Help with 555

Very instructive for people with zero knowledge in electronics like me. I have 16 volt ac power on a train layout and a gadget is connected so power is triggered on to one track by a sensor and switched to the other side when triggered by another sensor. using the same sensors I want to trigger power to a change over point for about 1/2 second when the power goes to one side and switches to the other when it changes sides on the track. Is there a possibility that the above can be done, can anyone help?

What sort of sensors? What voltage/polarity/current/frequency do they provide? I know little about train layouts, so please humour me. Does the change-over point require DC power or AC? Is the trackvoltage AC? Do both tracks share a common circuit ground?

Hello Vattard

On a model raiway I can't see how their can be 16v ac in the track, on a model railway one rail is positive and the other negative and is dc so you can increae and decrease track voltage to change th speed the motor turns in the locomotives. Never herd of a loco with an ac motor in it. Also is your railway anologue (the system described above) or dcc where by the locos are fitted with decoders and their is a permenat voltage in the track at all times?

"Toy" trains (Marx, Lionell, etc.) use AC on the track and for accessories. A latching relay in the engine does the reversing. "Model" trains (O, HO, N, gauge etc.) use DC and reversing the track polarity reverses the engine. Many folks confuse "toy" vs. "model". A model railroader will be too quick to point out the difference!

Vattard
Is your railway a model raiway or just a toy trainset, if it is a model railway what gauge is it. I sitll can't see how you can increase and decease speed of a loco if the motor is an AC motor as the only way to do this with an AC motor is to increase or decrease the cycles per second of alternation from positive to negative.

e44-72 said:

Vattard
Is your railway a model raiway or just a toy trainset, if it is a model railway what gauge is it. I sitll can't see how you can increase and decease speed of a loco if the motor is an AC motor as the only way to do this with an AC motor is to increase or decrease the cycles per second of alternation from positive to negative.

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A little exception here, if you have a wound field, and rotor, (Universal motor)(like a Milwaukee drill motor) it will run on AC or DC and speed varies with voltage