 Joined: 25/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 36 Location: Kingston, ON
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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 |
Marklin C 110m on 500 x 200 cm; CS2; North America era III
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 Joined: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,591 Location: Australia
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Originally Posted by: jacqvw  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 use WindigitPet.. See http://www.windigipet.de, the latest manual is at http://www.windigipet.de...oad.pl?setup_demo_2012_e. I find it great and it supports all the odd-ball Marklin related stuff like LDT HSI-88 and Speed Cat.. Others on the forum will have their preferences. So, I suggest that you download the trial versions of the competing products and work out which one you find easiest to get running.. For example, Rocrail is free, (see http://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php) but I found it to be a nightmare to set up properly, but others have no problems with the product.. |
Adrian Australia flag by abFlags.com |
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Joined: 27/08/2005(UTC) Posts: 11,071 Location: Murrumba Downs QLD
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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 |
NOt wearing the Pink Pinny, which is hard to see and now I have a white Pinny which also is hard to see against MY pure white Skin Still have 2 new shiny tin Hips that is badly in Need of Repair matching rusting tin shoulders
and a hose pipe on the aorta
Junior member of the Banana Club, a reformist and an old Goat with a Bad memory, loafing around |
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 Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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Hi Jack, I use Traincontroller from Railroad & Co and can highly recommend it. You can download trial version for free and use in demo mode. The Gold and Silver version are not cheap, but to start out the Bronze version is reasonable prized for this type of commercial software. In addition the user manuals are (IMHO) some of the best on the market and can be downloaded for free as PDF files on the website. http://www.freiwald.com/pages/traincontroller.htmNote; TrainController used to be fully supported with Marklin CS2 system, but after CS2 version 2.2.0 users reported problem with the S88 feedback system. It may have been corrected with the new version 3, but not sure of this. If you use a separate S88 system (e.g. LDT-HIS-88 that will not be an issue). Have fun with whatever you choose! Brgds - Lasse |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
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Joined: 25/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 945 Location: Sydney, NSW
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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. |
Ross
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 Joined: 16/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,489 Location: Lyon, France
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Hello Jack,
I'm using Rocrail since 1,5 year. It is an open source software available for linux, mac & windows. You can download and use it freely without any limitation.
It gives very good results.
Sometimes the doc is a bit unclear, but the step-by-step introductory guide provides enough information for starting. An active forum is also available.
I can't provide you any comparison about other software, because I don't use them.
Cheers
Fabrice
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 Joined: 05/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 171
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Joined: 20/05/2012(UTC) Posts: 400
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Originally Posted by: sikardon Have you had much luck getting blocks/automation going with Rocrail? I've been playing with Rocrail for a few weeks but am pretty disappointed. There's definitely some major bugs w.r.t. automated control & S88. Changing unrelated items on the layout/etc change the behavior of the blocks (mainly entries not getting detected even though the S88 events are getting through fine). I'm looking to try a different package (probably iTrain) now.
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Joined: 05/06/2012(UTC) Posts: 171
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Originally Posted by: tulit Originally Posted by: sikardon Have you had much luck getting blocks/automation going with Rocrail? I've been playing with Rocrail for a few weeks but am pretty disappointed. There's definitely some major bugs w.r.t. automated control & S88. Changing unrelated items on the layout/etc change the behavior of the blocks (mainly entries not getting detected even though the S88 events are getting through fine). I'm looking to try a different package (probably iTrain) now. 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
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Joined: 16/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,489 Location: Lyon, France
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Originally Posted by: tulit
Have you had much luck getting blocks/automation going with Rocrail?
I've been playing with Rocrail for a few weeks but am pretty disappointed. There's definitely some major bugs w.r.t. automated control & S88. Changing unrelated items on the layout/etc change the behavior of the blocks (mainly entries not getting detected even though the S88 events are getting through fine).
I'm looking to try a different package (probably iTrain) now.
Hello, I don't have any major problem with automation, S88 and Rocrail. My layout, even if not a very large layout, is complex and automation works very well. See below a synoptic of my layout:  Cheers Fabrice
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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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 |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
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Joined: 25/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 36 Location: Kingston, ON
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So if a train enters a block, you can tell the software that it has to brake within the next 40cm (for instance). And you use detectors only in those places where you want a train to stop. It's difficult to visualize how to set up your block layout. Reading your comment I assume that for instance at a station track only one sensor/detection section is needed at the beginning of the station track and at the end (so the software knows when it is leaving the track)
Are my assumptions correct?
I am going for iTrain or Traincontoller. Traincontroller looks great. Easy to read manual.
Jack |
Marklin C 110m on 500 x 200 cm; CS2; North America era III
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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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 |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
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