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So Saturday my order of 5 packs of Peco plastic insulated rail joiners are due in. I want to begin partitioning blocks on the upper deck. Before doing this, lets say I plan on running two passenger trains that will stop at two stations. If I want them to automatically make station stops, turn on the bell as they approach and maybe blow the whistle when departing, can either program Railroad & Co. or Panelpro accomplish this? If so. I know it must be in some way event driven. Do I have to set up smaller blocks at the stations or is it a computer code procedure, needing additional code or do I have to add extra sensors? I like to have some idea before I get started.
I guess I answered my own questions. I read Railroad & Co. and PanelPro's help files (256 pages) and found out what I needed to know. I think Railroad & Co. is the easiest to under stand and also costs $296.00. PanelPro is harder and costs $0.00. This is only my opinion. It seems that every thing I want to do is possible. It's a matter of which sensors to use for what. They explain there's two types, occupancy and momentary. They say you can have three momentary and two occupancy sensors all in the same block. That makes brakes, bell, horn all possible within a station stop. So just in case I'll make the blocks shorter where the stations are to be located. They also say that you should not make switches part of the blocks. In that case I'll need 6 plastic rail joiners per switch. I wonder if 5 packs are enough.
Seriously, I'm sorry that I missed this thread; I had a busy day.
Railroad and Company can easily do what you want and more. I am now experimenting with it and trying to get more familiar with all the bells and whistles. I hate to tell you this, but I think you looked at the German or Euro price. It's $359 USD The software will perform stops and go's without sensors, but so far as I can tell now, the speed of the loco must be constant in the block that has a virtual sensor. It is based on the set speed in the block and an adjustable time ramp for braking. Of course with realtime sensors you can stop it 1mm from the little old lady waiting for a ride.
Right now I have setup some blocks on the layout for the tutorial. I can place real engine 6309 in the first block in the software, click and drag through the blocks of the route (including turnouts), release the keys and the real loco takes off and then slows to a stop at the final block. Coooool huh?
I haven't got to that level of operation, probably because my layout is more of a switching, back roads style of a layout. I do have a steamer with a tsumani in it, and I am programming it for all the correct whistles and bell when it stops, starts, and hits certain speeds.
I am glad you got most of you answers to your questions. As far as plastic rail joiners is concerned, I only use them on the curves and only when necessary. Normally, I make a cut in the track with my dremel, fill it with a sliver of plastic, file it down to fit, and then repaint the track. Lot cheaper and quicker.
Keep us posted on what you are doing, I only use the sensors for occupancy,
Oops, forgot about the joiners. I do the same as Bob and cut the rail. Be careful to keep the rails aligned, but filing will correct slight variances.
I also meant to include in the above that on my test blocks, I can program it to stop at many blocks in-between...like a commuter train. Right now, I am only doing this to learn the software as most of the actual running will not be done automatically. I do like to having the capability though mostly for the novelty of it and for "Railfanning".
Thanks for the help. I think it was the Euro verision. The good thing is I haven't put down any ballast on the second deck so I can take up the old main and insert the joiners. The new main only has the roadbed laid so that's no problem. I'll use your method when I get to the first deck where a lot of the track is compeletly done.
The next thing I have to know, if you can help. I need what for the computer interface? Is it a board of some kind. The control station, doesn't just plug into a USB port, does it?
Bob I have NCE but I was talking about the computer side. I knew there was a USB port on the command station. That plugs into what? A card you have to buy for the computer or does it just plug into a USB port and the software drivers do the connection. On the NCE site they have a computer interface card $49.00. Is that the card if not what does it do?
Bob I think I'm going to answer my own question again. I think the computer interface card that NEC sells for $49.00 upgrades an old NEC to new, which have the USB card already inside. They're not very clear in they're description of this product. I guess the PanelPro and Railroad and Co. software drivers look for and pickup the connection of the command station through the USB cable. Is that right?
With Panel Pro, you have to identify the port that the connection is coming from. there is a setup routine whereby you identify that you are NCE and the version of chip in the command station and then the port you are connecting from the computer.
RR&Co. ask you to identify the digital system and the port (Com1) from a drop down list and that's it. After that you can turn on/off track power from the screen along with control of all the goodies you have placed in the layout drawing. (I am having an absolute ball playing and experimenting with mine )
The software will perform stops and go's without sensors, but so far as I can tell now, the speed of the loco must be constant in the block that has a virtual sensor. It is based on the set speed in the block and an adjustable time ramp for braking. Of course with realtime sensors you can stop it 1mm from the little old lady waiting for a ride.
