Four Event Controller System

A good idea with lots of uses!

What makes our Four Event Controller System such a good idea?

It is not just a ONE Event Controller, it is a FOUR Event Controller. To make it even more useful, each Event Channel has been enhanced to provide up to 300ma of power (600ma now available) for any devices you want to connect.

The increased power allows you to connect all types of lights, signals or devices AND it will even support a relay which allows you to attach  really high power consuming devices.

The Event Controller is designed to connect to our MultiSense Board which is used to combine multiple sensors at the same strength to detect the train along a lengthy section of track and control just one event instead of using a single sensor and then having to add delays to keep the event running or displaying longer.

By using one (or more) of our MultiSense Boards, you can install as many sensors as you require. Each MultiSense Board allows up to EIGHT (8) Sensors. You just "jump out" any sensor connections you don't need to use. You can also connect multiple MultiSense Boards together so you can really saturate an area with sensors to get the exact result that you want.

Being a FOUR (4) Event Controller, you can control up to FOUR (4) different devices or events before having to buy additional Controllers.

You can use this board to control FOUR (4) Signal Light Controllers (one per block) or, if you have several parallel tracks, up to FOUR (4) tracks in the same block. 

You can also split up the tasks and control several different devices or events.

If you have TWO (2) tracks in a block, you can also install TWO (2) Grade Crossing Flashers, or One (1) Grade Crossing Flasher and One (1) Gate Actuator. You will need a MultiSense Board for each Event Controller Channel, or if you only need ONE sensor, you can forego the MultiSense Board and wire up a single sensor for any Event Controller Channel. 

To install a Signal Light Controller, you need to "detect" the entire length of track that constitutes that "block". You can use one or more MultiSense Board and place your sensors between the track ties. To make sure that there is ALWAYS a sensor covered when a train is present, you need to keep the space between the First and Second Sensor of the "block" as well as the Last Sensor and the one just before it to less than your shortest car (usually around 4 inches). You can space all additional sensors as far apart as a little bit less than your shortest train length. For our layout, we separated them by 16 to 20 inches.

To install a Grade Crossing Flasher, you need to "detect" the track a bit before the Grade Crossing until a bit after the Grade Crossing. You can use ONE (1) MultiSense and have FOUR (4) sensors for each track in a two track block. 

The closer spacing of the first and last two sensors is to prevent blinking when the first sensor "sees" the space between the first few cars.

For an average Grade Crossing design, the lights should start flashing a little bit before the train reaches the roadway, so putting the first sensor 4 to 6 inches before the roadway is probably a safe distance. Putting the second sensor around 4 inches after the first should be very close to the roadway. The roadway is usually pretty narrow and only 10 inches or less. If you put the last sensor also around 4 to 6 inches beyond the roadway with the preceding sensor around 4 inches before the last, the lights will start flashing just before the roadway and stop flashing just after clearing the roadway. If you want to activate a gate actuator, you just use another channel and put sensors closer to the roadway so the lights flash first and after a little more travel, the train activated the gate actuator. You install the ending sensors closer to the roadway too and the gates will close before the lights stop flashing.

It is easy to use the Four (4) Event Controller with a SINGLE sensor if you just want an indicator of position in a rail yard or entrance to a tunnel or just to trigger a sound effect. You would need to use TWO channels to control a sound effect - the first to start the effect and the second to turn it off. You don't want a train to whistle the whole time it is passing over the startup sensor, so a little bit down the track, a sensor connected to a second channel by-passes the first sensor by connecting it's output (Ground) to the input pin of the starting channel.

Basically, you can use the optical sensors to start and stop any events you want to announce - either with lights, sounds or making an electrical device start and stop when you want it to.

We tried to make the Four Event Controller as versatile as possible by eliminating the current reducing resistors that usually vary depending on what you are hooking up. It is always easy to add the correct resistance in the cable between the switch and the device you are going to run.

The Switch is designed to conform with "Common Anode" (Positive is common) devices which are the most common lights, signals and other devices available.

If you need a "Common Cathode" (Ground is common) version, we will soon be releasing a converter board that will modify TWO (2) "Common Anode" outputs from our Four Event Controller to "Common Cathode" output. If you need to swap all four channels, just get an additional converter. If you want to use our Signal Light Controller with a "Common Cathode" signal, we will be offering a 3 device converter just for that purpose. We are testing right now and expect these converters will become available soon.

If you have any questions or suggestions about the Four Event Controller System, please read the other articles about the Automatic Block Signal System or send an email to support@modeltrainsignals.com.

If you have any comments or suggestions about any of our products, please send an email to sales@modeltrainsignals.com.

We will respond as quickly as possible.