How Does Train-Navigation Work - FLEISCHMANN TRAIN-NAVIGATION6893 Handbuch

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How does TRAIN-NAVIGATION work?

The navigation transmitter under the vehicle has a digital address, just like a loco decoder.
This address, together with additional information, is transmitted with infra-red light (in other
words, not visible to the human eye, like the remote control of your television) from the
component in the middle of the transmitter circuit board downwards towards the track. The
sensors in the track react to the infra-red light and pass the information on the recognised
digital information to the navigation receiver.
Individual Functions
You can allocate several functions to the navigation receiver, similar to those which you alre-
ady know from the „big" railway. Each of these functions will then be activated by each
recognised vehicle address.
• Changing points and signals: Set the points, set the signals, set block sections, call up
and set routes of points, setting the entry- and exit routes of the station – each train will
seek its own track.
• Change the running speed and direction: Set off other trains – accelerate, braking with
exact stopping at a signal, braking to a slower speed to run through a station or
trackworks and then accelerate again, pause for a set time limit and then start up again,
push-pull routes, or individual emergency stops.
• Call up special functions: Switch lights on (i.e. tunnel entry), switch lights off (i.e. tunnel
exit), switch sound on/off, call up loco whistle/horn, turn bell on/off, call up the station
announcement, call up the shrill whistle.
Once the navigation receiver recognises a loco-address, all the stored commands will be
searched through to see whether this address has anything to do at this location. If yes, then
the corresponding command will be sent via the LocoNet to the TWIN-CENTER. That's what
we mean by „individual" functions.
The TWIN-CENTER transfers the received LocoNet-command to a command in the
corresponding multi-train format. For example, a DCC-loco will receive its command in
DCC-format, whilst an FMZ-loco will receive a command in FMZ-format. This means that
TRAIN-NAVIGATION is, as far as the TWIN-CENTER concerned, completely independent of
data format of the multi-train control. The central controller makes its multi-train control
commands out of the LocoNet-commands, irrespective of the data format used by the loco
or electrical accessory decoder.
Global Functions
The navigation receiver can also be set to different types of special, or similarly, automatic
operation, for example push-pull operation or block system operation. It will then carry out
functions which do not need a specific loco address to be programmed in. At the end of a
push-pull line, every vehicle will stop and after a short waiting time will reverse back in the
opposite direction, irrespective of what address the vehicle has. Also according to the spe-
cial operation, it will obey and set signals: in a block, every train will run through a green sig-
nal, and stop at red. That's what we mean by „global" functions.
Each navigation receiver has a particular receiver address (house number), and with this
address it is identified at any time by the TWIN-CENTER when built into the layout. Once
built into the layout, it is programmable or readable without having to remove it.
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