Computer control for model railroad

[@w.rustylane5650]

I simply love your videos. Thanks for posting. I'm still strictly DC and have no plans to go to DCC unless a miracle happens and I maybe win the lottery. I guess I'll continue my DC layout, but I thank you for the insight into DCC. I've searched the internet for NEA Railroad software and cannot find anything on this software. You seem to have an Australian accent so maybe this is only available in Australia. Keep up the good work and I really enjoy your videos. Keep 'em coming.

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

thanks man

[@BriansModelTrains]

Watching your series again. I am changing my NCE PowerCab to the same idea as you; using the Zephyr and PR3. I love the block detection and signals. Thank you for your inspiration. Any moe videos coming our way? Cheers!

[@plcprofessor]

Two quick questions...I want a fully automated layout for under the Christmas tree, with turnouts, lights and sounds. I prefer to use a PLC because I have many of them at my disposal. This means integrating everything with digital and analog input/output. What I cannot seem to sort are the interfaces that will convert the I/O from the PLC to the proper DCC signals. That failing, who makes the best DCC interface to a PC running Windows and which software? Thank you for any consideration of my inquiry: Tim Gates

[@johnhunt4904]

Amazing, brilliant film quality. I'm just starting in DCC an find this invaluable, many thanks

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

john hunt No problems John

[@Ajcooln]

Hi what program are you using to do this? I couldn't understand what you had said.. I heard Railway.... Thanks

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

The program is called train controller There web site is www.freiwald.com

[@oceancity1042]

Interesting , can you give some information on the sensors you are using on the track. Regards Robert

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Hi Robert, I'm using the digitrax bdl-168 for the detection sections. If you check out some of my earlier videos I show setting up the bdl-168. Thanks for watching

[@BNSF9382]

Alway good to see a new video from you. Great work, thanks for sharing…

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Thanks mate

[@josephairoso8013]

Great series. At some point can you share your thoughts on determining block placement?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Thanks Joe, I will try to do something for the next video

[@charliebishop4967]

Hi, you mentioned splitting Block 1 into 3 sections. Are these sections defined by time or are there other sensors telling the software that the train is entering the stop zone? Regards Charlie

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Hi Charlie, all the detection sections are controlled by the digitrax bdl-168 board (check some of my previous videos on how I set it up) each section is electrically isolated from the rest, and when a loco enters the section it reports to the bdl-168 which reports to the computer. Regards, Michael

[@charliebishop4967]

Detroit River Railroad Hi Michael, I'm sorry I didn't make my question clear. I totally understand using the BDL-168s to report block occupancy. However, you mentioned in your latest video that with Block 5, you had three zones, stop, brake and stop. What makes the loco slow down when it enters the brake zone? Regards Charlie

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Charlie Bishop Wildlife Photography when the loco enters the brake zone I have entered into the program what speed to slow down to and when to start braking. There is a sliding scale for each section to set when to start braking, the stop zone works the same way but the sliding scale tells the loco where to stop. I hope this answers your question, if not please ask again Regards, Michael

[@charliebishop4967]

Detroit River Railroad Got it. You can enter various commands, depending on the length of the block. This makes perfect sense. Thanks Michael. Regards Charlie

[@timothynobre3960]

Good job on the vids. Hay that digitrax system do you know if it would work with esu ecos controller? To be exact the ecos 50200. I'm looking to do what u just did with the detection and signals system.

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

timothy nobre hi Tim, I believe it will work but you will need a converter to allow the ecos 50200 to read the loconet signals. Check out this web page - www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/lnet-converter/

[@Keircomb181]

Could this be used with lego trains ?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Not sure, if you were using the Digitrax controller maybe

[@Keircomb181]

@@DetroitRiverRailroad could you send me a link please ?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Here is a link to the controller www.digitrax.com/products/starter-sets/dcs52/

[@Keircomb181]

@@DetroitRiverRailroad thanks i sent them a message

[@rfpHOscaleLayout]

