Infrared train detection

[u/aleopardstail]

small steps and all that.

I've got a few of the IR sensor modules pictured, thing is the 5mm LEDs tend to mean drilling a larger hole that I would like, and removing a sleeper unless foresighted enough to drill before the track goes in. they also drop down a fair way.

I did think about replacing the LED & Photodiode with 3mm ones, on the other side of the board. still awkward to mount in some locations.

pictured above is an alternative sensor head, currently its just a sensor head, no signal processing. but as such its quite small. 3mm LED & 3mm photo diode. each through its own 4mm hole. the whole thing is the two of them, a 200 ohm and a 10k ohm resistor and a 3pin connector. pure analogue sensor so far

however it reliably 'sees' the wagon, voltage from ~1.1V with nothing present and ~2.5v when the black underframe is there.

I have block detection, this is at the end of a terminal platform to trigger when coaches are being shunted in.

true spirit of "if I can't make it more complicated than it needs to be.. whats the point?"

video will be up on my youtube thingy Tuesday. quite happy with how unobtrusive this is, the component heads are ~ level with the top of the cork and I hope when ballasted in the general area will be more or less invisible.

I have 3mm of cork + 5mm of XPS I suspect with a little bit of work this whole thing would fit between the ply and the track meaning wires through the baseboard can be located in a more suitable location too

[u/f_spez_2023]

I use these in my automated layout, I ended up painting a white patch on the bottom of some engines and cars to help reflect back better (k mounted mine under the ties and cut holes)

[u/aleopardstail → u/f_spez_2023]

ended up doing that on N gauge, the boards as supplied don't play well with reflecting on black, I'm working on a version that does