Video's on working with Traincontroller

[RudyB]

If you mean the LCD screen, that is a background image (made in Photoshop) with two standard TC counters on it.

It can be downloaded here: https://rudysmodelrailway.wordpress.com/software/

The LCD panel is available in 4 colors. The corresponding color for the counters is mentioned in the Comment tab of the counters.

[RudyB]

TC file including graphics available for download

 

To those who may have been following the TC video's and who might be interested in the graphics used with icons, extended accessories, control panel background and LCD screen ... the current status of the TC-Gold file including all the graphics is available for download over here:

 

Link to TC Gold file download.

 

 

 

..

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 35: Fast Train Overtakes Slow Train

A quite common situation is that there’s a slow train at a station that wants to go on the move, but that an Intercity is approaching and you want to give this faster train priority to leave the station first.

The trick here is to use a condition in the Route of the slow train that says the Block of the intercity train must be not reserved. That way the slow train’s Schedule or Schedule successor will start, if there’s no condition preventing that and when the Rules are set to ‘Train may stay in start block’. The train will only start driving though when the condition for the Route is met … the intercity Block is not reserved.

The video shows how this can be accomplished.


Link to video Traincontroller 35: Fast Train Overtakes Slow Train.

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 36: Block Occupancy with Momentary Sensors

 

 

The block 'occupied' status and the corresponding highlight colour only appears as long as the block occupancy sensor is triggered. When working with momentary sensors, like I do with reed switches and magnets, the occupied status flickers as many times as the sensor triggers. Just because one reed often switches two times when a magnet passes over it and also bacause I have multiple magnets under my trains, used for driving backwards.

 

Page 138 of the user manual warns against potential problems when sensors are triggered multiple times by the same train. Although with me TC never got confused and traffic flow was error free, the messages window showed warnings of sensors being triggered when not expected.

 

Well ... I can't avoid multiple triggers with my sensors ... but there are ways to trigger the block occupancy indicator just once, like is advised. This is done by not using the sensor directly inside the block, but by using a Flagman in the block.

 

On page 292 of the manual a method is described using 2 detectors and a Flagman with its memory on 'toggle'. This method wont work for me, since I have only one sensor per block! Also my sensors are triggered more than once, which means this flagman will get toggled multiple times. This is not going to work .. I need to find another solution.

 

What I did is to use switches (one for every block, two for every 2-directional block) on the switchboard as an intermediate. It is switched on by the sensor, which is now an 'external;' sensor, it does not reside inside the block anymore. A flagman is used inside the block that in turn is triggered by the switch and that now determines the 'occupied' status.

 

The advantages are:

- The switch is switched on only once, no matter how often the sensor is triggered

- the flagman therefore is triggered only once ... absolutely no more multiple occupancy triggers

- the switch can be put off at any occurrence which we can choose ourselves. I chose to do it when the train reaches the stop marker of the block, that way I also can see if a train is driving (occupied is on) or stands still (occupied is off).

 

Combined with the block release Rule put on 'smart and upon entry' this gives nice early release of blocks and a nice flow of trains on the layout.

 

But switching the 'occupancy' switch off can be done via any other sensor on the layout or via an 'action marker' in any block, at exactly the point that is right for your situation.

 

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 36: Block Occupancy with Momentary Sensors

 

 

The block 'occupied' status and the corresponding highlight colour only appears as long as the block occupancy sensor is triggered. When working with momentary sensors, like I do with reed switches and magnets, the occupied status flickers as many times as the sensor triggers. Just because one reed often switches two times when a magnet passes over it and also bacause I have multiple magnets under my trains, used for driving backwards.

 

Page 138 of the user manual warns against potential problems when sensors are triggered multiple times by the same train. Although with me TC never got confused and traffic flow was error free, the messages window showed warnings of sensors being triggered when not expected.

 

Well ... I can't avoid multiple triggers with my sensors ... but there are ways to trigger the block occupancy indicator just once, like is advised. This is done by not using the sensor directly inside the block, but by using a Flagman in the block.

 

On page 292 of the manual a method is described using 2 detectors and a Flagman with its memory on 'toggle'. This method wont work for me, since I have only one sensor per block! Also my sensors are triggered more than once, which means this flagman will get toggled multiple times. This is not going to work .. I need to find another solution.

