Video's on working with Traincontroller

[melmerby]

As an example of what it can look like this is part of my switchboard:

(I liked the idea of two rails for the track!)

 

Keith

[Barry M]

Hi Rudy,

 

Your videos are exemplary. Clear, concise & easy to understand. Thank you.

 

Is it possible you could do a video about signals and interlocking with blocks & turnouts - operations?

 

Keep those videos coming!

 

Barry

[RudyB]

Hi Barry. Thanks for your nice feedback, it is appreciated.

 

Yes, I plan to do a video on signals. Just not sure yet when that will be. Also, I do not have any signal om my own layout yet, will have to see how to go about here.

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 15: Customize the Train Window - Throttle

 

In the previous video we modified the user interface to our liking. As an example, amongst others, we changed the look and feel of the Switchboard.

Also the 'Train Window' (throttle) offers a lot of customization possibilities. This video shows most of its available options.

Link to video Traincontroller 15: Customize the Train Window - Throttle

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 16: Engine Speed Profiling

When a new engine is brought to our layout and we 'throttle it up', the speed at which it moves at every DCC speed step is unknown. To know the engine speeds they need to be measured. This is done by counting travel time over a given distance, which results in a scale speed in m/s. Given your layout scale (N, HO, O, ...) the 'real world' speed in km/hr is calculated. Traincontroller has a built in function to do these measurements, this is called Speed Profiling.

Why is speed profiling of our engines important?

Well ... first of all of course to have our TC speed gauges show the correct values in km/hr.

But more important, to have the correct brake- and stop distances, in cm, when using one sensor per block. One and the same engine, with the same block entry speed, will stop repeatable at the same spot. But it's probably not the point that we specified in cm. Also, different engines, and different block run in speeds, will give a large spread in the stop positions. Absolute accuracy can only be accomplished when the engine speeds have been measured.

The video shows how to prepare the engine'e CV values, how to prepare the measurement track, how to perform the speed profiling and finally to perform a measurement to add the 'brake compensation'.

Link to video Traincontroller 16: Engine Speed Profiling

A PDF document with a step by step 'cook book' explanation is also available via the link.

[caenmatt]

Rudy you are a diamond

hour upon hour I have scratched my head in frustration........

I was missing out a very small part

I wasn't running the speed measurement before profiling

I was entering around 250 in cv5 and then going straight for the 15 step speed profile......

I just couldn't get my head around the speed of the loco and linking it to traincontroller. so when I was speed profiling they would all stop randomly as TC did not have the details to match the speed.

this was one of the reasons I sacked my last layout a couple of years ago, I couldn't figure it out why it was doing what it did, I thought I was doing it correct.

again thank you for taking the time to create these vids

[melmerby]

I always run in my loco for a short while and then do a top speed run on TC with max speed CV set to 255.

 

I then compare that with the actual top speed I want and adjust the CV appropriately (I use a rolling road and a Sprog with JMRI to adjust CVs)

After adjustment I re-test top speed. If not quite right back to the Sprog with JMRI (I keep both JMRI & TC running on my PC at the same time)

 

Once I am satisfied with the top speed I set the start CV to 1 and mid CV to half way between 1 and what max CV was set to.

If you want more low speed control set the mid a little lower.

 

Then I do the full profile with TC.

I use a 72" profiling straight using an occupancy detector and have 24" run-out.

 

When I do the brake compensation II have found it works better if you do it a little below half speed (e.g. 20mph with 50mph top speed)

 

Keith

[RudyB]

Hi caenmatt,

 

Thanks for your kind feedback.

 

Yes ... tuning CV5 to get a visually nice max speed (or tune it to prototypical speed if you like) and also tuning CV2 to get a nice crawl speed, then CV6 in the middle, and also 'turn on and tune the 'load compensation' are a few steps to take before doing the speed profile.

 

This may be a good moment to 'un-sack' your layout and pick up the hobby again!?

[caenmatt]

hi Keith

thanks, I also use JMRI and a rolling road, just couldn't get my head around things with the top speed and TC.

 

Rudy

I have started again on my Layout hard to get anything done when you are playing with TC.

 

one thing I have found is, some blocks stop the  train on the button after profiling. block set up: distance, ramp, 5cm, stop marker. it is the same blocks that over run. just can't work out why.

Matt

[RudyB]

Hi Matt. That's nice that you started again!

Are there any warnings or error messages in DrRailroad? If so, first mend the issues. If all is ok, then, while driving just one train, have Dr Railroad open with the 'Details' icon ticked. Every event is logged, live, while it happens. Should be possible to see if the markers get triggered at the right moment. It also helps to have a train window open and see what the speed gauge does at any given moment. I can't imagine there's a bug in TC with regard to this ... almost certain it's something that can be explained.

[caenmatt]

I am a problem child, rather than hijack the video thread I have started a problem page.

 

I think I may need it

[melmerby]

 

one thing I have found is, some blocks stop the  train on the button after profiling. block set up: distance, ramp, 5cm, stop marker. it is the same blocks that over run. just can't work out why.