Thank you for posting these videos. I had a lot of questions about the digitrax system but you answered most of them. I'm currently working on an 110 scale mile layout, compressed of course, with double track mainline. How do you connect the BDL168 to the SE8C? Do you have to run wires from the detection output pins of the BDL168 to the occupancy inputs on the SE8C?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Matt Tjaden Hi Matt, you only need to connect the loconet cable only to the BDL168 and SE8c. The BDL168 can handle up to 16 detection sections and reports this info to loconet. The inputs for the SE8c can be used by the BD4 which can do 4 detection sections but can't report to loconet, so you need to run the BD4 through the SE8c which reports the info to loconet. This is how I wired up my layout and it works a treat. Regards, Michael

[@joeshaddy4954]

I have chosen the same hardware and software my big question is when you make a block you have to break the track. When you create the stop zones at each end are those areas software controlled or do you have to put in more track breaks? Thanks in advance

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

+Joe Shaddy hi Joe, each block is electrically isolated that's means you need to cut at least one rail to make a block. So to create a stop zone you need to make it a seperate block. You could imagine if you had a large layout with many stops you need many blocks. Regards Michael

[@Katomodeler231]

What did you use for the detection?

[@CarmineRC]

Good question!! :)

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Carmine Allocca if you check out some of my previous videos I get into setting up block detection and what I used to set it up. Regards, Michael

[@titodalessandro1909]

Presentation was good, background music was very bad.

[@coxsj]

Good series. keep em coming. Im curious how you ended up with your track arrangement. Also what is your intended operating scheme?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Thanks, the layout is for test purposes only. It allows me try out the equipment before committing to a larger layout

[@digitraxdad5755]

Great videos Michael, wellp Reduced and informative. One question when you went through a stop zone, to a brake zone and then to another stop zone, how does it know not to just stop in the first stop zone or does the software take into account the direction of travel? I hope you continue to do more videos too.

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

+Paul Hamilton (Lancashire Fusilier) Hi Paul, the software tells the loco to slow down and then to stop. You set certain conditions to trigger the loco to stop. You only need two stop zones when you are running trains from both directions. Hopes this helps you out Michael

[@digitraxdad5755]

Thanks for responding Michael, I was more asking how did it know not to stop at the first stop zone but knew to keep going into the braking zone and then stop in the second stop zone. Why didn't it just stop in the first stop zone or is it only a stop zone when travelling in the other direction?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

+Paul Hamilton (Lancashire Fusilier) When the train enters the first stop zone there is no trigger set to stop the loco. To automate a train to go around a layout requires many triggers and conditions. The only way to truely automate trains is to have a transponder on each loco. Regards, Michael

[@digitraxdad5755]

Thanks Michael, I understand now that the stop zone is only half of the equation, specifying the trigger conditions is the other half. Great, thanks. Do you rate the software then?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

+Paul Hamilton (Lancashire Fusilier) I think the software is good , there is a bit of a learning curve but it is much easier then jrmi where you need to know alittle about programming

[@michaelnovak58]

Great information. Would have been a lot better if you had left out the drone music...

[@ScottDowneywoundedbear]

Its great how automation works but its a lot of work. The amount of wiring you have to do. I would like to do that when my layout gets further along but the wiring and software makes me think twice. Great update. Scott

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Hi Scott, yes there is more wiring but, with some careful planning everything will be fine. Don't let the software turn you off, with all new software their is a learning curve. I built this test layout so I could understand how it all worked before I commit to a full size layout Michael.

[@4ennout2]

I have watched all your videos having to do with this layout. Nicely done by the way. The questions I have is : Does this system only work with a Digitrax DCC system or can it work with other DCC systems such as NEC, MRC, etc?

[@pbhead36]

Very good but would be better without the music, it is most annoying. What computer programme are you using, I didn't catch the name?

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Hi peter, I'm using railroad & co gold edition running in demo mode. Regards, Michael

[@dougmckay9524]

very nice video it give a lot to think of in my build

[@charliebishop4967]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@willparsons32]

I say... it looks as though you're a electronics engineer as well as a train engineer!

[@DetroitRiverRailroad]

Glad you enjoyed the video

[@gibsonethirty2836]

ffs loose the fraken music, it does nothing for your video but give it a thumbs down