 

What I did is to use switches (one for every block, two for every 2-directional block) on the switchboard as an intermediate. It is switched on by the sensor, which is now an 'external;' sensor, it does not reside inside the block anymore. A flagman is used inside the block that in turn is triggered by the switch and that now determines the 'occupied' status.

 

The advantages are:

- The switch is switched on only once, no matter how often the sensor is triggered

- the flagman therefore is triggered only once ... absolutely no more multiple occupancy triggers

- the switch can be put off at any occurrence which we can choose ourselves. I chose to do it when the train reaches the stop marker of the block, that way I also can see if a train is driving (occupied is on) or stands still (occupied is off).

 

Combined with the block release Rule put on 'smart and upon entry' this gives nice early release of blocks and a nice flow of trains on the layout.

 

But switching the 'occupancy' switch off can be done via any other sensor on the layout or via an 'action marker' in any block, at exactly the point that is right for your situation.

 

Link to video

Traincontroller 36: Block Occupancy with Momentary Sensors

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 37: Block Occupancy and Release Rules

 

In the previous video we had a look at how to create flicker free block occupancy with momentary sensors. I used the stop marker as the point where the occupancy was taken away again. This has two advantages:

 

1. It is possible to see if a train is still running in the block (occupied = on) or when it stands still at the stop marker (occupied = off).

2. Use of the Schedule Rule for release of blocks and routes 'Smart or upon Entry' can be used to gain a high throughput of trains traffic.

 

In this video shows the difference between a few Schedule Rules for release of blocks and routes with some live footage of trains running.

 

Link to video Traincontroller 37: Block Occupancy and Release Rules

 

 

 

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[1BCamden]

Ruud Boer,

hi Rudy,

Trust you are well, and enjoying the winter up there. Thanks again for going to so much trouble to share your knowledge and the train controller operating system with everybody, quite a big task I'm sure.

I'm continuing my development, and still committed to train controller gold, and via the ESU ECoS. Have you had any more thoughts on train/occupancy detection, as I was just down at my ESU supplier, who was quite against reed/magnetic detection, advising I should go with the ESU system. Just wondering how you were getting on with you layout, and its reliability ?

Best regards

Stanley

Edited March 10, 2016 by 1BCamden

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 38 – Control a Gated Crossing

This video shows several options to close and open a railroad crossing, both for a single track and for multiple tracks, and for the situation where the crossing is immediate behind a railway station where trains stand still.

Link to the video.



 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 39: Guide Trains to Specific Blocks

 

Often we would like trains to enter a station at a certain track, for instance passenger trains always to track 1, cargo trains always to track 2. We could use a multitude of Schedules, one for every train (group) ... but we could also use just one schedule and add some conditions in the blocks.

 

This video shows three scenarios that all use just one schedule that has multiple destination blocks.

 

1. Trains drive into the station always at lane 1 first, then 2, then 3, etc.

2. Specific trains drive into specific lanes.

3. Passenger trains always drive into lane 1 and go to lane 2 only if 1 is occupied. Cargo trains the other way around.

 

Link to the video

 

 

 

..

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 40 -Timetables

It is quite easy to create automated train traffic in Traincontroller, by having trains run on cycle- or shuttle schedules and by using the option that a schedule can start one or more successors at it's finish.

Another way of automating traffic would be the use of timetables. Both ways can also be used intermingled.

A timetable is merely a list of schedules and macro's that are going to be executed at their given date / time. The ability to use the date makes it possible to create 365 different timetables. Which one is run, is selected by the date field in the timetable window. This date is your layout's 'fake' date ... it is entirely separate from the current real world date.


Link to video Traincontroller 40 - Timetables



 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 41 - Loading Wagons Based on a Timer

 

Some model railways (like to) simulate the loading or unloading of bulk goods. The task at hand is to stop the train with the first wagon accurately under the silo, wait a few seconds, then advance the train exactly one wagon length ... and so on until all wagons have had their turn.

 

Often a hardware sensor is used to detect the gap between wagons. Its signal is used to stop the train when it is advancing. If the following criteria are met, there’s no need for a sensor, we can simply advance the train with a given speed for a given time.

