Llanbourne North Wales in the 80s.

[beast66606]

Peter

 

You can run a layout from your mobile phone now through DCC dependant on your DCC system, so you don't need a laptop or a computer for that matter you mobile is powerful enough

 

Pete

 

And as the express approaches the buffers, the signal (sic!) strength goes to zero ...

[Pete Harvey]

ok Peter

 

Pete

[P.C.M]

ok Peter

 

Pete

 

 

Hi Pete,

Don't get me wrong I think the new Hi Tec stuff is great and it's more of when and not if Llanbourne goes DCC, I just need to stop buying loco's and stock. I am just a bit slow at taking things up, but I am sure I will get there eventually. I have plenty of friends down here to help me out.

 

Cheers Peter.

[SRman]

Present!!

[DougN]

Present!!

 

Arm twisting at 9.30.....

 

Regarding the Old Laptop comment Peter, The one that I am using dates from 2002 and works fine. You can pick them up cheaply at Carrabean market, or Computer swap meets, just don't ask too many questions. All you need is windows98 and a USB connection. None of this connect to the internet stuff I think the NCE is the easiest route in with the JMRI interface. keep thinking and saving those gold coins!

SRman and I just need to come down to your place and unplug the controlers and plug in the base station. But that would have Mrs PCM chasing us....Again!

[SRman]

[GaryHN]

I've also offered the use of a Lenz system if he wants to try it out!!!!

Think we should hijack the layout and have a Llanbourne goes DCC weekend!!! All bring some locos down and wow Mrs PCM with the sound!!!!

Gary

 

PS When do I need to book the flight for???

[SRman]

Great idea Gary. We can make a good layout even gooderer!

 

Just remember though; Mrs PCM reads (and even types) a lot of this so we may need to don some heavyweight armour!

[GaryHN]

Thats not a problem SR Man, Will bring a bottle of finest Tassie wine for the lovely MRS PCM!!!

Gary

[P.C.M]

Great idea Gary. We can make a good layout even gooderer!

 

"Present!!

 

Arm twisting at 9.30.....

 

Regarding the Old Laptop comment Peter, The one that I am using dates from 2002 and works fine. You can pick them up cheaply at Carrabean market, or Computer swap meets, just don't ask too many questions. All you need is windows98 and a USB connection. None of this connect to the internet stuff I think the NCE is the easiest route in with the JMRI interface. keep thinking and saving those gold coins!

SRman and I just need to come down to your place and unplug the controlers and plug in the base station. But that would have Mrs PCM chasing us....Again! "

 

Arthritic knees permitting. Damn right Douglas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Just remember though; Mrs PCM reads (and even types) a lot of this so we may need to don some heavyweight armour!"

 

It'll take more than armour Jeffrey:mocking_mini:

 

Mrs PCM types Mrs PCM's posts but admits to spell checking PCM's posts insessently. I swear he never learnt to spell too busy with train spottting maybe?!

 

 

 

"Thats not a problem SR Man, Will bring a bottle of finest Tassie wine for the lovely MRS PCM!!!

Gary"

Only 1 bottle? Gary!

Sauv blanc or a nice Merlot then please

 

 

 

[P.C.M]

Ok chaps think you got of lightly there.

 

We have been thinking about a laptop for a while so it may happen.

Actually Doug the computer idea got me thinking. A few pages back Claggy, Dave and I were talking about Timetables and I was thinking it would be good if you could have the computer screen showing what the old station monitor used to show, each platform would have one or two and they would show arrival time and where the train was going and where it was from, a click of the mouse would show the next screen. Anyone done this?

 

Cheers Peter.

[DougN]

That sounds like an easy one Power point will do a screen by screen. The random generation thing though would be the most difficult. It would take a fair bit but no doubt it could be done on Excel. I think that would rule you and I out of programing it.

[DougN]

That sounds like an easy one Power point will do a screen by screen. The random generation thing though would be the most difficult. It would take a fair bit but no doubt it could be done on Excel. I think that would rule you and I out of programing it.

[SRman]

Yes. A sequential presentation would be ideally presented in Powerpoint but a random screen would be a little more difficult ... perhaps something like a screensaver program might do. Or possibly a picture slide show presenter that allows random sequences.

 

It is certainly "do-able" anyway.

 

Going back to Powerpoint, you could also record station announcements to play with each slide.

[beast66606]

We have MILF software (written by me) which has an add on for a separate computer to show information regarding the train (we don't use this) (it also has an add on for random faults on the trains !)

 

The easy bit would be showing the timetable, getting it to look like an old display would not be so easy - if all you want is a timetable display then I know a man who could do probably do it (depends how complicated it is !) for you - me (I'm free!)

 

Pete - Send me a PM with your thoughts about how you would see this working in practice and we can start a chat off line (if you want me to assist!). (I assume you have Windows ? - my development tools are for the Windows platform)

[P.C.M]

Thanks Doug, Jeff & Dave,

Jeff I thought you would have some idea, but it looks like Dave has come up trumps.

