Electric model railroad train control system

Abstract

A model railroad train control system for supplying power to at least one DCC two-rail operated train engine and/or at least one AC three-rail operated train engine. The train control system used for operating the engines simultaneously and independently on the same railroad track or separate train section blocks making up the track. The control system includes one or more current limited voltage source modules connected to the track for providing modulated voltage to each engine. Each module has two identical channels composed of power transistors for a left track power output and two identical channels composed of power transistors for a right track power output. The outputs rapidly switch, alternately, between ground potential (zero volts) and as high as 48 volts. The transistors provide a return current path for the DCC two-rail engine and the AC three-rail engine. The power transistors are individually current limited and have a response time in a range of 1 to 5 microseconds. The fast response time means trains with shorting wheelsets will not cause excessive current from the power supply, since the average current is very low. The action of the current is limited in one phase and does not effect the operation of the other phase.

The embodiments of the invention for which as exclusive privilege and property right is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A model railroad train control system, the system used for operating a first engine driven by a first power source, the system used for operating a second engine by a second power source, the first and second engines driven on a railroad track, the track having a center rail, a left outer rail and a right outer rail, the system comprising: 
 a current limited voltage source module, said module adapted for connecting to the left and right outer rails, said module providing modulated voltage to the outer rails for driving the first engine thereon with the second power source to the second engine provided through the center rail with respect to the outer rails for driving the second engine thereon, said module allowing the first train and the second train to operate on the railroad track.    
     
     
         2 . The control system as described in  claim 1  wherein said module includes at least one power transistor power output adapted for connection to the left outer rail of the railroad track and at least one power transistor power output for connection to a right outer rail of the railroad track.  
     
     
         3 . The control system as described in  claim 1  wherein said module includes two identical channels composed of power transistors for a left rail power output adapted for connection to the left rail of the railroad track and two identical channels composed of power transistors for a right rail power output adapted for connection to the right rail of the railroad track.  
     
     
         4 . The control system as described in  claim 3  wherein said power transistor's include switch alternately between ground potential and an voltage output up to 48 volts.  
     
     
         5 . The control system as described in  claim 3  wherein said power transistors include identical output circuits, said output circuts including a first transistor, without provision for active current limiting, providing a current path from an output to a ground connection, a current sense circuit, a second transistor, with provision for active current limiting and connecting the power supply to the power output, a delay circuit to cause the first transistor to cause the current through the first transistor not to exceed a specified current limit of said module before said circuit sense circuit can disable said output circuit and where said active current limiting circuit is activated by modulated voltage signal transitions and where said current sense circuit will disable within 5 microseconds of said modulated voltage transition when said output exceeds a specified current limit.  
     
     
         6 . The control system as described in  claim 1  further including a plurality of modules, each module adapted for connection to separate track sections making up the railroad track, said modules providing modulated voltage to the first engine, said modules allowing the first engine to operate on one track section while the second engine operates on another track section.  
     
     
         7 . The control system as described in  claim 6  wherein ends of said track sections include electrical connector contacts, said contacts used for connecting to said module and said adjacent track sections.  
     
     
         8 . The control system as described in  claim 1  wherein the modulated voltage from said module is a DCC waveform as defined by the National Model Railroad Association Standards S-9.1 and S-9.2.  
     
     
         9 . A model railroad train control system, the system used for operating a first engine with a railcar with shorting wheelsets, the first engine driven by a first power source, the control system comprising: 
 a railroad track, said track having a plurality of track sections, each of the track sections having a center rail, a left outer rail and a right outer rail, opposite ends of the track sections insulted from ends of an adjacent track, said track adapted for receiving the first engine thereon, said track sections have a length less than a distance between the shorting wheelsets of the railcar pulled by the first engine thereby allowing the first engine with railcar to operate on said railroad track; and    a plurality of current limited voltage source modules, said modules adapted for connecting to the left and right outer rails of the track sections, said modules providing modulated voltage to the outer rails for driving the first engine thereon, said modules allowing the first engine to operate on the railroad track.    
     
     
         10 . The control system as described in  claim 9  wherein said modules includes at least one power transistor power output connected to the left outer rails of the track sections of said railroad track and at least one power transistor power output connected to the right outer rails of said railroad track.  
     
     
         11 . The control system as described in  claim 9  wherein said modules includes two identical channels composed of power transistors for a left rail power output connected to the left rails of the track sections of said railroad track and two identical channels composed of power transistors for a right rail power output connected to the right rails of the track sections of said railroad track.  
     
     
         12 . The control system as described in  claim 11  wherein said power transistor's output switch alternately between ground potential and an voltage up to 48 volts.  
     
     
         13 . The control system as described in  claim 9  wherein said power transistors provide a return current path for the first engine, said power transistors not individually current limited.  
     
     
         14 . The control system as described in  claim 9  wherein sad track sections are adapted for receiving a second engine with railcar with nonshorting wheelsets, said modules allowing the first and second engines with railcars to operate simultaneously and independently on the railroad track.  
     
     
         15 . A model railroad train control system, the system used for operating a first engine driven by a first power source, the first engine driven on a railroad track, the track having a center rail, a left outer rail and a right outer rail, the system comprising: 
 a current limited engine control module, said module adapted for operating the engine using a voltage appearing between the outer rails and operating the first engine using a voltage from the center rail with respect to the outer rails.    
     
     
         16 . The control system as described in  claim 15  further including means for manually switching the operation of the first engine from using voltage appearing between the outer rails to operating the first engine from the center rail with respect to the outer rails.  
     
     
         17 . The control system as described in  claim 15  further including means for automatically switching the operation of the first engine from using voltage appearing between the outer rails to operating the first engine from the center rail with respect to the outer rails.