Small update from Jaungauja Line.
I had an idea to make a tiny split-flap style departure board for my G scale station. It started as simple Python prototype, just to see if it can look right. Six rows, Latvian text, flipping animation, and permanent MIND THE GAP line (that my homage to England, despite we don't do mind the gap in Latvia ).
Then it somehow become real hardware project.
Board is Waveshare ESP32-S3 with 2.8" 240x320 screen. All software development was done by ChatGPT. I only provided prompts, requirements, testing feedback, hardware info and real split-flap sound assets. ChatGPT generated the simulator, Arduino firmware, graphics, animation, sound playback, Wi-Fi, NTP time sync, web admin page and fake timetable logic.
I tested each version on real board and reported what worked or failed. There were few disasters, including sound playing forever like haunted railway office, but eventually it all worked.
Now board has:
- split-flap style animation
- real clack sound synced with flips
- Wi-Fi and current time
- phone-friendly admin page
- sound, volume, brightness and speed controls
- fictional but believable Jaungauja timetable
It does not use live railway data. I used real ViVi Riga-Skulte route as inspiration, then made believable departures from Gauja towards Riga or Skulte. So it looks real enough, but does not need internet timetable every time.
Software side is basically finished now. Next step is enclosure: removable case on dovetail baseplate, PSU hidden inside station building, only USB-C cable to the sign.
It become much more complex than expected, but that is the fun part. Not just a screen on layout, but something that feels like it belongs there.
