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MERG Electronics for Model Railways
Introduction
Unless you are running an antique clockwork train set or have a large outdoor layout
running steam trains, you are already using electrical and electronic equipment.
For most railway modellers, power is supplied to the loco's motor through the track.
With the help of electronics, our layouts can be further improved. How about control
of points, signals, lights, turntables, crossing gates and barriers, uncouplers, sound
effects – and much more.
We can even detect where trains are on our layouts or automate activities, with or
without computers.
At first sight, this may seem complicated – but layout wiring and controls often
consist of lots of little individual circuits, each carrying out its own function (e.g.
switching a point or lighting an LED).
The chapters try to look at each issue and show how they fit together.
If you like, you can read through from start to finish. However, it is not meant to
Be read as a book. If you are new to electronics, this book covers a lot of ground.
You are not meant to understand it all after just a quick read through.
You will also find that you already know some parts – and are not currently interested
in other parts.
I would suggest that everyone have a read of the first chapter – even if you think you
already know all the basics.
Also, as you are working with a hot soldering iron, knives and cutters, drills and so on,
be aware of safety at all times.
In particular, please read the safety notes on page 50 of Part A and page 72 of Part B.
Hopefully, there is something of interest in here for all railway modellers.
Davy Dick
Contents Part A
Chapter 1 – Basic electronics . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Chapter 2 – Loco controllers . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Chapter 3 – Layout wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Chapter 4 – Track wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Chapter 5 – Voltage problems . . . . . . . . . . 78
Chapter 6 – Point wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Chapter 7 - Point motors & servos . . . . . . 99
Chapter 8 – Scenic lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Chapter 9 – Coach lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Chapter 10 - Adding sound . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Chapter 11 - Track occupancy detectors . 184
Chapter 12 – R F I D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Chapter 13 – Digital Command Control . . 212
Chapter 14 – CBUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Contents Part B
Chapter 15 – Transistors, ICs & PICs . . . . . . 5
Chapter 16 - Interfacing techniques . . . . . . .16
Chapter 17 – Computers & model railways . 37
Chapter 18 – Assembling a tool kit . . . . . . . 70
Chapter 19 – Soldering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Chapter 20 – Using test equipment . . . . . . 108
Chapter 21 - Pocket Money Projects . . . . . 130
Chapter 22 – Abbreviations & Acronyms . . 194
Appendix - M E R G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Downloads:
EfMR Thoughts by Author.pdf
EfMR Intro Chapters.pdf
Part A v1 w.pdf
Part B v1 w.pdf
Ref: https://www.merg.org.uk/ebook.php
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