This Model Train Has a Working LCD Screen
An ATmega328P microcontroller and IR remote power this 1:150 scale N-gauge train's tiny LCD destination sign. Cute!
Exactly why it happens may be something of a mystery, but when everyday objects are miniaturized, they almost invariably become cute. YouTuber diorama111 is well aware of this fact and has long been obsessed with miniaturizing everything, like this matchbox RC car. More recently, diorama111 has added a really cute little destination sign to a 1:150 scale N-gauge model train.
That is a really small train, so diorama111 needed even smaller parts to make it happen. A custom circuit board with an ATmega328P microcontroller was first designed. This was wired to a tiny 0.42-inch LCD display. A PIC79603 infrared receiver was also included in the circuit, along with a 50mAh battery to supply the system with power. The hardware was carefully installed inside the train, with only the LCD screen showing through a hole in the front.
The ATmega328P was programmed to display simple graphics and text on the LCD representing the train’s destination. It was also programmed to interpret incoming codes from an infrared remote control and use them to change the destination that is displayed.
On a full-sized train, a display of this sort wouldn’t even get a second look. But on a 1:150 scale model, it is just adorable. Check out the video below to see diorama111’s model in action.
R&D, creativity, and building the next big thing you never knew you wanted are my specialties.