RS Feedback module
For the control of the trains and the signals in a model railroad, the computer has to know in wich section of track are located the trains, for that, it needs to know wich sections are occupied, this is done by occupancy detectors and the signal of these is connected to a feedback module that informs to the command station and this to the computer, the common ones are S88 and RS. Also the feedback modules can be connected directly to the PC by means of GenHSI interface for the S88 or the RS2PC interface for the RS.
The signal of the ocupation detector arrives at one of the inputs of the RS feedback modules (it is connected to ground) and this informs of the change by the bus RS to the command station or the interface RS2PC that informs to the PC for the control of the scale model.
They are possible to be placed up to 128 RS feedback modules with 8 inputs, for each one you had to program a different address. In modular scale models it has greater advantages on the S88, because having a fixed address it doesn't depend on the order in which they are connected, they aren't affected by noise like the S88 because they transmit only the changes that take place in their inputs so they aren't continously polled and the bus has only two wires as opposed to the 6 wires of the S88
Here you will find different designs that I have made for RS: 
| RS2PC | Interface between RS bus and PC |
| GenLI-RS | Interface with RS bus and Xpressnet to PC |
| DC4 | Occupancy detectors |
| RS8 | RS feedback module with 8 inputs |
| RS8-DC | RS feedback module with 8 inputs and occupancy detectors |
| RS-TCO | Optical Control Panel for RS |
RS-TCO-DCC  |
Optical Control Panel, extension for DCC |
The designs for the S88 are here
For the control by computer and to directly connect RS feedback modules to the PC if our command station doesn't have connection for feedback modules (Lokmaus, Lenz Compact..) or to have more feedbak inputs we need an interface that sends the data from RS bus to the computer
I have made an interface that generates a bus RS to be able to connect the feedback modules and with an RS232 interface to transmit the data to the computer. You have to consider the polarity of bus RS and to program a different address number for each module. You also have to consider the serial port in which the interface is connected, and the speed (19200b) to put it in the Windigipet, RR&Co, etc. setup
Download the manual and the design of the printed circuit board here in PDF format, if you want to know how making PCB or identifying the components you can read one of these tutorials.
In order to program the PIC you have to use this HEX file.
Avaiable a version with USB connector
It's a combined GenLI and RS2PC interfaces with USB connection, so with a single interface you have a Xpressnet interface for your command station and a RS bus to read up to 128 RS feedback modules (1024 inputs)
GenLI-RS is configured at 19200b and works with PC programs that support the LI100F interface from Lenz.
It's useful to add feedback bus and PC interface to command stations without feedback bus as Lokmaus, Multimaus, Lenz Compact or NanoX or to extend feedback inputs to the more reliable bus RS for a command station like NanoX-S88
Download the manuals here
This circuit has four occupancy detectors that works by detection of current for the inputs of the feedback modules RS8 or S88 with the advantage that the voltage drop by section is only of a single diode and its optocoupled
Download the manuals here
This is the feedback module for RS bus with 8 inputs. Connect to the inputs only optocoupled detectors or dry contact.
The programming of the number of the module is made in a simple way pressing the button and then from the command station selecting a number of accessory and driving it. By means of the button it's also possible to show with the LED the programmed number of the module. It includes visualization of lack of bus RS.
Download the manuals here
This is the feedback module for RS bus with 8 inputs with occupancy detectors with the advantage that the voltage drop by section is only of a single diode and its optocoupled
The programming of the number of the module is made in a simple way pressing the button and then from the command station selecting a number of accessory and driving it. By means of the button it's also possible to show with the LED the programmed number of the module. It includes a detector of voltage of the DCC signal, by means of which if by any cause there is no voltage in the track (short circuit, etc..) the module 'frezzes' the inputs until the retun of the DCC signal avoiding 'track free' feedback in case of power failures. It includes visualization of lack of bus RS and lack of DCC signal.
Download the manuals here
To build your own Optical Control Panel (TCO) with LED. Takes data directly from the bus RS installed between the command station (or RS2PC) and RS modules. You can program each individual LED to show a occupancy input illuminated fixed or flashing. Several LED can display the same occupancy input and you can have multiple TCO joined with just 3 wires.
The programming of the number of the module is made in a simple way pressing the button and then changing the state of the feedback input to be monitored. By means of the button it's also possible to show in the LED their programmed number of feedback input. It includes visualization of lack of bus RS.
Download the manual and the design of the printed circuit board here in PDF format, if you want to know how making PCB or identifying the components you can read one of these tutorials.
To build your own Optical Control Panel (TCO) with LED. Takes data directly from the DCC signal installed as extension of RS-TCO. You can program each individual LED to show an accessory output illuminated fixed or flashing. Several LED can display the same accessory output and you can have multiple TCO joined with just 3 wires.
The programming of the number of the module is made in a simple way pressing the button and then changing the state of the accessory output to be monitored. By means of the button it's also possible to show in the LED their programmed number of accessory output. It includes visualization of lack of DCC signal.
Download the manual and the design of the printed circuit board here in PDF format, if you want to know how making PCB or identifying the components you can read one of these tutorials.
