New iTrain Tutorial Series

[BlasterBob]

Tutorial 18:  

 is also now on
Preparing a Locomotive for iTrain (part 3) - Reaction Delay Shuttle Train Route Youtube.

[BlasterBob]

Tutorials 21 and 22 now published

 

Train Routes Basics using Blocks 
 

 Part 1

Part 2- Part 

[55020]

Oh no, I have some catching up to do.  Thanks for the hard work Bob (& Iain).

[KingEdwardII]

Bob,

 

Congratulations on a superb and very professional set of videos.

 

Mike.

[Michael Hodgson]

Although Bob hasn't mentioned it on here, he's also added video 23 which follows on as part 3 on the same subject.

[deepfat]

soo I watched a few of these and I think you might be missing something. I  have a new loco and it's got a decoder in it how do I know which options in iTrain to make it work for some of the common decoders found in the UK:

• ESU LokSound
• DCC Concepts Xen
• Dare I mention Hornby Sapphire and TTS 

then I can set back watch the videos on setting loco speeds etc. knowing that when I nip up to the loft I have some chance of success

thanks in advance

 

[WIMorrison]

Andrew

 

You don't set up iTrain for any specific decoder, as iTrain doesn't have a clue what decoder you have fitted - just the same as the command station, or your throttle, doesn't know which decoder is fitted.

 

You need to set up iTrain to reflect whatever function key map that your decoders have, and that is almost certainly different for each decoder however using iTrain you can make the brake squeal (or any other name) F2 on one decoder, f6 on another decoder and f12 on the last type - but it will simply be brake squeal for iTrain on all decoders.

 

[TomScrut]

3 hours ago, deepfat said:

I  have a new loco and it's got a decoder in it how do I know which options in iTrain to make it work for some of the common decoders found in the UK

 

Further to what @WIMorrison said, the decoder/file instructions would tell you what function to map to the function in iTrain.

 

One thing I would do though if wanting to use the inbuilt acceleration/deceleration in iTrain would be to set the relevant CV values to 0 or to at least significantly faster than what you would get out of iTrain, so that the speed step iTrain thinks it is on is the speed step the decoder is actually on. 0 can mess about with sound decoders hence the high acceleration value too.

 

Another point worth noting is that if you have sound decoders set to activate the engine function when starting a route, set the CVs to not wait for the sound finish to start moving, as otherwise you'll get it setting off like mad once the engine has fired up as iTrain has been cranking the speed steps while the loco has been doing its start up sequence. There may be some sort of delay in iTrain to account for this (I haven't looked).

 

When I set up a new decoder I just use my Lokprogrammer, and then tell iTrain where I have mapped the functions to when defining the loco (e.g. headlight = F0). I think the reason there isn't a video on it is because it's not really within the scope of iTrain, it is just within DCC itself, and that is something that needs to be understood well in advance of trying to automate train movements in iTrain in my humble opinion.

[deepfat]

OK let me rephrase the question - when I add a loco there's a bunch of decoders option in there DCC(16) etc. etc. so my question is how do I find out which one to use for each type of decoder I have.  In crappy old RailMaster it would detect the manufacturer and type for you . I know iTrains can scan CV's to but this drop down confuses me.. 

[TomScrut]

3 minutes ago, deepfat said:

OK let me rephrase the question - when I add a loco there's a bunch of decoders option in there DCC(16) etc. etc. so my question is how do I find out which one to use for each type of decoder I have.  In crappy old RailMaster it would detect the manufacturer and type for you . I know iTrains can scan CV's to but this drop down confuses me.. 

 

There isn't a hard and fast answer to this, as it also depends on your controller and how you set it up more than the actual decoder. You will want DCC assuming you have a typical set up from the UK, the number in the brackets is how many speed steps you need, most decoders available today support 128 speed steps, and you normally set the controller as to how many speed steps you need. The decoder may need some CVs changing to force it into a certain mode but most are 128 by default or automatically detect what you're using (CV29 covers this normally). When using 128 speed steps, select 126 in iTrain, not sure why they have 126 for 128 steps. I thought this was covered in the iTrain manual (https://berros.eu/download/5-0/iTrain 5 manual.pdf) but I couldn't find the detail, but it is well worth a read if you haven't.

[WIMorrison]

Andrew

 

You should choose DCC(126) for all your decoders - unless the decoder only supports 14 or 28 speed steps which is unlikely.

 

The reason is is 126 is because that is how many speed steps there are. Zero (0) is not a speed and one (1) is an Emergency Stop command which leaves 126 speed steps. 
 

This is reasonably well documented on the internet

[TomScrut]

44 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

The reason is is 126 is because that is how many speed steps there are. Zero (0) is not a speed and one (1) is an Emergency Stop command which leaves 126 speed steps.

 

Ah cheers!

 

I had thought 0 must be one of them, never really cared enough to look it up! 

[deepfat]

@Tomscrut thanks that makes it super easy, but I didn't find that in the manual or any videos I have watched.  I think all my decoders are DCC(126).

