Randy,
I considered all that, station stops, route changes, but decided that just letting them roll, and possibly just taking control of one at a time to make a station stop or change its route, made a lot more sense then some complex automation.
My mainline control includes built in block over run protection anyway. If the next block is not correctly assigned, or a turnout is against a train, it will just stop anyway - that's as much automation as I need and it is "free" in the design of my control system.
My signaling/CTC looks like the real thing to the engineer or spectator, but the actions required by the dispatcher to impliment CTC are greatly simplified compared to the real thing. It works like this - all signals are actually interlocking signals. There are approach signals that give yellow indications of red signals ahead. Signals do not go green until both route and cab assignment line up for a given train. So the dispatcher has control over the signal simply by not assigning the next block until he is ready to give that train a green signal.
Without a dispatcher on duty, signals turn green as engineers align routes and assign blocks at local towers as they walk around with their trains. Controls are duplicated at the begining/end of each block so there is no "doubling back". When there is a dispatcher, he can disable those local tower controls.
As designed, my intire turnout control/signaling/CTC system works with DC or DCC.
I have a book on it partly written, but life keeps getting the way of its completion.
Sheldon
rrinker Not sure where I will end up when I build my 'dream' layout - I know I don;t want something simply cannot be operated alone and always requires a sizable crew, but I would like ot be able to accomodate a decent operating crew - the idea of a layout that mostly stands idle but for a monthly operating session does not appeal to me, and a continuous run connection absolutely will be there because sometimes I just like to let the trains roll, and other times I want to run along and do setouts and pickups or shift the yard. I may or may not implement any sort of computer control, but the pieces would be there because it will have detection and signalling.
See! That is the deal! My layout has morphed many times in the past eight years. I must say that I LOVE my interlocking machine. But if I built one today, it would be different! Knowing now what the interlocking bed looks like and how it works I could have built one before I went too far on the layout.
My automation allows four trains to run on the main layout (9 miles of track) with little chance of them running into each other, but that was a theory that did not prove out. If a train stalled, the next one around would run into it.
So I build a signal system. A train cannot depart a station if it is facing a red light. (the relay will not pull).
An Amber light says " Approach! the next station is open"; while a Green Light says that the next two or more stations are clear of traffic.
All of this is of course added as an afterthought. Since I can no longer go under tables, all of these relays were mounted directly on the fascia. Best wiring move I ever made: mount the wires on the fascia, and then use standoffs or something to hing the finished fascia over all of that stuff. Makes trouble shooting so easy! But now I can run at least six trains on the main line, with one more on each of the two express loops. When I add signals to the express tracks, I can run two trains on each loop.
I suppose that I could buy four more trains, but that will cost almost $1000 in today's money, and I cannot see the Abbot giving approval for this no matter what. LION must be content with what LION has.
But bottom lion is: Build Build Build, you WILL change your mind, you WILL change things, you will think of better ways of doing things, and will want to run MORE TRAINS.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Depends on what you are after. For display running to show off the layout to non-train guests who would be bored stiff if they came to an actual operating session, just running a bunch of trains in a continuous run is perfectly suitable, no computer needed.
If you want trains to make station stops, change routes as they run along - then you need some sort of control mechanism to make that happen.
If you want say through trains to run from staging to staging on schedule while you operate a local that has to get out of the way per the timetable, you probably need some sort of control system.
Not sure where I will end up when I build my 'dream' layout - I know I don;t want something simply cannot be operated alone and always requires a sizable crew, but I would like ot be able to accomodate a decent operating crew - the idea of a layout that mostly stands idle but for a monthly operating session does not appeal to me, and a continuous run connection absolutely will be there because sometimes I just like to let the trains roll, and other times I want to run along and do setouts and pickups or shift the yard. I may or may not implement any sort of computer control, but the pieces would be there because it will have detection and signalling.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
richhotrain I could well be wrong, but it seems to me that the only real advantage of computer controlled trains on a model railroad layout is for display use such as in museum or club layout hosting visitors. I cannot imagine why you would want to do it on a home layout. Rich
I could well be wrong, but it seems to me that the only real advantage of computer controlled trains on a model railroad layout is for display use such as in museum or club layout hosting visitors.
I cannot imagine why you would want to do it on a home layout.
Rich
I don't bother to use a computer, but my layout is designed for good display running as well as "operation". I like being able to just put four or five trains on and let them run, especially for non "Modeler" guests.
It does not take much with most track plans to add a little track to make several discrete "loops" for display running - that's why I did not bother with the computer thing once I developed my simple walk around cab control.
Alton Junction
John ToddWhat is the easiest system to use to run trains by a computer?
why do you ask?
are you interested in automation, such a Lion has, or do you simply want to be able to control one or more locomotives and turnouts using a PC as the control panel?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Oak Tree Ssytems is another company that offers computerized train control equipment:
http://www.oaktreesystems.com/main.html?src=%2F
CTI Electronics.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Layout of LION is automated. But it is analog automation, and no computers will killed to make this work.
LION controls the railroad of him from this representation of a GRS model-5 interlocking plant...
Railroad of LION is a subway layout. Trains only operate in the direction of the traffic flow, they NEVER back up and so LION does not need a reversing switch.
Him connected the LEFT rail to GROUND, and the right rail is connected to the 15A + DC regulated supply, set to operate at 10.2 volts.
The track controls the speed of the train via gaps and 5.1 ohm resistors. Trains stop at stations via a gap in the track. A relay controlled by a timer releases the train to continue its trip. Other relays operated by magnetic reed switches embedded in the tracks control the signals and the signals will hold trains in the station if the next station is not ready to receive the train.
Layout of LION has 9 miles of local tracks and it takes 22 minutes for a train to make the round trip from 242nd Street to South Ferry and Back again. LION can run 6 trains at once, that is 3.6 minute headway between trains. There are also two trains making loops on the express tracks. That adds another 5 miles of track to the layout.
I knew a couple of guys that developed a computer control system for model Railroads, Look at rnrdigital.com. The offered to let my club have the system to promote their system but we passed on it as we preferred to run manually and we had just added DCC to our layout.
John,
Money always helps! What are you wanting to accomplish? Using DC control, C/MRI hardware controlled by a PC program will do the trick. With DCC, there are more options using JMRI scripts. either approach will automate the starting/stopping/reversing of model trains and also control the turnouts. Here is a link to start with:
http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/html/hardware/cmri/CMRI.shtml
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
What is the easiest system to use to run trains by a computer?
John