Train operated potentiometer

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MassiveDynamic
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Train operated potentiometer

Post by MassiveDynamic »

I created a potentiometer using a two head train as a slider switch. I currently don’t have a practical use for it, I just use it to regulate the volume of water in a tank as a proof of concept. But there must be a use?

It’s hard to see here and I don’t know how to take a better picture. But I use 10 twin train stations. Each station has an arithmetic combinator which multiplied the station number by 2000 so the water level in the tank is adjustable from 2000 to 20000 units. Pumps are used to transfer the fluid into and out of the main tank.
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Potentiometer
Potentiometer
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MassiveDynamic
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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by MassiveDynamic »

I added a better screenshot.

You can see the train at "T7" and the water level in the tank shows 13K. That's because the potentiometer adjusts the level by 2000 units per "tick" with a +/- 500 unit tolerance to avoid constant fluctuations.

If only it had a real purpose...

Here is my video...https://youtu.be/hAQrmNVL4Dw

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Screenshot (3).png
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Last edited by MassiveDynamic on Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:44 pm, edited 3 times in total.

FunMaker
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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by FunMaker »

I would recommend using chain signals and adding the signals that are red. IMHO it's easier to maintain and you have finer control over the selected value

MassiveDynamic
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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by MassiveDynamic »

FunMaker, I don't understand your suggestion. How would you send the train from station to station?

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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by FunMaker »

Sorry, that i overlooked your answer for so long. Following my suggestion, you would move the train by manual driving forward and backward and measuring how many chain signals show a blocked state

mmmPI
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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by mmmPI »

That would make the potentiometer more accurate and more compact, if i understand correctly the suggestion, for water level, but you would lose the ability to command it from far away using the train GUI.

That was what struck me at first, since it has not always been possible to make train and circuit network interact as they do now, i am grateful to pick up this idea from here, to use train as switch.

As for what you would use them for, it gave me ideas like to control the % of energy you take from fuel / nuclear / solar if you turret creep you move the train to the position where power will be dedicated to accumulator refilling in priority , and when you're done fighting , you can give more energy to bots , production or just science from far away.


you can also use it to slide for coal to be used as fuel or plastic or liquefaction or just shipped in bulk from a remote coal outpost if you see some changes in your main base need.


you can also use it the other way around and have a train sliding up and down as the uranium reserve deplete and are refilled , i'm not sure it is very useful but i feel it would be pretty mesmerizing to watch 20 of those sliders train moving in one place like pistons.

I'm not sure i understand all the circuitry but i'm glad it gave me ideas.

MassiveDynamic
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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by MassiveDynamic »

FunMaker wrote:
Fri May 17, 2019 6:21 pm
Sorry, that i overlooked your answer for so long. Following my suggestion, you would move the train by manual driving forward and backward and measuring how many chain...”

The idea is to be able to adjust the level from anywhere on the map via train station control. If you have to manually move the train there is no advantage to the circuit.

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Re: Train operated potentiometer

Post by TheRaph »

MassiveDynamic wrote:
Fri Dec 27, 2019 9:47 pm
FunMaker wrote:
Fri May 17, 2019 6:21 pm
Sorry, that i overlooked your answer for so long. Following my suggestion, you would move the train by manual driving forward and backward and measuring how many chain...”
The idea is to be able to adjust the level from anywhere on the map via train station control. If you have to manually move the train there is no advantage to the circuit.
You can use "temporary stations" ... if no regular schedule is present, the train will stay at it's last temp-station as long you don't assign a new temp-station.
And so you can use chain-signals for control and be able to do so from far away.

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