Speed measurement

[Olivier]

Dear Windigipet team,

I got some question on the speed measurement using measurement track. I would like to make sure I understood correctly each step.

Regarding the track segment (A, B, C, D, E) is the length of segment A and E are important? Any recommendation regarding their lenghts?

You mention in the manual that segment B and D should be long enough to let the locomotive reach its maximum speed, what length do you recommend and should these two segments have the exact same length?

Is it OK if we have only one feedback contact in each section B, C, D? But maybe I should consider section C to have more than one feedback contact in order to be able to use it to measure low speed, is my understanding correct?

For locomotives equipped with acceleration and breaking function (ABV function, often f4 on Märklin locomotives), should we deactivate this function before starting speep measurement?

Many thanks for your answer and advices.

With my best regards.

Olivier

[Stefan Lersch]

Hello Olivier,

all of your assumptions are correct. To your questions: in A and E the locos come to a full stop. In B and D they are running medium speed after the measurement. So A and E only need to be that long that a loco can stop and turn. WDP doesn't care about the length of A and E.

You turn off any acceleration or deceleration in the decoder for the measurement. A, B, D, and E even may be curved. Only C should be straight and even. In my case A, B, D, and E are curved and in a grade. That's no problem. Because of this and the circumstances on your layout just try out how long B and D should be. I have N scale and in my case 20-30 cm are enough. So try 50 cm for beginning.

Yes, C should have 2 or more contacts. C short in my case is 20 cm. That makes 40 cm for H0. This increases the speed measurement a lot!

[Edwin Schefold]

Hello Olivier

If you want to use the measurement path with the short measurement path, so you should share in 7 sections the route.
The small letters stand for the short measurement section.
 
 
---- A (a) ---- / - b (B) - / --- c (B) --- / --- d (B)--- / ---------- C (e) ------------- /  ------D ----- / ---- E ----- /
 
 
A (a) = a x cm long section of track
b = a track length
c = 1 1/2 to 2 track length
d = 1 track length
B = is then composed of b; c; d together for long measuring path
C (e) = 1m + - 20cm with C and equal to e for the short measurement distance is (150cm + x for H0)
D = about as long as B
E = a x cm long section, as well as A.
A (a) and (e) should be long enough so that the entire train has it place, if the measuring distance is not a part of the installation path.

[Olivier]

Dear Stefan and Edwin,

Thank you very much for your answer and clarification. Edwin if I follow your advice and understand you well I should try to set up the following measurement section track for Märklin HO:

A= 30 to 50cm, long enough for a EMD F7 American locomotive to stop and change direction
B= 72cm
C=120cm
D=72cm
E=30 to 50cm

For short measurement section:

a=30 to 50cm
b=18cm
c= 36cm
d=18cm
e= 120cm

Do I understand you correctly?

One additionnal question, when we start the measurement process should we place the locomotive just at the end of the section A (almost at the border of section A and B) or it is not relevant.

Many thanks for your confirmation.

With my best regards.

Olivier

[Edwin Schefold]

Hallo Olivier

You've understood correctly basically.

Only C should preferably be longer than 120cm. When it comes doing from 150cm or larger.
Also D must be as precise as long as B. dsann also the locomotive must indeed can completely accelerate.
Everything is in front or behind A; E, basically does not matter as long as the locomotive can make B and D free.
At the start only A must be occupied. The rest of the track must be free.

[Stefan Lersch]

Hi Olivier,


Google translate did a bad job. At least I don't understand the automatic translation of Eddy's German text. So I asked Eddy and he provided me with the German original text. Here's now my manual translation.


Basically you understood it correctly. But Eddy's got some notes:

D should be as long as B.
C should be at least 150 cm or longer. 120 cm is not enough.
It doesn't matter how long A and E are.
D is not long enough to speed the locos up to full speed.

[Olivier]

Dear Stefan and Edwin,

Thank you very much for your complementary explanations, now I understand how to setup my measurement track.

With my best regards.

Olivier