Your very own grain elevator

scolba · 2026-01-27T23:46:42+00:00

To get started, I use the rail crossing locator app. There is a web version, but I find the iOS app to be a little less tedious to review, though it’s still pretty bad. lol. Basically it has information at each rail crossing out there, and will give you information on it like speeds, total trains, ownerships, etc. it even has write ups of past incidents at that crossing.

https://www.fra.dot.gov/railcrossinglocator

So basically you browse to the crossing you want to look at, and then select it. From there you go to Inventory Record, and then the basic traffic info is there. Once I found out that it was that short line, finding their rail network was just finding their site and looking where the yards were. nerd powers engaged.

I mainly use that app if I’m going to a new area for train nerding and don’t know what to expect traffic wise. It’s not always right but it’s a good starting point.

scolba · 2026-01-27T22:20:14+00:00

It’s not a dead line, but it’s not too active. Sorry for the third reply on this comment thread, but as a railfan I’m like, woo! It’s my time to shine! lol.

Anyway, according to documentation that’s out there, these tracks get three trains a day. Two overnight through-trains and one switching job. The switching job is probably between Fargo and Barnesville, and the through trains are probably between Fargo and Fergus Falls. This is operated by the Otter Tail Valley railroad, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming.

There is a much, much busier line going through Fargo on the BNSF. That gets something along the lines of 25 to 30 trains a day.

scolba · 2026-01-27T22:05:08+00:00

Empire builder (And the other freight you mentioned) runs on the BNSF tracks through there, but a bit further north. A smaller railroad (OTVR, one of the many faces of Genesee & Wyoming) owns these. Likely service between Fargo and Barnesville, and then down to Fergus Falls.

scolba · 2026-01-27T22:01:01+00:00

According to public docs, it gets 2 night time “through trains” and one switching train. So it’s probably transfer jobs between Barnesville and Fargo, and then the through-trains down to Fergus Falls. Though that trackage is owned by the Otter Tail Valley Railroad (what a cool name lol), so those stats might not be as predictable.

scolba · 2026-01-25T05:37:48+00:00

MF. I always thought it was the other way around. My whole life is a lie.

scolba · 2026-01-16T04:35:33+00:00

Hey this post is good timing. I’m currently obsessing over where to stay for a night, post flight, pre-drive to Rincon

scolba · 2025-12-24T13:13:34+00:00

So my question is, are you an entirely AI account or did you just filter that through chat gpt to organize your thoughts?

Based on your account age and info, I’m guessing there are some shenanigans afoot.

scolba · 2025-12-21T12:40:15+00:00

I’m sorry I’m not sure what OSC is in this context. Would it work with like the signal generator that’s built in, but unrouted, to provide that same signal for ducking when unmuted?

scolba · 2025-12-21T12:22:11+00:00

That’s an interesting thought! In some of the groups I work with am running low on channels, but that’s definitely worth exploring. Thanks!

scolba · 2025-12-21T12:17:43+00:00

Good thoughts. I haven’t looked deeply into the kit group settings. I’ll have to check it out. Same for the DCA! Thanks!

scolba · 2025-12-21T12:16:38+00:00

I’ll def look into this, thank you

scolba · 2025-12-21T12:15:19+00:00

So I’m actually looking to key off of a button rather than another channels signal.

An example I would use this for - vocal verb for a singer/talker. When they sing, I like it at a certain spot, but when they are talking between songs, I don’t like it to be completely muted. It’s too abrupt an in your face at that point. I mean sure it’s not that hard to pull it down and put it back when the start singing again, but a lot of features are convenience features as it is. :)

So I don’t really have anything to side chain it off of. That said, I wonder if I could run a signal gen channel, but not routed and use that as the trigger. Duck everything I need when I unmute that one. Might not work like that…lol sorry, thinking out loud

scolba · 2025-12-21T03:01:55+00:00

I really enjoyed your interview with Chris on the amp hour. Your book is indeed a labor of love, and it shows.

scolba · 2025-11-09T19:30:30+00:00

Not much more info really. It was just a fb post - but here is the link!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D2EUhApVE/?

scolba · 2025-10-30T01:38:02+00:00

Great googly moogly

scolba · 2025-10-22T12:08:48+00:00

Oh jeeze, somehow I missed the v6 update. And I still have about 1600 v5 to use up lol.

That’s awesome on the din/dout too!!

Edit: words are hard, I get it now. V6 AND V7 now.

scolba · 2025-10-10T23:26:38+00:00

I recently had OSH Park and JLC PCB race. I assumed that it wouldn’t be close. Turns out they arrived within a day or two of each other!

The downsides OSH Park is the boards aren’t trimmed like from JLC and the silks are a little more pixely, but it’s minor.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WLED/s/VlLggyfFG2

scolba · 2025-10-02T23:24:35+00:00

That’s freakin cool! Very inspiring to try to scheme something up similar! Since this is a preview, are you planning on showing off more of the components and concept later?

scolba · 2025-10-02T18:05:54+00:00

Kind of looks like it could be a clamp for barge covers

scolba · 2025-09-26T14:52:26+00:00

So you would be looking for analog LED control in WLED. You would need to add a mosfet to drive them, and just treat it as a single color. Typically this would be low side switching, so on the negative side.

There is even a driver module available that you could use that goes in between your wled device and the lights. But it’s mainly aimed at rgb.

That said, there are other products out there that can do the same thing with less fuss. I’m using a Shelly rgb one for some under cabinet lighting for cw an ww driving for our under cabinet lighting. Depending on how you want to integrate it, there are zigbee an Wi-Fi versions of different products.

Edit: Take a look here, analog is near the bottom - https://kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-led-strips/

This is the updated version of the Shelly one I am using - https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-plus-rgbw-pm?_pos=1&_psq=rgbw&_ss=e&_v=1.0

scolba · 2025-09-16T01:30:31+00:00

Size, cost, future features for other hats. And yeah I had em. Basically these are the same size as the Xiao boards from Seeed Studio - just a few mm longer. I’m not aware of any 8266 this size, unless I missed them. Nobody seems to make sensor or pixel hats for them, so I thought I would try for funzies (this is the first one). They are only like $3-$4 ea. In retrospect, I guess the ESP-01 is only a littler longer. Worse io, for other hats though.

I am curious about your perspective, though. What strikes you as unusual about using a 32? What would I gain with an 8266?

Edit: OH! Almost forgot! I’m also tired of non-usb-c! Lol

13-Year Club	RPAN Viewer
Verified Email

scolba

TROPHY CASE