Hi Morsing,

Generally I would recommend to include the whole layout in your track diagram for the computer software.

But if you have parts of layout you never want to control by the computer (e.g. a industrial siding) you could exclude it and just have the turnouts/points operated manually.

Best Regards,
Lasse

Rocrail or any other software has the ability to control any parts of the layout and only your imagination sets the limits. Provided of course you have feedback detection and digitally controlled turnouts etc.

Maybe the question you are asking is; how large part of my layout shall be computer controlled? Which is really a personal question and depends on how you want to operate the layout.

The ideal setup would be to have feedback detection between all turnouts and on each siding and then do the track diagram.

But in your case, to save money as well, I would exclude some of the sidings but make sure all main lines has feedback detection as well as part of your freight ladder/yard. It could be quite fun operating the layout by having a couple of trains running automatically from lower to upper level and vice versus and in the mean time you can operate a train from a industry siding to another part of layout completely manually. The computer wouldn’t know about this train so it’s up to you to obey signals to make sure you don’t crash into the express priority trains

Best Regards
Lasse

You don't have to define your entire layout in Rocrail, only where you want to have automation.

I found however that 16 port S88 modules are pretty cheap so would rather have all my sidings with detection so I know where everything is on the layout.

In the case of points, if they are trailing only (ie. single direction mainline) then you can show them in Rocrail but leave them without an address and exclude from route commands - you don't need to install point motors for them.