Ultimate DCC Hand-Held Throttle Video

[BruceK]

Basically the “Ultimate DCC Throttle” I made over six years ago that had a modled F7A cab I controlled a HO locomotive on the track with a camera, in a hand-held version that controls a model locomotive on my layout facilitated by a locomotive simulation software running on my layout’s Windows 10 computer.

The locomotive simulation software forces a DCC model locomotive to operate prototypically based on the physics of a real EMD F7A locomotive. This includes and not limited to:

Dynamics simulation of the effects of mass from locomotive and number of cars connected.

Available traction motor current based on diesel engine conditions.

Diesel engine RPM simulation based on loading conditions.

Available wheel traction effort based on conditions.

Pneumatic simulation of air reservoir and brake-pipe volume (including continuous leakage).

Braking effects based on pneumatic conditions and locomotive and rolling stock dynamics.

Simulation of locomotive wheel slip.

Simulation running at 10 millisecond intervals on an Intel NCU i7 4.7 GHz computer. LocoNet DCC command updates clamped to 100 milliseconds. Graphics clamped to 41 millisecond updates.

Utilizes custom programmed ESU Loksound V5 DCC decoder for custom sound effects from model locomotive on track in-sync with simulation.

YouTube Video link:

[DigitalGriffin]

Impressive.  I've been meaning to do something like this for a while now.  Kudos to the programmer.

If he had .NET I could give him some custom controls I created for a control panel including a custom speedometer that's fully customizable.

[BruceK]

DigitalGriffin

Impressive.  I've been meaning to do something like this for a while now.  Kudos to the programmer.

If he had .NET I could give him some custom controls I created for a control panel including a custom speedometer that's fully customizable.

 

 

Thanks for the comment DigitalGriffin.

I am the programmer of this system, and write aerospace software in my "day job". I don't think .NET will be accepted in this hobby, mostly with JMRI being the standard. If did, custom and powerful "controls" as you pointed out, could be shared. This could include "AI" functions that could add a new level of smarts to layout control virtual operations. This list goes on...

Bruce Kingsley

[hon30critter]

Hi Bruce,

First, let me say that what you have done is amazing! It is light years ahead of current DCC systems.

Is there any possibility of your system being made available commercially? Personally, I think it would be a real challenge learning to cope with all of the variables, but it would also be a lot of fun. I'll bet that the emergency stop button would get used a lot!

Cheers!!

Dave

 

[BruceK]

hon30critter

Hi Bruce,

First, let me say that what you have done is amazing! It is light years ahead of current DCC systems.

Is there any possibility of your system being made available commercially? Personally, I think it would be a real challenge learning to cope with all of the variables, but it would also be a lot of fun. I'll bet that the emergency stop button would get used a lot!

Cheers!!

Dave

 

 

 

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the comment. First question, nope, just a personal project. Second comment, I think I'll do a follow-up video to address the learning because it's actually very easy. Third, you're correct, it does need an e-stop!

 

You might need to routine check my YouTube channel as I don't think I'll post anything more on this project on this forum due to the low intrest.

[hon30critter]

BruceK

You might need to routine check my YouTube channel as I don't think I'll post anything more on this project on this forum due to the low interest.

Hi again Bruce,

I came across your YouTube video by chance before I realized that your thread was about the same subject. I posted the video in the forums but unfortunately it got locked because of the duplication.

If I can make a suggestion, how about editing your initial post to put the video at the top of the post. I will be absolutely honest - when I saw your first post I decided that I didn't want to wade through it because I'm not in the market for a new throttle. That was my bad. Sorry. However, I wonder if others are skipping over your thread for the same reason, or they just don't want to read a long post (not that it is overly long).

If you put the video first, I'm willing to bet that people will be curious enough to take a quick look. Once they do, I'm pretty sure a lot of them will watch the whole thing with great interest. I could be wrong.

I would make another suggestion as well. That is to patent the software asap. I'm sure that the DCC manufacturers and programmers would be interested in making your concept available for purchase, and you don't want to lose out on that.

Okay, I'll stop trying to run your life now!

By the way, I would be first in line to buy your system. Seriously!

Cheers!!

Dave

[hjQi]

Amazing... I wish I could have this...

Jerry

[hon30critter]

BruceK

I don't think I'll post anything more on this project on this forum due to the low intrest.

Well, you have had more than 150 views in the last five hours. It's your decision.

Dave

[BruceK]

hon30critter

 

 

BruceK

You might need to routine check my YouTube channel as I don't think I'll post anything more on this project on this forum due to the low interest.

 

 

Hi again Bruce,

I came across your YouTube video by chance before I realized that your thread was about the same subject. I posted the video in the forums but unfortunately it got locked because of the duplication.

If I can make a suggestion, how about editing your initial post to put the video at the top of the post. I will be absolutely honest - when I saw your first post I decided that I didn't want to wade through it because I'm not in the market for a new throttle. That was my bad. Sorry. However, I wonder if others are skipping over your thread for the same reason, or they just don't want to read a long post (not that it is overly long).

If you put the video first, I'm willing to bet that people will be curious enough to take a quick look. Once they do, I'm pretty sure a lot of them will watch the whole thing with great interest. I could be wrong.

I would make another suggestion as well. That is to patent the software asap. I'm sure that the DCC manufacturers and programmers would be interested in making your concept available for purchase, and you don't want to lose out on that.

Okay, I'll stop trying to run your life now!

By the way, I would be first in line to buy your system. Seriously!

Cheers!!

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions. I really have no interest in getting into making products, though I do enjoy coming up with new ways of doing things and sharing them. As far as patents, I have over 10 under my belt from my aerospace “day job” and one partner inventor patent with GE for a “Control system for a reverse osmosis system” where I came up with a better way to make the process more efficient.  Again, my interest was only to help. Software is almost impossible to patent for many reasons.

I struggle to make these videos. I made a draft video first that I showed the throttle simulation in action at the start of the video and put the “what is actually happening” at the end. Most viewers thought it was just another DCC hand-held throttle and jump out of the video before I got to the part that it was actually performing a real locomotive simulation control. With the YouTube video, the opposite is happening. Using the YouTube analysis tools provided to the owner of the channel, less than 30% of all views, users are exiting the video after 7 minutes before the throttle is demonstrated. This use to bother me, but not anymore. If just a couple of people like the new concept, that’s great for me.

I knew this would be a tough audience, somethings don’t change quickly in the model railroading hobby, and many tend to stick with methods and products they’re used over the years and comfortable with. Being a hobby if they enjoy it that all that matters!

Bruce