Manual DINAMO Plug & Play
Control your miniature world
Page 28 of 32
Version 1.2 – Dec 21
st
, 2017
2017 Leon van Perlo
7
Turnouts
7.1
Provide track power to turnouts
As indicated in paragraph
1.1, turnouts and turnout-groups are not part of any block. The
rails on a turnout however will need power supply to allow the train to pass over it. In a
Dinamo system a turnout usually is electrically attached to an adjacent block when the
turnout can only be accessed when running to or from that block. As an example:
Fig 31: Attaching turnouts to an adjacent block
T1 can only be passed from or to block 2. So it is allowed to attach the rails of T1
electrically to block 2. Also T2 can be passed only from or to block 3. Therefore it is allowed
to derive the power for T2 from block 3.
Rule: At the “sharp side” of a turnout (at the side where the tracks join) there will
never be an electrical block-separation
.
Even when multiple turnouts are lined up this rule counts. Have a look at the example in
figure 32:
Fig 32: Multiple turnouts in-line
T1, T2 and T3 all can only be accessed from or to block 1, so they are all electrically
connected to block 1.
7.2
Turnout groups, Block Separations, Section Separations
The exact location where you make the block-separation is of no great importance to
Dinamo, however it may be important for your control software. Therefore, read the
documentation of your control software product and/or make a test-layout before you apply
this to your target layout. Mind that a block separation is also a section separation by
definition, so it is a means for the software to determine where exactly the train is. We
mention 2 important points of interest:
1.
If you are using ‘full detection’, which means all axles of all your rolling stock shall draw
some current from the tracks, your software can determine, if it supports this feature,
in which block and section something is present. So, for instance, your software can see
that a turnout-section is completely free before it is reserved for another train. In this
case it is important that ‘free’ means ‘truly free’ and not that the last tiny part of your
train still ‘hangs over’ the turnout. Therefore always keep some distance between the
block-separation and the adjacent turnout, as shown in figure 31.
Also if you do not use full detection, or if your software does not support it, it is good to
keep the above rule in mind. What is not the case now may become the case in the
future. Changing software is normally a lot easier than changing your physical layout.
block 2
block 3
block 1
block 4
T1
T2
block 2
block 3
block 1
block 4
T1
T2
block 2
block 1
T3
T2
T1
block 3
block 4
block 5
block 2
block 1
T3
T2
T1
block 3
block 4
block 5
Control your miniature world
Manual DINAMO Plug & Play
2017 Leon van Perlo
Version 1.2 – Dec 21
st
, 2017
Page 5 of 32
As a result, within one block, we have a continuous rail and a non-continuous rail split into
sections. Since every block offers the possibility to drive in both directions and in case we
use digital (DCC) control, the signal is a square-wave alternating signal it makes no sense to
talk about “plus” and “minus”. Therefore Dinamo talks about the A-rail and B-rail. The A-rail
always is continuous, the B-rail can be interrupted between sections. To identify the
direction in which the train travels, within Dinamo the “positive direction” is the direction
with the A-rail on the right hand side. To be clear: There is no need or reason to have the
“positive direction” equal to the direction the train normally travels. “Positive” and
“negative” directions are just names to identify in which way the train travels with respect
to the A-rail and B-rail. We explicitly do not use “forward” or “reverse” because this would
apply to the front and rear of the loco.
The general advise is to choose the rail in which you make the section-separations as
consistently as possible without taking into account normal direction of travel.
Fig 1: Subdivision of a block in a Dinamo system
1.3
Dinamo Plug & Play
Dinamo P&P consists of just 3 different modules, by which all possible parts of your layout
can be controlled, including analogue trains, digital trains, turnouts, signals and many other
accessories.
The modules that are part of the Plug & Play concept are:
•
RM-C/1+: This module handles communication with the PC, communication to all other
modules and ensures that all modules, for which this is necessary, operate fully
synchronized;
•
TM44: This module controls trains and reads positions by means of current detection.
Each TM44 can drive 4 blocks and detects trains in 4 sections per block. Each system
(RM-C) can connect up to 32 TM44 modules for a total capacity up to 128 blocks.
•
OC32(/NG): This module controls turnouts, signals, decouplers, railroad crossings and
virtually all other accessories you may find on your miniature world, requiring control.
One system can host a maximum of 16 OC32 modules.
Schematically the topology looks as follows:
Fig 2: Dinamo P&P Diagram
A
B0
B1
B2
B3
block N
block N-1
block N+1
positive direction
A
B0
B1
B2
B3
block N
block N-1
block N+1
positive direction
OM32
RM-C
OC32/NG
Power
TM51
TM44
Trains
Turnouts
Signals
Decouplers
Scenery
…