1: the engine runs smooth and stable at low speed.

2: the number of wagons in a train does not change during a session.

 

This video shows this time based solution. With the tests I performed this proved more than accurate enough. The next video will show the solution with an additional wagon sensor.

 

This video shows this way of working based on a timer The next video will show how to do it with a wagon sensor.

 

Link to video Traincontroller 41 - Loading Wagons Based on a Timer

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 42 - Loading Wagons Using a Sensor

 

In the previous video we simulated wagon loading by advancing the train one wagon at a time, using a fixed speed during a certain amount of ms. This is accurate enough if the engine runs stable at low speeds and if the number of wagons in a train does not change throughout a driving session.

 

If one of these conditions is not met, we can use a sensor to detect the wagons. This could be a light beam sensor that triggers if it sees the gap between the wagons, or a reed switch on the track combined with a magnet under every wagon, or a very short stretch (1/2 ") of current detection and a resistor on an axle of every wagon. The end of the train is assumed if no new wagon is detected after a given number of seconds.

 

Link to video Traincontroller 42 - Loading Wagons Using a Sensor

 

 

..

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 43 - Kadee Couplers

 

The past few days I've been tinkering some with Kadee couplers. They work reliable with some small Neomybium magnets alongside the track. It's not at all difficult to automate the necessary loco movement in Traincontroller, it's just a lil sequence of timed events that can be written in a macro. The macro can be called from e.g. a push button for manual control or from Schedule 'finish operations' for fully automatic control.

 

Link to video Kadee Couplers with NeoMybium Magnets

 

Link to video Traincontroller 43 Kadee Couplers

 

 

 

…

Edited January 17, 2017 by RudyB

[RudyB]

September 2017 version 9 of Traincontroller was released. Time for a few new video's about the new features that version 9 has to offer.

 

This first video is about the new User Interface.

 

Link to demo downloads, user manual, more info and the video.

 

 

...

Edited December 10, 2017 by RudyB

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hi Rudy,

 

Thanks for continuing your very informative videos.  I've just tried this twice but I can hardly hear your voice even with sound on full at 100%.  It might be just at my end so I'd be keen to know if others find the same. 

 

Regards

Alan

[pctrainman]

Hi Alan , just to say that i'm having no problems hearing Rudys voice although there is a slight lack of quality to the sound in this video compared to previous vids .

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 45: Pins

 

One of the new features of TC9 are the Pins that can be shown on the switchboard. There are three categories:

 

1: Dr. Railroad pins. Dr. Railroad is the diagnostic tool that scans your layout for issues. In stead if presenting them in a list, they now also can be shown on the switchboard as pins. They quickly pinpoint you to the location on your layout where something is wrong or is missing.

 

2: System pins. These come in handy when debugging Schedules. In red and yellow they highlight places where the Schedule is restricted. Green pins show all the spots where the Schedule makes reservations.

 

3: User pins. These are used as 'sticky notes'. You can attach User pins to items on your layout and write text in them. Handy if you like to remember why you did certain things the way you did them, or if you are in the process of building a new layout and you like to have a couple of To Do memo's for the next time you will be able to work on it.

 

 

Sound issues should be solved ... somehow I lost 12dB last time.

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 46: Switchboards and Switchboard Windows

 

In TC9 Switchboard Windows are introduced. Unfortunately they have given some confusion. It may help when you think of switchboards and switchboard windows in a similar way as engines and engine windows.

 

You can create multiple engines and you can create one or more engine windows, each of which will show the engine you select from a drop down list. The new Switchboard Windows work exactly the same ... you can create multiple switchboards and you can create one or more switchboard windows, each of which will show the switchboard you select from a drop down list.

 

The video shows how to:

- create multiple switchboards

- rename switchboards

- open and close switchboard windows

- delete a switchboard for ever

 

Link to the video

 

...

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 47: HTML in Text Fields

 

In TC9 we can use HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) inside text fields. This makes that we can use styling, like different font sizes, (background) colors, borders and more, in one and the same text field.

 

HTML is the language that is used on the WWW to render web pages. Luckily it is easy to experiment and to learn with the help of this wonderful website w3schools.

