Video: Automatic DCC Control of 3 MTH Diesels, Running Point-to-Point on 16'-8" Track -- No Blocks, 1 Detector

I am NOT very electronically astute....so I fumbled through your probable concise explanation of how this works...I sort of understand this, so kudos to you for putting up a very interesting stop/start RR.

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Thanks for the feedback.

Understanding:

Actually, IMHO, to just UNDERSTAND how this 3-train system works, you do NOT really need to know ANY electronics.

1. Just visualize Loco A (the 1st loco) running Eastbound until it crosses the detector, then continuing for 20 seconds further, and then stopping.
2. Then visualize Loco B running Eastbound until it crosses the detector, then continuing for 15 seconds further, and then stopping.
3. Then visualize Loco C running Eastbound until it crosses the detector, then continuing for 10 seconds further, and then stopping.

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Westbound: Next, they just do the same thing all over, but going in the opposite direction.

Said Another Way: You can just use TIME delay -- beginning your time delay from the moment a loco activates (crosses) the detector, to stop the loco wherever you want it to stop.

Setting Up This Operation:

To actually DO this operation, one needs to know just a little more:

1. How to hook up a Z-Stuff detector (or similar),
2. How to connect the detector to the DCC programmable train controller (hook up 2 wires)
3. How to program the controller.

But its not "rocket science"; probably no more difficult than learning how to use the DCS or Legacy systems.

(I don't know electronics either.  I just follow the Z-Stuff wiring diagram,

and then hook the 2 relay output wires to the Mini-Panel.  The rest is handled by the programming.)

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ANALOG VERSION:

You could do a similar operation for 3 DC trains.

You would probably want 3 blocks at each end (6 blocks total), then use an Arduino or Raspberry Pi or Picaxe or some sort of programmable controller -- and use that controller to turn the appropriate blocks ON and OFF and control the track polarity, to shuttle the 3 trains back and forth.

You wouldn't need any detector, because the BLOCKS would stop the trains at the correct location.