Train Simulator Classic Controllers - Detailed Look - Part 1 - Throttle and Brake Levers
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- Опубликовано: 26 мар 2024
- Part 2 with the throttle and master and button box modules: • Train Simulator Classi...
Thanks for the interest in my Train Simulator modules, I wasn't expecting anywhere near as many views. I thought you would like to see inside them more closely, so here I crack open the first two modules, the throttle and brake levers.
While I don't want to give a strict guide to building one of these, here's a list of parts you would need to build one lever module:
200x120mm plastic enclosure
10m OD / 8mm ID metal tube - cut to 70mm for the horizontal shaft, 100mm for the vertical
2x 10mm bearing blocks
M10 ball lever knob
10K potentiometer
Pro Micro Arduino
Veroboard/perfboard circuit prototype board - approx. 60x25mm
90 degree pin header strip
USB micro-B to USB B adapter cable
1x push button
M8 bolts for the bearing blocks
Heat inserts - M4
3D printed parts:
2x Notch base blocks
Internal splined piece to engage with the potentiometer
Notch piece - 1 per set of notches)
Pivot piece for lever, also containing the sprung piece for engaging with the notches
M10 adapter for the knob
Arduino board holder
Decorative pieces beside lever
Additionally for the control via serial and light
1x 3.5mm socket
Another piece of vero/perfboard approx. 20x20mm
Cables to join
3-6V dual colour LED indicator 
Игры
Thank you for the video Matt. It will prove really helpful for my project 👌🏼
Nice One!
Thankyou for sharing, I will wait for part2, I hope you can show us the arduino things.
I uploaded both parts at the same time, so I've added a link to the second part. I'm working on a look at the code too. Thanks for watcing.
Fantastic stuff! Thanks for sharing 😊
Brilliant!
I would be interested in percussing these from you when you have your final design.
This is a very simple and ingenious design. I like it. I use pure potentiometers as joystick axes for my TS classic. A program converts the positions of the axes into values for the loco. But I miss the latching levers. With your idea, I could get my American control stand finished. Do you share your 3D data?
I'm hoping that this way with keyboard commands gives me a few other options, like making an up/down brake lever for trains with auto air brakes (UK class 66 is one example). I will make the 3D models available but that will be a bit later on as I might make some changes. The 8 notch is ideal for the US style controls, as the throttle module is the same as the class 66/67.
@@MattTester Thanks! I use 6 axes: Reverser, Throttle, Dynamic Brake, Auto (Train) Brake, and Independent (Loco) Brake. Of course, not every locomotive has a dynamic brake.
The US controls are a 10-notch. The first is Stop, which has not been used for decades. There is a placeholder/stopper mounted there. The second is Idle or step zero. This is followed by notches 1 to 8. The same controls are used for the dynamic brake. Here, Stop = Off and Idle = Set Up. I guess from 1 to 8 there are no notches here.
@MattTester I am trying to do a similar thing to make a controller for the Densha De Go Arcade game (Japanese game series. I like your idea of a potentiometer (I was going to try to use rotary encoders) as the game I want to use it for uses an input for "up" and "down" and measures how many times each input is pressed to measure the position of the controller. For my purposes, I would need a total of 15 notches. How did you design the notched plate? This part is really perplexing me and has proven to be a barrier to completing the project. Are there any tips you could share that might help me figure this out? Thanks.
Hi, thanks for watching. I've seen videos of Densha De Go on Techmoan's channel, a custom controller for that would be nice. I designed the notch plate in Fusion 360, any 3D CAD package should work though if it allows drawing.
I initially cut the slot in the top cover so I knew the possible travel of the lever, then measured those angles. In the CAD sketch, I could mark out these angles and place an arc between them. The arc would be as big a distance from the pivot as possible, without the notch plate hitting the top cover once printed and assembled. That's the top of the removable plate. Add a second arc that will be the bottom, where the notches will be, and you have a basic 0 notch design that could be printed for testing. The plate doesn't need to be very thick, but more than the radius of your notches.
For the notches themselves, now you know the total angle of travel you can divide that by the number of notches (exlcuding the end two as you already have those) and mark those angles on the drawing, crossing or attached to the bottom arc. At the ends and at the points where the lines cross, add circles that will be the notches. I used 2mm and 3mm circles on mine but this will vary with the size of the controller. Remove the lines you don't want from the sketch and you have the 2D outline of your notch plate. It's a good idea to smooth out the hard edges of the notches, depending on the CAD software you may be able to easily do this on the 2D sketch, or you can fillet this edge after extruding. Without this the lever might be difficult to move, but there's a lot of room to experiment.
Add your mounting solution and it's ready to print.
I have another video about the code I used for the potentiometers and the rotary encoder, that might also be useful to you.. Cheers.
Thank you for this video Matt. It will prove really helpful for my project 👌🏼