Matt

Hi Matt

 

Are you saying you only have a 5cm ramp?

 

Mine are more like 100cm! (or more)

 

Keith

Edited July 29, 2015 by melmerby

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 17: Acceleration, Deceleration, Weight, Engine Power

As a preparation for speed profiling, we changed the decoder’s CV3 and 4 values for acceleration and deceleration to zero, or as close to zero as possible without visual loco jerk with a speed step change. But of course we like our trains to look like they have a mass and that it takes some effort to get them moving … speeding up slowly, and also braking slowly.

We probably remember from school that F=ma, or a=F/m. A higher mass, or less engine power, leads to a lower acceleration. Traincontroller can take care of this ‘mass simulation’. It controls the train’s acceleration and deceleration by sending out the DCC speed steps carefully spread over time.

This video shows how we can go about.

In the train properties window, on the 'General' tab there is an entry for weight. This influences acceleration and deceleration. The higher the weight, the more time it takes to get up to speed or to slow down.

On the ‘Speed’ tab, there is an entry for engine power. This also has an effect on acceleration. To make things even more realistic, at a certain point a heigh mass with (too) little engine power, also influences the maximum speed that can be reached.

Then there are two sliders called 'acceleration' and 'deceleration'. Just play with those and watch the effect until you have something that looks nice to you.

It is possible to create 'train sets', which is done by allocating wagons to engines. When both the engine and the wagons in the train set have been given a specific weight (their prototypical weights can be used of course), Traincontroller dynamically keeps track of the total train weight. If cars are added, their weight is added and vice versa. The total train weight, combined with the engine power and the acc / dec sliders now influence acceleration, deceleration, and maximum speed.

Link to video Traincontroller 17: Acceleration, Deceleration, Weight, Engine Power

[two tone green]

Hi Matt

 

Are you saying you only have a 5cm ramp?

 

Mine are more like 100cm! (or more)

 

Keith

 

I think me models T scale so 5cm is two full length HST sets

[caenmatt]

no this is a 5cm crawl\gap between the ramp end and stop marker.

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 18: Use Your Own Engine and Car Images

 

When an engine or a wagon has been added, it can happen that the image you like to use is not available by default in TC. Luckily there is an option to import our own images, although it is not as easy as simply uploading a jpg or bmp file. The image has to be converted to a special TC format. The program needed for the conversion is called TrainAnimator. It is available for free at the TC website: http://freiwald.com/pages/download.htm.

A paid version of the program is also available. It includes a database with some 2000 images, ready for use. But of course ... to us hobbyists it is more fun to create our own images!

The start of the process is a nice image of our engine. We could make it ourselves with a digicam, or we could try to find it on the Internet. Chances are that a nice image is already available there. A website with thousands of loco images is: http://pc.pxtr.de/stocke.htm

The video shows how to go about with the TrainAnimator program. The 'trick' is to start off with an image that is not too large, or you may end up with much too big a file size for just some small TC loco icons. The magic number is an image height of 48 pixels.

TrainAnimator has some built in functionality to crop an image, but no resize. It can be worthwhile to first use an external editor to prepare the image. But not everyone has Photoshop installed, or knows how to use it. Not to worry ... some very good image editors are available for free.

One option is to use a web based editor like e.g. https://pixlr.com

Another option is to download one of the many free image editors that are available. I use Photoshop for the more intricate work, but for just some fast and easy editing I prefer FastStone: http://www.faststone.org

When the image is cropped and resized to 48 pixels height, we can load it into TrainAnimator. The TrainAnimator crop sliders are not needed now, since our image already has a perfect fit. All that may be needed is to make the surroundings of the engine or car transparent, such that the image icons look good on a light as well as on a dark background. The available previews show the result of your work.

Link to video Traincontroller 18: Use Your Own Engine and Car Images

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2015 by RudyB

[caenmatt]

nice video again

another option is if you edit with external software you can insert a running number. handy when you have lots of blue locos. the train image shows the loco direction.

[Ive595]

Hi guys, found this thread and your previous thread which went back to 2011 this evening, I have not yet viewed all the videos, I would imagine in an hour I would have done so, however I have a burning question that I must ask.

Firstly I have been using JMRI for 2 years using a sprog 3 with no automation but control of points and signals on a layout panel and locomotive control on I pad or phones. I would not say this has been an easy task, and have spoken to many people who have given up long before me. To get full automatic control as it seems you have, I would guesstimate would take at least another 2 years, all things being equal and keeping my sanity intact.

OK question time....ignoring cost is train controller or RR control easier to understand/set up/programme/operate call it what you like, than JMRI.

I get my enjoyment from watching the trains go round, not spending countless hours programming/setting up systems, but I do want them to run correctly with operating signals and all the whistles.

Many thanks

 

Ivan

[two tone green]

nice video again

another option is if you edit with external software you can insert a running number. handy when you have lots of blue locos. the train image shows the loco direction.