 

If you prefer to use a code editor ... notepad++ is free and it is a very nice one.

 

Link to the video

 

 

 

...

Edited December 30, 2017 by RudyB

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 48: Use a Numerical Variable as a Counter

 

Variables are one of the great addition to TC 9. A variable is a named memory location where we can store information, like a text or a number. We can access and change the contents of a variable via any item on our switchboard that has an Operations tab. We can use variables to change the flow of Operations and we can add them to Text Fields to display their contents.

 

This video shows how we can use a numerical variable to create a counter. Three things are needed to get this working:

1: Create a variable of the type numerical.

2: Increment / decrement the value of the variable in the Operations Tab of an item on the switchboard.

3: Display the contents of the variable in a text field.

 

Link to the video.

 

 

 

…

Edited January 2, 2018 by RudyB

[GWR8700]

I've really enjoyed these tutorials, thank you for uploading them.

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 49: Use HTML to Simulate an LCD Display

 

Since it is possible in TC9 to use HTML code inside text elements we can simulate all kinds of graphics using 'style' commands. Let's see how we can turn the counter we made in the previous video into something that looks like an LCD display.

 

First we'll need an LCD type of font. Just Google for free lcd font and you'll find plenty. Download one that you like and install it. You'll then be able to select it via the font selector in the TC9 text element.

 

Next we have to create some HTML code. The video shows how. The tags and styles are rather self explaining once you know the syntax, which is easily found on w3schools.

 

Link to the video.

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 50: Change the Content of a Text Field With a Text Variable

 

Text in a text field can be dynamically updated, triggered by events that take place somewhere on the layout. We use a text-variable to accomplish this.

1. Create a global variable: Menu Windows > Explorer Window > Variables > right click > New Object > Variable
2. Create a text field on the switchboard and add the variable to it: type %V … TC will add [?]. Double click %V[?] and select the variable you want to display from the list.
3. In any element that can contain Operations (push button, switch, flagman, sensor, signal, schedule start or –finish) add: Control Flow Operations > Access to Variable > change > select your variable > =(Assignment) > type the text you want to display.

 

TRAIN NAMES

If we’d want to display a train name, we can not use the train names that were given when the trains were created, these can not be accessed or be allocated to a variable. The video shows 2 options how we can work around this.

 

  Link to the video.

 

 

 

…

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 51: New Switchboard Elements : Gates and Crossovers

 

Version 9 has a few new switchboard items available:

 

A: The space saving crossover. Formerly, to enable trains to switch between two parallel tracks, it took 4 junctions. With the new 'crossover' track elements it takes half the space. Each crossover has 2 decoder addresses to control the 2 turnouts inside it.

 

B: Gates. This element is used to control e.g. garage doors when combined with a DCC servo decoder. The element is placed on a route. It switches open automatic as soon as the route becomes active and closes again when the route is released.

 

C: Crossing gates. These elements are used to create a road crossing with automatic beams. The element is placed on a route. It can be dragged / enlarged to span multiple parallel tracks. The beams close fully automatic as soon as the route becomes active. They open again when all the tracks between the gates are free.

 

The control of the elements can further be enhanced by conditions or by operations inside other elements.

 

Link to the video

 

 

[RudyB]

Traincontroller 52 – New Engine Functions: Operations List & Short Distance Move

 

In the ‘Functions’ tab of the properties window of an engine we can define the functions that the digital decoder that is built into the engine supports. Often these are things like headlight, cabin light, shunt speed, or, in case of a sound decoder also several sounds that can be triggered independently.

 

With TC 9 it is possible to not only add decoder functions … also a list of operations can be created that will execute once the function button is pressed. The operations are similar to the ones we can use in the Operations tab of elements like switches, signals, flagman, etc.

 

One of the many possibilities this new option gives us is to play a sound that is stored on our computer. This way a sound decoder can be simulated, as far as horns and whistles and speaker messages are concerned.

 

Another new option in TC 9 is a Train Operation called Short Distance Move. With this operation a number of cm / inches can be specified and when activated the train will drive that distance at crawl speed. This can be handy for instance to move an engine just enough to couple onto wagons, or to move to a decoupler position on the track.

 

 

Link to the video.