Hello All When reading the description of the LNRP, one feature is that it extends large loconet installations of more than 20 devices. Is there a limitation of the amount of devices on the base loconet? Between Boosters, DS64's and DS54's, UR91's and UR92 we have about 30 devices current before starting on the signaling system. During ops sessions many more throttles are added but batteries are used on the plugin throttles. Thanks
Springfield PA
Not really, as long as there is sufficient power to prevent the voltage from dropping too low. If you use things liek flashign signal aspects, you may generate enough loconet messages to flood the network and result in slow response to throttles - in that case you may need to do what we did on our modular layotu and run a seperate loconet for the signalling and detection - we used a second DCS100 but I don;t see why a Zephyr wouldn;t work as a command station, or even just not have a command station and configure a Locobuffer USB to be the Loconet Master for the signal network.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks
Since you have 2 loconets on your modular layout, do you have them both hooked to the computer or just the signaling one? We of course currently have everything on the single loconet and interface through the PC for wireless PDA throttle as well as panel pro.
Just the signal one for now, in June we have an extended show so I am planning to see if they will let me hook my laptop up for the throttle side. Believe it or I'm not the DCC guru - I just don't have enough time to be there on a regular basis. I take most of my vacation so I can help out at shows.
You can have 2 connections in JMRI - I did this on my own system, with my PR3/program track hooked up for programming and my old Locobuffer to my layout so I cna use WiThrottle. Both work at the same time.
rrinker You can have 2 connections in JMRI - I did this on my own system, with my PR3/program track hooked up for programming and my old Locobuffer to my layout so I cna use WiThrottle. Both work at the same time. --Randy
That should actually read 'You can have multiple connections in JMRI'. you are not limited to 1 or 2.
Peter
Is it possible to have 2 loconets running on the same PC and JMRI the same time and have both used by the software? If so is there a section that can be referenced so we can check it out? I would see it as a big plus if traffic on the loconet could be kept down, especially during ops sessions when we have up to 20 loco's and the same amount of throttles being used. The signaling system is sure to add a ton of more traffic.
I dunno if they actually listed it in the setup for JMRI, but you can define as many connections as you want (well it is probbaly practically limited to maybe 4 or so). You can dedicate which one is the programming connection. I have to dig up my message in the JMRI group, or just go look at my setup - in version 2.10 I had to define them in a specific order for it to work right - ie, when I went into the programmer to make it use my PR3 while the throttles sent commands to the layout. THere's a check box for the programmign output but it actually only works if you define the connections in the proper order. If you have the newer version just open up the preferences and you cna see there are options ot add additional connections besides the one you have.
I see in the preferences that there is only 1 system connection that you can select. Where would you add additional connections, and does the panel pro editing allow you to reference the different connections such as DCS number 1 and DCS number 2?
You must not have 2.10, which is the latest release version. If you have 2.8 there is a check box for "Advanced Connection Preferences" that opens up an option to add more connections, it 2.10 it's just there, a + next to the tab on the connection screen.
Not everything in 2.10 checks the connection settings properly, so to get it to work I had to add my PR3 as the first connection and Locobuffer as the second. On the Defaults page I select the PR3 connection for the programmer (the only thing on the page, currently, is which connection is used for the program output). Throttles, and things like the Loconet Monitor all use the data from the Locobuffer connection.
For objects in the tables, like turnouts and sensors, they are distinguished as L1 and L2, So turnout 50 on the first connection would be L1T50, and sensor 200 on the second connection would be L2S200.
I see it. I was missing the Plus tab in the connections screen.
Now doing this is it possible to address 2 different Number one's. For instance an SE8C with address 1 on loconet 1 responding to an input from a BDL168 address 1 on Loconet 2?
Should be, since they have unique names when appearing in the various tables, and you cna make those references in logic.
Although I would probably just do it like ours is, all the detection and signalling on one loconet, and throttles/train running/programming on the other. Actually, our programming is a standalone DB150 with a DT400 plugged in. There's plenty of capacity to handle lots of BDL168's and lots of SE8Cs with fast enough response time. Also, all our accessory decoders for turnout control are on that Loconet as well - so just teh one DCS100 provides power for all the Tortoises as well. I wouldn;t load down the Loconet used for throttles, radio and otherwise, with sensor messages, that's when peopel notice lags - liek when they try to blow the horn for a crossing and totally miss the timing.
We don;t have multiple connections because the original was built in a much older version of JMRI and some of the changes in the way the logic works totally breaks the panels when opened in any newer version.
I'll run it by our member who wrote the current JMRI App. It makes sense to leave everything but the throttles and boosters on the same bus. It may not seem it but the throttles put a lot of traffic on the loconet, especially the people doing the switching.
You may consider running multiple connections. Just keep your original stuff on the panels you have built and just attach the second one for throttle control.
Yeah, we can't - the version of JMRI with the signaling on it is before they added the multipel connection feature. I offered to help convert it to a newer version of JMRI but so fa nothing. The guy who built it does know what he's doing - he's the head signal maintainer for an actual railroad, just updating JMRI is a rather low priority project compared to other things for the layout since what we have DOES work fine. I'll just set up my laptop as an ad hoc wireless connection and connect my PR3 to the throttle bus, then those of us with WiThrottle can try it out.