Manual DINAMO Plug & Play
Control your miniature world
Page 4 of 32
Version 1.2 – Dec 21
st
, 2017
2017 Leon van Perlo
1
Dinamo
1.1
Principle
The control-principle of Dinamo is derived from the way train-traffic is usually secured: By
means of a block-system. The block-system means that the layout is subdivided into blocks.
A train may enter a block only when the block is free. This means any block can contain no
more than a single train.
When using Dinamo, the layout is not only divided into blocks security-wise, but also every
block has it’s individual electrical power circuit. Since every block can contain no more than a
single train, in this setup every train can be controlled individually as that specific train
requires at that specific moment. With Dinamo this applies to digital (DCC) AND analogue
trains.
To determine in what way every block needs to be driven, at every moment it must be known
which train is in which block. In practice this is achieved using control software on a PC that
keeps track of the positions of all trains on the layout. So the control software not only
secures the traffic, but at the same time ensures the most optimal control of every train.
In theory Dinamo can function without a PC, but in practice it is hardly ever done.
To be clear: Controlling your layout by PC does not mean by definition everything runs
automatically. It is perfectly possible to control your layout by a PC and still make many
decisions yourself or even control trains “manually” and individually. Many digital control
systems on the market are nothing more or less than specialised computers with
specialised software. In case of Dinamo this is no different, just the control unit is not a
specialised “box”, but any ordinary PC with software.
Blocks can be connected sequentially, but also be separated by turnouts, so the train can
“choose” what the next block on it’s route will be. Security-wise the collection of turnouts
by which the train is routed from one block to the next is never part of any block, however
electrically this can be the case (see chapter
7).
In the real World, the passage between 2 blocks is secured by signals. Signals are at the
exit of each block. If the next block in the route of the train is free, is reserved by that train
and the turnouts leading to the destination Block is free and safe, the signalling system will
allow the train to pass on.
1.2
Blocks and sections
Dinamo drives blocks individually and symmetrically. Symmetric means that both tracks are
driven with an identical but exactly opposite electrical signal. So there is no track having
zero voltage or “ground”. Consequently Dinamo demands that every block has its both
tracks electrically separated from the surrounding blocks. In other words, between two
blocks both rails shall be electrically separated.
To control trains on the layout by software, it is necessary that the software is aware of
the position of the trains. Usually it is insufficient to know just in which block the train is. In
addition the software needs to know where in the block the train is. To achieve that, blocks
are split in sections. The precise split in sections depends mainly on the requirements of the
software, so for details you should consult the manual of your control software.
Dinamo P&P provides 4 sections per block. It is not necessary to use all of them. In most
cases 2 or 3 sections per block will be sufficient. To be able to distinguish between different
sections in the same block, between sections one of the rails needs to be electrically
isolated.
Control your miniature world
Manual DINAMO Plug & Play
2017 Leon van Perlo
Version 1.2 – Dec 21
st
, 2017
Page 29 of 32
2.
Do not make sections extremely short. Dinamo is by the design of the detector unit
capable to generate an event even at the shortest possible sections. However, to do
that, there must be something to detect. Some loco’s have a number of wheels with
rubber tires that will not generate detection. If that loco runs with the isolated wheels
in front, only the second axle will generate the event. If the section that generates a
stop in front of a signal starts just a few cm before that signal you will risk the train
sticking it’s front past the signal, or even worse, over the turnout the signal should
protect.
Also bear in mind that an event needs to go from Dinamo to the PC, the PC-software
has to process it and then the PC has to send a command to Dinamo, that also has to
process it in order to stop the train. If the train has a decoder with mass-simulation it
may take some distance before the train actually stops. Even if everything is processed
fast, there is no guarantee that the response is immediate, so don’t build it all too
critical in terms of lengths and distances.
Since a turnout is never part of a block security-wise, it makes sense to assign a turnout
group that is fed from an adjacent block a separate section. If your software supports it, it
can then ‘see’ if the train is actually in the block itself or in the adjacent turnout. In most
cases you’ll have sufficient sections available to do this.
Fig 33: Connected turnouts in separate sections
7.3
Addtitional Pseudo-blocks
In some cases a turnout cannot be passed to or from one single adjacent block only. An
example of such situation is the crossing turnout:
Fig 34: Crossing turnout
In the example above T1 can be passed from block 1 to block 2, but also from block 3 to
block 4. So there is no possibility to feed the tracks of T1 from either of the adjacent
blocks. There are two solutions for this problem:
1.
Define T1 as a separate pseudo-block. Since a turnout is never part of any block this is
not a real block, but a piece of track that is powered separately as if it was a block.
2.
Use a relay with 2 change-over contacts to connect the tracks on T1 to one of the
adjacent blocks, dependent on the selected route. See paragraph
7.4. In the above
example from figure 34, T1 can be connected to block 1 or block 2, because in any case
one of these blocks is part of the route the train follows.
Note that the capabilities of your control software may limit your choices to apply the above
options.
block 2
block 3
block 1
block 4
section 1.2
section 2.0
section 3.3
section 3.2
section 4.0
section 2.1
section 2.2
section 4.1
section 1.1
section 3.1
block 2
block 3
block 1
block 4
section 1.2
section 2.0
section 3.3
section 3.2
section 4.0
section 2.1
section 2.2
section 4.1
section 1.1
section 3.1
block 3
block 1
block 4
T1
block 2
block 3
block 1
block 4
T1
block 2
