Super Streets Y Automation

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Steve,

Take a look at some of these older threads.  May find an answer or give you some ideas for what you are trying to accomplish.

Control on 'Streets that permits more than one vehicle to be run on the same loop.

Adjustable/programable timer for 'Streets.

How to control manual streets wye.

Anyone Else Modifying Superstreets/EZ Street Vehicles> (Updated w/additional Y Roadway spring return info).

Larry

L.J. posted:

Steve,

Take a look at some of these older threads.  May find an answer or give you some ideas for what you are trying to accomplish.

Control on 'Streets that permits more than one vehicle to be run on the same loop.

Adjustable/programable timer for 'Streets.

How to control manual streets wye.

Anyone Else Modifying Superstreets/EZ Street Vehicles> (Updated w/additional Y Roadway spring return info).

Larry

Thanks L.J.  You were very helpful.  Your link to "How to control manual streets wye" is exactly a variation of what I'm trying to do.  The thread proposed a number of potential solutions but none proven.  The simplest is adding a return spring which maintains wye position.  My guess is some light weight Super Street vehicles will have difficulty overcoming the spring force.  The switch machine idea will work except you have to automate the machine set and reset.  The best idea IMO is the spring loaded plunger solenoid.  The wye will snap to the set position all by itself during normal operation.  You can use automation/logic to control a spring loaded plunger solenoid to reset the wye position.  Anyone have recommendations for small 14VAC spring loaded plunger type solenolds ?  Can use Azatrax detectors to sense vehicle position and to provide the momentary solenoid command.

If I could plug Azatrax for a moment.  Great products for the DIY folks and helpful beyond belief.

As far as cueing cars, i m useing the isolated section method, where the waiting car sits in a section with both outside rails isolated... those rails are wired to another section with only 1 rail isolated, this being 1 zone.... using several zones,  and wiring those zones in order advances each car up, it works really well, spread out on my floor,  i am testing it.  The only drawback is, that method only works with a continuous loop... its a bit to wire up and the need for customizing is not for all, but well worth the effort, IMO..  it will add quite a bit of action to my layout, and im looking forward to it. 

I wasnt able to use a wye without some sensors., i just picked up a couple of the switches so im testing those this week. The switches take up less real estate, and having those powered has its own advantages so even im curious how its all going to turn out, but at this time its working quite well and hasnt given me any guff so ill prob stick with the isolated zones, keeping it simple, usually pays off

Squirrelstrains posted:

As far as cueing cars, i m useing the isolated section method, where the waiting car sits in a section with both outside rails isolated... those rails are wired to another section with only 1 rail isolated, this being 1 zone.... using several zones,  and wiring those zones in order advances each car up, it works really well, spread out on my floor,  i am testing it.  The only drawback is, that method only works with a continuous loop... its a bit to wire up and the need for customizing is not for all, but well worth the effort, IMO..  it will add quite a bit of action to my layout, and im looking forward to it. 

I wasnt able to use a wye without some sensors., i just picked up a couple of the switches so im testing those this week. The switches take up less real estate, and having those powered has its own advantages so even im curious how its all going to turn out, but at this time its working quite well and hasnt given me any guff so ill prob stick with the isolated zones, keeping it simple, usually pays off

I'm proceeding slooowly on my cueing project.  I finally installed the second half of my city scene which completes my super streets dog bone using two "Y's".  Despite my previous testing both Y's had derailing issues.  Lee Willis advised me a couple of years back to have straight track lead-ins to the Y's.  That helped.  The EZ street taxi's have a longer wheel base which isn't helping either.  The longer wheel base tends to push the taxi wheel flanges into the leading edge of the Y points causing the taxi to jump over the points and continue in the wrong direction leaving the points in mid position.  The taxi derails on the return run since the points are not correctly positioned.  I built out the roadbed to ease the flanges past the points.  Worked.

I've embedded the Azatrax detectors in the superstreets roadbed in four places to detect taxi arrivals.  The Azatrax detectors should allow me to tweek any timing issues that may result.  Also the detectors should act as buffers to prevent relay chatter.  I have a fifth detector to operate a solenoid which resets the points.  I have a circuit design and all the parts which I have yet to build.  When i'm done, the cueing will support up to 4 taxi's.  I can have 1, 2, 3 or 4 taxi's in the cueing scene.  Also, if I shut off power to the cueing logic, the operation will revert to dog bone reversing loops with a single taxi.