Using the IR Sensor Sled with tubular track

The IR sleds have a rectangular cable socket that projects downwards through the ties.  Tubular track flanges project further into the gap between the rails so you have to trim away the flanges to let the sled sit correctly.  The sled is designed for mounting screws into wooden ties.  I fabricated a wood tray out of 1/16" ply that fit snugly between tubular rails and mounted the sled to the tray.

Interesting,  since my layout is being dismantled  in the basement and moved into an addition off the garage. I am curious about using an IR sensor on tubular track. Please post your results and thoughts.

Good luck and thanks.

I do modular layouts.  My existing SensorTrack module has three sensors (one on each main line) - with a total of four 1 ft PDI cables plus two PDI Joiners mounted underneath the module for connecting long PDI cables to the base and other modules.  For my next module, I wanted to simplify with the sleds in the tracks and the IRV2 mounted underneath the module.  I could eliminate all of the short PDI cables and joiners.

Once I figured how to best approach to mount the sled on a tray and trim the flanges, adding the sensors to tubular is just a bit of additional work.   Using the tubular-compatible SensorTrack (6-82869) is a much easier installation - but needs additional PDI cabling.  In operation, I do like the track over the sleds because the LEDs are in the ballast outside the tracks; the sleds' LEDs are between the rails.  Tougher to see at a distance.

@Tracker John posted:

In operation, I do like the track over the sleds because the LEDs are in the ballast outside the tracks; the sleds' LEDs are between the rails.  Tougher to see at a distance.

Why do you need to see the sled LED from a distance once it's installed and working?

I'm developing software to watch the PDI bus and I like to see what sensor is sending.

@Tracker John posted:

I'm developing software to watch the PDI bus and I like to see what sensor is sending.

OK, makes sense.  Of course, that wouldn't apply to most folks in a similar situation that just want to install the sleds into the tubular track.

@Tracker John posted:

I'm developing software to watch the PDI bus and I like to see what sensor is sending.

If you are looking for specific code, I think the LE monitoring software may do that.  I maybe wrong but the sensor track sends more than we get generally. Of course this is relevant to the 990 base  

The LE monitor just gives a hex dump of sensor data.  If you want to see what is in the Action Data packet (ref: DevPartner docs), you have to write some code.

Both the 990 and Base3 echo SensorTrack data.

@Tracker John posted:

The LE monitor just gives a hex dump of sensor data.  If you want to see what is in the Action Data packet (ref: DevPartner docs), you have to write some code.

Both the 990 and Base3 echo SensorTrack data.

Gotcha.  Looking forward to your results.

OK, So I tried Tracker John's technique, and fashioned a wood sled out of softwood shims it looks like this. (I have not repaired the ballast or mat yet).  The PDI cable arrives tomorrow as I wanted a specific length.