 

[WIMorrison]

Andrew

 

All the other options you see are for different types of digital control. You are using one of these many digital control options that are available and not unreasonably when making the videos we assumed that people knew what type of digital control system they are using

[JST]

As a newbie to iTrain I have been avidly watching these excellent videos. I have one last accessory to set up on my layout and have failed to spot if it is covered in any of the tutorials. Basically I have a Heljan turntable that was set up with my last software (Railmaster Pro) with three exits programmed with addresses 225, 226 and 227. I have got the TT icon on the switchboard. At this stage of my iTrain experience I am not into block detection so am just trying to get the turntable to work as it did with RM. Any pointers would be much appreciated.

I must say that with Iain and Bob’s help, the setting up of iTrain by someone like me who when it comes to IT is at best an apprentice light switch operator (3rd Grade), has been a stress free experience with amazing results!

[WIMorrison]

iTrain has support for a Heljan 89121 built into it, amongst many other TT Decks.

 

If you have a specific question on iTrain may I suggest that you post it on the iTrain (English) Forum with a copy of your track plan (TCDZ)where there are people that are happy to help out - including the program author

[JST]

TT all sorted now thanks. The Heljan control box clearly fell out with iTrain resulting in the bridge just keeping going round and round! I gave it a stern talking to, juggled the track output settings and they are now playing nicely.

I may have to consult the forum if I can’t figure out the three way point settings!

[Shropshire Lad]

Which video(s) do I need to watch to set up automatic three aspect UK signals please?

Cheers Colin

 

[Michael Hodgson]

There is a description of all the videos on the iTrain site that Iain referred to above - currently 59 Youtube videos, but more are expected to be produced in due course  The first posting on this thread https://berros.eu/itrain/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15252 lists not only what each video covers but also where in the clip to find it.  The most recent videos are addressing a topic called Apsects, and that may give you a clue but this complex subject has not been covered completely yet.

 

"British 3-aspect signalling" isn't a standard feature of iTrain as such because the package was designed to support all types of signalling, which varies considerably from country to country as well as within countries.

I would suggest that you will have to tell iTrain to switch on the red lamp on a signal if the feedback(s) for the section in advance shows it as occupied, otherwise its yellow lamp if the next in advance is occupied, green if both are vacant. 

 

That's if the lamps on your signal are fed by separate wires for each aspect, which is typically but not necessarily the case, depending on what equipment you are using.  The logic required would obviously be different if you were using searchllight signals, semaphores, 4-aspect etc, and some accessory board etc products may contain logic to do things their own way, and of course it gets more complicated at junctions.

[WIMorrison]

Implementing signalling within iTrain is not complex nor difficult - put the signal in the block, state whether it is a warning, shunt or home signal then iTrain will control it automatically, and any other signals in other blocks that are correctly defined.

 

What is difficult is implementing the different types of control needed for all the different types of signal and accessory decoders. Some have inbuilt routines for signals - some don't, some have inbuilt options for different countries - some don't, some will automatically set preceding and succeeding signals and some won't, some need a matrix of options set within iTrain to control the different aspects - and guess what?  Some don't require a matrix of options to be created. 

 

Another layer of complexity is the regional variations that exist in the UK regarding placement and use of signals. Whichever option is shown will only ever suit a subset of users, it is impossible to create a definitive answer that can cover all scenarios and operational practices.

 

There are really too many permutations to cover and with the iTrain basics shown within the iTrain manual and demonstration layout being very good resources to use on how you set them up within iTrain. You need to use the instructions that came with the accessory or signal decoder that is being used to enable the lights to show correctly on the layout as per shown within iTrain.

 

One tip I would give you is to set up the signals in iTrain and get them working as you want on the iTrain Switchboard (the signals do not need addresses to work in iTrain) before you start trying to make them work physically. Once working correctly you can assign an address, or multiple addresses and create the matrix of signal options - if it is required. Too often people try to do both at the same time and end up chasing their tails to make things work - to date it has always been their accessory/signal decoder that has been at fault whereas iTrain has always been blamed by the user.

 

Lastly, if you run into issues then post the issue on the iTrain forum describing what signals and decoders are being used together with your layout plan and someone *may* be able to assist you. Here is an example of a signal matrix that sorted out one user - you *may* need similar.

 

[WIMorrison]

There is a useful discussion on UK Signalling here

 

http://berros.eu/itrain/forum/viewtopic.php?p=188981&sid=90a04e5ac78c95bfcdb9bcb0020ef452#p188981

 

With a reference to an extremely useful resource that shows the complexity of UK signalling 

 

https://www.railsigns.uk/

 

 

[Shropshire Lad]

That's great thanks gents, I'll have a play and see how I get on.

[5BarVT]

Is there an updated index in this topic?  Or anywhere else that doesn’t require me to have an iTrains licence?

Thanks,
Paul.

[Michael Hodgson]

There is an up-to-date index on the itrain web site, but I think you need at least a trial licence to access that.

 

The tutorials themselves are all on youtube however, and the same list can also be found from this link

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJXO3cq9pLIwNCnmvUkJVW1mb1kY0GnPA