What is the best software (PC) for train operation control (Marklin C-track layout and Central Station).

What is your experience?

As I am new to this, I have no clue.

Regards,
Jack

I am using Itrain. has different levels and you can get a 3 month trial licence for free.

http://www.berros.eu/itrain/en/
another is RR & Co. Many more around.

Nev

Hi Jack,

I use TrainController. It is well supported and worth every cent. If you have a turntable you will at least need the silver version but the gold version is a lot easier to use.

Hello Jack,

I'm using RocRail.
Download this pdf http://wiki.rocrail.net/...rocrail_step-by-step.pdf
if you find some problem, just follow the pdf guide, very easy for me.

BR,
Sony

Hello,

Well, yes, and I only have a very simple layout, just a few blocks, and playing with 2 trains, it works perfectly for me.
For a bigger and complicated layout, I don't know if the result will be the same.
I think RocRail release update frequently, so you have to download and use latest release, maybe there were bugs in the release you are using.

Cheers,
Sony

Hi Jack,

One of the advantage I found of using a commercial products like Train Controller (versus freeware and cheaper software products ) are:

Shifted brake and stop markers. In many other software programs an event will occur when the sensor is triggered (e.g. a contact track). In train controller you can work with shifted markers, so e.g. you say that the train shall start braking 20 cm after hitting the first contact – then use a braking ramp of 60 cm after which it will be at crawl speed and the stop when it hits the second sensor. If you profile your engine (i.e. let the software know the driving characteristic of your train), you can get very accurate braking and stopping (prototypical). And you don’t need lots of sensors – basically you could stop a train accurately with just one sensor.

Delays of sensorsSome programs only allow a basic delay function. E.g. turn off sensor after first activated with a timer. Other programs will allow more advance configuration.

Flagman I am only aware of Train Controller using flagman indicators, which is basically a virtual indicator that tells the system that a certain (or more complex) even has occurred. E.g. a basic function is that 2 event has occurred - a train is at the station AND the signal in front of it is red. When this event occurs the flagman is triggered and now you can use THIS event to trigger other functions/routes/actions etc. You can make endless combination and there really is no limit…

To get the full benefit of Train Controller you will need the Silver/Gold version.

I know this sounds like an advert , but it’s really a clever German engineering software program and it’s constantly being improved, based on users input

Brgds - Lasse

Hi Jack,

Yes that’s correct.

Basically a block is a sections of tracks (normally) between turnouts.

One block can contain 1 or more sensors (contact tracks, reed magnets, IF senors etc).

The more blocks you have the more control you can have of the system and the more sensors in the block the more accurate information is being fed back to the system.

The length of your block should normally be as long as your longest train.

The length of contact track can just be a 24188 or 24177 piece. It could also be a shorter piece (you would then have to configure the sensor with a time delay, else the sensor will keep flickering)

If you use contact tracks in curves remember to isolate the inner rail only.

To have automatic running of trains you will need a certain amount of blocks. E.g. If you have an simple oval track with a siding and you want the train on the siding to join the fun on the oval track, it will have difficulties entering if you only have e.g. 2 blocks on the oval track. That is because during normal automatic run the train on the oval track will always try and reserved the next block as well. And when it enters that one it will reserve the one it just left… So keep this in mind when planning your blocks. Do you have enough blocks?

Basic setup for a short block on a station could be: 1 sensor in the beginning and one in the end. When the train hits the first sensor the block shows occupied. What happens next depends on the markers you configured in the block and if the train is allowed to leave the block or not. If it’s a short block you would normally tell the software to start braking as soon as the first sensor got activated. If the distance between sensor 1 and 2 is 50 cm, you could put a braking distance of 40cm. The last 10cm the train will crawl at min speed (this you can also configure what slow speed is for that particular train) and stop as soon as it hits the second sensor.

For longer blocks it may be beneficial to have a sensor in the middle of the block as well.

Below is 2 photos showing my layout plan (green colour is contact tracks / yellow is IF sensors) and screenshot from train controller. It may give you an idea of where to put the blocks and sensors.





Brgds - Lasse