I would be supprised if I am the only person desiring this.
I would like a dcc board that I could put on an isolated block of track that would receive the following as input: The DCC signal, an indicator that shows that a train is in the block, a train signal (next block available light).
The DCC it receives it would forward to the track (picking out the Loco numbers and keeping a list).
When the signal indicates the next block is not available and a train is in the control block the circuit board would query each Loco in its list as to its speed. When it gets an answer it changes the speed to 0 until the next block is cleared, then returns it to its previous speed.
This keeps the sound in the Loco correct. Additional features would be a station stop every N times through, changing a switch(s). Or other things I haven't thought of. It doesn't sound that hard, but, more than I can do.
That is essentially having a DCC throttle per block. Mucho overkill, when it can be done easily with a computer, and either JMRI or RR&CO software. What you are talking about is block detection plus transponding (Digitrax) or railcom (Lenz) - although RR&CO has a feature called Train Tracker which can keep track of which loco is in which block WITHOUT any sort of feedback, just ordinary block detection.
Since the computer can act as any number of throttles, it can speed up or slow down locos as necessary to keep them from overrunning blocks - in fact my friend does this for running multiple trolleys through his town, using RR&CO. It's not a huge matter to add sound to the mix - JMRI has a somewhat defunct sound feature that can use the loco position to direct sounds out to the approriate speaker - seeing as how many PCs these days have outputs for 6 or 7 speakers plus a subwoofer, you can get good area coverage with just one sound card.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thank you for your comments. I will checkout the products you mentioned.
I have been looking at traincontroller software from rr&co. I haven't started my layout, so, I thought I should purchase DCC hardware that works well with the traincontroller. It says that it works well with almost any DCC hardware. Have you or your friend heard that any brand works better??
Thanks tom
trackcleanertom I have been looking at traincontroller software from rr&co. I haven't started my layout, so, I thought I should purchase DCC hardware that works well with the traincontroller. It says that it works well with almost any DCC hardware. Have you or your friend heard that any brand works better?? Thanks tom
Check the manual of any DCC system you are considering to be sure it can be connected to your computer. It will probably require an add on. I know Digitrax can. Some others in here can tell you which others can. But not every system can, so shop carefully.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Traincontroller should work with anything except MRC. And bachmann EZ Command.
Tom,
What you really need to do is put together a list of everything you'd like RR&Co to do for you, see what those "things" require from your DCC system, and then see which DCC system(s), if any, can supply those requirements.
The reason I say that is because the computer interfaces for various DCC systems, as well as the DCC systems themselves, have different capabilities.
For example, at least one of them does not echo throttle bus commands back to it's computer interface. So if a function you want from RR&Co requires that it be able to act on "hearing" certain throttle commands, then for that particular DCC system you'll either need to find a work-around, or drop it from your consideration.
In short, there's not a simple answer to, "Which one is better?" It depends on what what your definition of "better" consists of.