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Combining Loconet and CS3 - How to get the different standards connected
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Offline kgsjoqvist  
#1 Posted : 01 January 2019 16:49:17(UTC)
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kgsjoqvist

Sweden   
Joined: 04/06/2002(UTC)
Posts: 754
Location: Täby
I have a Central Station 3 as the heart of my model railroad. It serves most purposes, but I have found a few accessories (signal decoders etc) that only support LocoNet. I know there is no direct adapter between CS3 and LocoNet - but is it possible to connect them through a computer? I mean the CS3 connects to a PC and appropriate software. Then a LocoNet-USB adapter communicates with the LocoNet equipment.

I suppose this setup works if the software can handle 2 digital systems at once and sends updates both ways. For example the CS3 could set a signal to "stop", send this command to the PC and it forwards it to the LocoNet bus. And anything that happens in the LocoNet bus would be reported back to the PC and also to the CS3.

Has anyone tried this? Or is it impossible for some reason or another?
K-G / H0 and Z model train user
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Offline clapcott  
#2 Posted : 01 January 2019 20:00:54(UTC)
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clapcott

New Zealand   
Joined: 12/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 2,448
Location: Wellington, New_Zealand
Yes, the mirroring of commands from one controller to another is quite possible with a PC in the middle.

Existing Software apps offer this.
If you have a concise purpose (e.g. just accessories -no mFX or fancy programming stuff) then an Arduino like solution might also be considered

Should you be interested in doing it yourself ...

There is almost no need for translation for accessories - unless you specifically want to alter a DCC command to MM, as the CS3 (CS2) has commands for both address spaces - i.e a Signal on DCC addr 7 is distinct from MM addr 7 (The GUI screen only displays one though)
Loconet commands for accessories (static controllers) need specific on and off commands - to date the CS3 (CS2) GFP handles/safeguards this.
-e.g. there is a specific Red button down v Red Button Up v Green button Down v Green Button up

To some degree Power commands can be intelligently filtered so that a shorts on one section do not automatically cause the other to power off.

Locos add a couple of complications.
- a non Marklin controller is unlikely to know about mfX - so address translation is needed
- The CS3 (CS2) speed commands are from 0-100 compared to 0-127? or 0-14, thus conversion has to cope with rounding - marklin has provided the formula
- controllers like the CS3(CS2) induce multiple step to simulate acceleration / deceleration - this needs to be provided for.
Peter
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#3 Posted : 01 January 2019 20:50:34(UTC)
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kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,512
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: kgsjoqvist Go to Quoted Post
I have a Central Station 3 as the heart of my model railroad. It serves most purposes, but I have found a few accessories (signal decoders etc) that only support LocoNet. I know there is no direct adapter between CS3 and LocoNet - but is it possible to connect them through a computer? I mean the CS3 connects to a PC and appropriate software. Then a LocoNet-USB adapter communicates with the LocoNet equipment.

I suppose this setup works if the software can handle 2 digital systems at once and sends updates both ways. For example the CS3 could set a signal to "stop", send this command to the PC and it forwards it to the LocoNet bus. And anything that happens in the LocoNet bus would be reported back to the PC and also to the CS3.

Has anyone tried this? Or is it impossible for some reason or another?


This would probably be possible with something like JMRI, which can be run on a Raspberry Pi. I know that it can connect to Marklin central stations through Ethernet, but I don't know how good this is (yet). JMRI can certainly connect to loconet, it was originally designed to do this, but can now connect to many digital systems.

Seethe JMRI web site for further details. The menu on the left hand side has a link to 'supported hardware' which has a page for Marklin connections.

There is an SD Card image with a preconfigured version of JMRI here which will automatically detect many command stations, but not the Marklin one. It also has the advantage it can be used with Engine Driver on an Android device or WiThrottle on an apple device to control trains.

If you decide to go this route there is a very active support group at Groups.io email group.
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Offline kgsjoqvist  
#4 Posted : 01 January 2019 22:33:58(UTC)
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kgsjoqvist

Sweden   
Joined: 04/06/2002(UTC)
Posts: 754
Location: Täby
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: kgsjoqvist Go to Quoted Post
I have a Central Station 3 as the heart of my model railroad. It serves most purposes, but I have found a few accessories (signal decoders etc) that only support LocoNet. I know there is no direct adapter between CS3 and LocoNet - but is it possible to connect them through a computer? I mean the CS3 connects to a PC and appropriate software. Then a LocoNet-USB adapter communicates with the LocoNet equipment.

I suppose this setup works if the software can handle 2 digital systems at once and sends updates both ways. For example the CS3 could set a signal to "stop", send this command to the PC and it forwards it to the LocoNet bus. And anything that happens in the LocoNet bus would be reported back to the PC and also to the CS3.

Has anyone tried this? Or is it impossible for some reason or another?


This would probably be possible with something like JMRI, which can be run on a Raspberry Pi. I know that it can connect to Marklin central stations through Ethernet, but I don't know how good this is (yet). JMRI can certainly connect to loconet, it was originally designed to do this, but can now connect to many digital systems.

Seethe JMRI web site for further details. The menu on the left hand side has a link to 'supported hardware' which has a page for Marklin connections.

There is an SD Card image with a preconfigured version of JMRI here which will automatically detect many command stations, but not the Marklin one. It also has the advantage it can be used with Engine Driver on an Android device or WiThrottle on an apple device to control trains.

If you decide to go this route there is a very active support group at Groups.io email group.



Interesting, if the Raspberry Pi can handle both a USB interface and the CS3 through network. But I still think it would be easier to run the software on a Windows laptop. I was thinking of Rocrail which is also a free download, but since JMRI is Open source as well I could try both. I don’t have any LocoNet hardware yet, but it is on the wish list.

K-G / H0 and Z model train user
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