Last Updated: 19/04/2025

Projects & Components

A look at Arduino projects and some of the thought process behind them.

As a lot of the projects I have built are linked to Model Railway Control I have split the projects into 2 sections.

Non Model railway Projects

Model Railway Projects

Projects

#70 ESP-NOW Broadcast Mode 06/03/2024
#69 Fail Safe project planning 21/02/2024
#60 Arduino Connectors and Plugs 15/01/2024
#59 Arduino Project Wiring 13/01/2024
Arduino Robot Car 10/11/2021
State Machine Example based around model railway requirements 08/03/2023
PCA9685 Servo Control with buttons, point/turnout control for model railways 01/01/2024
PCA9685 Servo Setter Project 29/12/23
CatWasherV4 Cat deterrent 27/09/2021
Power Supply and Oscilloscope 24/09/2021

Model Railway Control and Effects

How to set up the movement of servos for turnout control of Kadee uncoupler. This project allows the movement of the servo to be set using the potentiometer with the position displayed in the Serial Monitor and the optional LCD screen. This lesson uses code from the Arduino C++ Course Lesson 6 AnalogRead() Lesson 10 Servos Lesson 17 1602A I2C LCD Screen STL files for download Turnout Servo Mount Kadee Uncoupler	Download the code for Lesson Click image for larger version
NOTE: An extra sketch servoMove7 has been added to the zip file. This sketch has 2 extra lines in the setup() that preset the servo position to the 90 degrees position. This prevents the servo jumping to zero at the start of the first movement. Check the READ_ME file for details. This lesson covers servo speed control using millis() and micros() for timing and sero.write() and servo.writeMicroseconds() for position. This lesson allows the movement of multiple servos at the same time moving in sync or own their own. This lesson uses code from the Arduino C++ Course Lesson 3 Controlling Timings with millis() Lesson 10 Servos STL files for download Turnout Servo Mount Kadee Uncoupler	Download the code for Lesson Click image for larger version
This lesson shows how to use single or multiple PCA9685 servo driver boards. The sample sketches show how to use control speed individually or together. This lesson allows the movement of multiple servos at the same time moving in sync or own their own. Issues covered include power supply and the limits of the I2C data bus. This lesson uses code from the Arduino C++ Course Lesson 3 Controlling Timings with millis() GS-1502 Linear servo STL files for download Turnout Servo Mount Kadee Uncoupler	Download the code for Lesson Click image for larger version
This lesson shows how to create a function that will read multiple momentary switches. The sketch is then combined with the previous servo control sketches to create different ways to control servos connected directly to the Arduino or via a PCA9685 servo driver board. Servos Part 2 Servo Speed Control Servos Part 3 PCA9685 servo driver board Lesson 3 Controlling Timings with millis() Lesson 4 DigitalRead(), debouncing buttons and pull down resistors STL files for download Turnout Servo Mount Kadee Uncoupler	Download the code for Lesson Click image for larger version
This lesson shows how to create a function that will read multiple latching switches often known as toggle switches. The sketch is then combined with the previous servo control sketches to create different ways to control servos connected directly to the Arduino or via a PCA9685 servo driver board. Servos Part 2 Servo Speed Control Servos Part 3 PCA9685 servo driver board Lesson 3 Controlling Timings with millis() Lesson 4 DigitalRead(), debouncing buttons and pull down resistors STL files for download Turnout Servo Mount Kadee Uncoupler	Download the code for Lesson Click image for larger version
This lesson covers a couple of old simple to implement turnout control systems using wire in tube and stud and probe.	These methods are tried and tested over the years and may well be suited to your project. The advantage of these systems is that they do not require any programming and can be built using very basic tools and are effective in use as well as being very durable. The Stud and Probe control panel used in this lessin will be expanded in future lessons to include led panel lights as well as outputting servo and solenoid turnout control.
This lesson uses a stud and probe control panel that controls solenoid turnouts via and Arduino and relays. The lesson shows some of the issues around using relays as well as using exandable code to allow multiple relays to be added very easily. Due to the number of buttons in the project the orject uses CD4021 shift registers based on the code from Lesson 21 CD4021BE Shift register	Download the project code for this lesson Click on the diagram for a larger version
In this lesson I will go through the steps and considerations when choosing sensors for a project, in this case a speedometer for a model railway. The project will use the LCD screen from lesson 17, a debounced button from Lesson 5 and the IR sensors from Lesson 7.	Download the code for Lesson 18 Click image for larger version
ESP32 or Arduino DCC Accessory Decoder Circuit 03/04/2024
#73 Arduino C++ nonRail introduction 25/03/2024
#63 Arduino C++ Gas Light effects using an Arduino and PCA9685 servo driver board 26/01/2024
#62 DCC decoder controlling servos and LED's 23/01/2024
State Machine Example based around model railway requirements 08/03/2023
#58 Model railway crossing with Servo Barriers, LED lighting and sound 08/01/2024
Isle of Mudd Model Railway 27/12/2023
PCA9685 Servo Control with buttons, point/turnout control for model railways 01/01/2024
PCA9685 Servo Setter Project 29/12/23
Arduino Indexing DCC Traverser 24/12/23
Arduino Indexing DCC Model Railway Traverser 20/03/23
DCC Modular Layouts and Control Panels 02/02/2022
Model Railway Indexing DCC Turntable 26/12/2021
ESP32 DCC Accessory Decoder 27/10/2021
DCC Accessory Decoder, sounds and lights Arduino UNO 12/10/2021
#62 DCC decoder controlling servos and LED's 23/01/2024
Model Railway Light Effects using PCA685 and LED's with Arduino or ESP32 09/05/2022