What wild impractical ideas should a new control system incorporate?

[jimhaleyscomet]

There is some talk on the clyde posting about what new features should a new control system offer. So I open it up to you all. What do you think the dream control system would offer? Even it is not practical, what far out feature would you like to see?

For my own part.

I would like to see an "operators station" similar to wheel and pedal configuration for car simulators except layed out like the "desktop" controls in a comfort cab loco.

Jim H

[Anonymous]

I honestly can't think of anything that might be offered that already isn't available to me via the DCS and TMCC systems that I currently have. My own feeling is that I just enjoy seeing trains run, and do not particularly enjoy spending time looking at the controls that are making the trains run. We already have smoke, whistle/horn, bell realistic sounds, remote uncoupling, control over lights, speed control, and a dozen or more other features. Aside from reliable, long-life battery power (that's the route I'm going with my Large Scale trains) that would free the hobbyist from fussing with any sort of wiring and a lot of track cleaning, except for that needed for accessories, I really can't imagine what else would be considered a truly significant improvement. After all, these ARE toy trains. They are not the real thing. And every time a new electronic gizzmo is added, it simply adds to the cost of the item and adds to the maintenance or repair headaches. Anyone in O gauge today is likely painfully aware of that.