specific version of the E1.
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This train was designed (per Japanese wikipedia) to fill a need for increased capacity on this line, driven in part by commuters. Thus there was an emphasis on capacity over speed, with the double-decker design capable of holding 1,235 passengers in standard and green (first) class. A total of six trains were built, identified as sets M1 to M6.
This model is of the version that operated the limited-stops Toki service after 2003 (up until it was replaced by the E4 in 2012), identified by the color, and pink stripe. The name Toki comes from the Crested Ibis, an endangered species native to Niigata. The E1 was also used in the all-stops Tanigawa service. Both trains had a top speed of 240 kph (150 mph), with 410 kW motors on all 24 trucks, for a total of 9.84 MW (13,196 hp). However, this model specifically reflects the M6 set as decorated with a Crested Ibis logo after August 28, 2012 for one month, until the E1 was withdrawn on 28 September, making it a rather time-specific version of the E1.
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Arduino Controls and a Simple Throttle
Having covered the motor control and the sensors, my next step in creating the automated two tram controller was to deal with the very small number of controls I need to have. In my original design, the plan was to have just three pushbuttons:
- Run: when pressed, the trains would start to move.
- Park: when pressed, the trains would return to their starting locations so the system could be turned off.
- Emergency Stop: when pressed, the trains would come to an immediate stop until run was pressed again.
And all three were to be “on when pressed, off when released” pushbutton switches. I was already thinking this needed to be changed, and when I started playing with switches I became even more convinced.
There are two benefits to using toggles versus “on while held” button switches: first, I eliminate a switch, since I need two toggles rather than three pushbuttons. Second, I avoid using those pushbuttons, which have proven to be problematic in my testing. They tend to “bounce” for a long time, and they may remain “on” only for a fairly brief time, making it hard to avoid all bounces and still reliably tell that they were pressed in the first place.
The other control I wanted to add was a way to customize the top speed of a train (or trains, really), so the different models could be made to run at similar (and prototypical) speeds. I don’t want one train rocketing down the tracks while the other creeps along, even if they have very different motors and gear-trains. So I’m going to add a pair of potentiometers, used as “tram #1 max speed” and “tram #2 max speed” controls. And note that these are for the trains, not the motor shield A/B outputs. At various times each tram will be controlled by one or the other.
My first step was to create a simple throttle that used one pot, three switches, and one motor control to run a train on a simple test track. This gives me a proof-of-concept example that ensures I really understand what I think I understand (always a concern with me and electronics).
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- Run: when pressed, the trains would start to move.
- Park: when pressed, the trains would return to their starting locations so the system could be turned off.
- Emergency Stop: when pressed, the trains would come to an immediate stop until run was pressed again.
And all three were to be “on when pressed, off when released” pushbutton switches. I was already thinking this needed to be changed, and when I started playing with switches I became even more convinced.
There are two benefits to using toggles versus “on while held” button switches: first, I eliminate a switch, since I need two toggles rather than three pushbuttons. Second, I avoid using those pushbuttons, which have proven to be problematic in my testing. They tend to “bounce” for a long time, and they may remain “on” only for a fairly brief time, making it hard to avoid all bounces and still reliably tell that they were pressed in the first place.
The other control I wanted to add was a way to customize the top speed of a train (or trains, really), so the different models could be made to run at similar (and prototypical) speeds. I don’t want one train rocketing down the tracks while the other creeps along, even if they have very different motors and gear-trains. So I’m going to add a pair of potentiometers, used as “tram #1 max speed” and “tram #2 max speed” controls. And note that these are for the trains, not the motor shield A/B outputs. At various times each tram will be controlled by one or the other.
My first step was to create a simple throttle that used one pot, three switches, and one motor control to run a train on a simple test track. This gives me a proof-of-concept example that ensures I really understand what I think I understand (always a concern with me and electronics).
Read More...
Detecting Trains with IR Sensors, Part II
This is going to be a short post: it’s working! I have my IR LED phototransistor sensor program detecting things (not trains just yet), and I’ve posted the example code, see the bottom of the Tram Controller page for a links to that, and the earlier motor control code. Both example programs are public domain, feel free to use them however you see fit. I’ve benefited from a lot of public domain programs, and I think it’s only fair to give something back. When the tram controller program is a bit more polished, I plan to publish it in the same way, although it may be months before I get to that point.
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April 2013 Monthly Status
01 May 2013 01:42 Filed in: Administrivia,Monthly Status
April was a month for working on my Tram Controller project. I didn’t do anything else on the layout (aside from looking at some of my bus models). I made good progress on the controller, despite a few head-scratching puzzles along the way. For successes, I managed to get supersonic PWM working with a couple of motor shields, implemented a simple throttle system with momentum, and managed to get my train-detection sensors mostly working (there’s still a bit to do there). Read More...