 You don't need an external editor to do this as RR&Co allows you to display the name / cab side number of the train or loco and an image in the block. Have a look when in edit mode under View, Switchboard, customise, select the blocks tab and tick the two boxes called show train names, show train images.

 

Of course you will have had to set up the loco / train details before this works properly as well but that is simple as well.

[RudyB]

Hi Ivan. I can't guess how much time it would take, not knowing anything about your layout. But I can describe my own experiences. To me, Traincontroller felt many times easier to use than JMRI. Making the switchboard drawing, entering the point data (dcc addresses), the sensor data (S88 adresses) and the loc data and then creating routes and schedules was a matter of days (this greatly depends on layout size of course, my layout can be seen in the video's). Then ... if you like to go deep into all the fun possibilities TC's logic functions have to offer, this can grow to months ... or even infinity. That can be a hobby in itself, but I read this is not your main interest.

 

Hardware wise, I guess you have DCC operated turnouts already, but maybe no train detection yet? It will take some time to add that to an existing layout. Although, if you'd use reed switches and magnets on the rolling stock, this can also be done in a few days.

Edited August 5, 2015 by RudyB

[Ive595]

I see so things like train detection is not reliant on a specific product or make of occupancy detector, but more on a signal ( voltage change ) identified. Which makes things easier to retrofit.

Your first comment that you found it easier than JMRI was enough, it is a great system and it's free, and don't get me wrong I enjoy a challenge especially computer based, but I admit I expected to be much further ahead after 2 years. I realise learning a system takes most of the time, but my time is more limited now so think I need a break.

Many thanks

 

Ivan.

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 19: Create and Use Vehicle Groups

It is possible to restrict the use of blocks or schedules to only certain trains. To do this, we need to go to the 'Trains' tab of the block or schedule's properties window. In the left hand pane there's a list of all available vehicles, either listed in some default available groups, or, if we use the bottom tab called 'Vehicles', in a plain list of all available vehicles.

To restrict a block or schedule to certain vehicles, we need to add the ones that we want to allow to the right hand pane. As long as that pane is empty, all trains are allowed. As soon as at least one train is in that pane, only that one is allowed, all others are not.

As long as we have just a few engines or cars, there is good oversight and it is easy to select the vehicles that we want to add to the right hand pane. When we'd have a lot of engines, it becomes a more tedious job when for instance we need to select 12 cargo trains, and when we have to repeat this several times with other blocks or schedules. This is when the use of 'Vehicle Groups' comes in handy.

The video shows how we can create these Vehicle Groups and how we can assign trains to them. Their purpose is ease of the selection process later on. To spend some time once with the creation of well chosen groups, can save us a lot of time later, every time when we need to make train selections.

The video also shows how after the creation of a "Cargo' group and an 'Intercity' group they are used to restrict traffic to certain blocks. Then we also create some rules and some scheduled stops for Spontaneous Run after which we send off the trains on a Spontaneous Run.  Then we enjoy and see that what we designed workes out well. I love it when a plan comes together.

Link to video Traincontroller 19: Vehicle Groups

Edited August 6, 2015 by RudyB

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 20: The Switchboard Editor

The Switchboard will probably be the TC screen we watch most of the time. First of all we of course would like it to have all the functions and indicators we need to control our layout. Then, it might also be worthwhile to spend some time to make it look as nice as we can get.

In video 14 we saw how all the panel colors can be changed and how we could select a different interface look & feel. In this video we'll have a look at all the options the Switchboard Editor has to offer.

Link to video Traincontroller 20: The Switchboard Editor.

Edited August 9, 2015 by RudyB

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 21: Block Speed Settings

 

On my layout I want some trains to make a scheduled stop at a station, while others just need to rush through. With the trains that need to stop, I think it looks nicer when they already slow down in the previous block and then smoothly enter the station at an already reduced speed. There are several possibilities to do this in TC. The video shows some of these possibilities.

 

In TC, the maximum speed at which a train can drive in a block is the minimum of several settings:

- max engine speed

- max block speed at green signal

- max block speed at yellow signal

- block speed settings per Schedule

- temporary speed limits

 

The position where a train starts to slow down in a block is the 'brake marker'. If a slow down takes place in the previous block already, then that starts at the 'brake marker' of that block, unless a 'speed marker' was placed, in which case this 'speed marker' position is used (which can be placed before or after the brake marker).

 

Alternatively a 'temporary speed limit' could be used as an 'operation' with an 'action marker'.

 

As often, several options are available. Which one to choose may depend on the task you like to accomplish or on your personal preferences.

 

Link to video Traincontroller 21: Block Speed Settings.

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 22: Block Stop Position Settings

 

While in the previous video we saw how different block speeds can be managed, this video is about having different stop positions in a block.

 

For instance, at a station, we may want long trains to halt at a different spot than short trains, such that the carriages are always nicely aligned with the platform. And maybe we want a train that is on a 'drive through' to stop at the end of the block, if the next block is occupied.

 

This is all possible, and it is even quite easy to do. The video shows how.

 

Link to video Traincontroller 22: Block Stop Position Settings

 

 

Edited August 16, 2015 by RudyB