 

Hi Dave I will send you a PM, I am not to fussed about it looking like the old screen though the yellow writing would look ok on a black background. I like the idea of train faults too but this is limited due to train lengths and where I have uncouplers, but I am sure we can work around this. I pressume once the basic program is up and running I can change it if I say want to retime a train or something? Anyway I will give it some though tonight and PM you tomorrow.

 

Many thanks cheers Peter.

[beast66606]

Hi Pete,

 

let me know how you envisage it working and I will see what I can do - you will need to consider how you enter data and then how the data is used, do you want real time ? accelerated time ? click for next move ? etc.

 

For example - a simple text file could drive it thus

 

14:00 - 40106 arrives platform 1 on a Skegness - Llanbourne

14:06 - 45112 departs platform 2 on a LLanbourne - Chester

14:14 - 08123 departs from shed to platform 1 to release 40106

14:25 - 40106 shunts to shed.

 

etc (these is a simple example with mythical numbers before anyone says 08123 was scrapped at xyz in 1898)

 

This would result in a display such as

 

 

(this tooks me seconds to knock up so is a bit rough and ready)

 

 

 

The MILF* wouldn't really work for a terminus and it's designed to handle a fiddle yard where trains depart, run through the station and return to the same place.

 

The other thought that's occurred to me (I do have an odd one) is if the software was discussed in a thread then others could add to it if they are also interested in some freeware - if you think this is a good idea then rather than posting to me, start a new thread and we can invite discussion - however I will have final decision on functionality (as I will be writing it !)

 

 

 

MILF - Mikes Intelligent Line Finder - basically an intelligent random train generator for a fiddle yard - through station - fiddle yard scenario.

[DDolfelin]

"MILF - Mikes Intelligent Line Finder - basically an intelligent random train generator for a fiddle yard - through station - fiddle yard scenario."

I was wondering.

[Temeraire]

"MILF - Mikes Intelligent Line Finder - basically an intelligent random train generator for a fiddle yard - through station - fiddle yard scenario."

I was wondering.

 

That wasn't the first meaning that came to mind!

 

Thanks for clearing that one up, it saves me a difficult question on Saturday at Woking!

[Clagmeister]

Wow! Excellent stuff. Probably a bit wasted on Caolisport. There are only 8 departures a day. Would be great on somewhere busy like Llanbourne.

[beast66606]

That wasn't the first meaning that came to mind!

 

We get a lot of disappointed visitors to the website

 

(Sorry Pete for wandering)

[SRman]

 

The MILF* wouldn't really work for a terminus and it's designed to handle a fiddle yard where trains depart, run through the station and return to the same place.

 

MILF - Mikes Intelligent Line Finder - basically an intelligent random train generator for a fiddle yard - through station - fiddle yard scenario.

 

Sounds really good. the thought occurs to me that by adding a dwell time at the "through station" it would then be better suited the fiddle yard - terminus - return to fiddle yard style for Peter.

[P.C.M]

Hi Pete,

 

let me know how you envisage it working and I will see what I can do - you will need to consider how you enter data and then how the data is used, do you want real time ? accelerated time ? click for next move ? etc.

 

For example - a simple text file could drive it thus

 

14:00 - 40106 arrives platform 1 on a Skegness - Llanbourne

14:06 - 45112 departs platform 2 on a LLanbourne - Chester

14:14 - 08123 departs from shed to platform 1 to release 40106

14:25 - 40106 shunts to shed.

 

etc (these is a simple example with mythical numbers before anyone says 08123 was scrapped at xyz in 1898)

 

This would result in a display such as

 

 

(this tooks me seconds to knock up so is a bit rough and ready)

 

 

 

The MILF* wouldn't really work for a terminus and it's designed to handle a fiddle yard where trains depart, run through the station and return to the same place.

 

The other thought that's occurred to me (I do have an odd one) is if the software was discussed in a thread then others could add to it if they are also interested in some freeware - if you think this is a good idea then rather than posting to me, start a new thread and we can invite discussion - however I will have final decision on functionality (as I will be writing it !)

 

 

 

MILF - Mikes Intelligent Line Finder - basically an intelligent random train generator for a fiddle yard - through station - fiddle yard scenario.

 

 

Hi Dave,

I was going to say it would be an idea to start a thread, I think a few peoples may be interested. Not sure the best place though.

Musing & Miscellany?

I was giving it some thought today and I am not sure if every move should be on the screen, maybe just three or four arrivals/ departures though this would mean still using my timetable book to do the other moves. Probably better to have it all in one place.

What you have done above is similar to how I have written things out in my book. Half an hour on each page /screen should work ok.As for timing I will just be happy with click for next move, I have operated a Layout with accelerated time, and I think it takes some of the fun out of playing trains, I noticed I was driving things at top speed just to keep to time.

 

Anyway I will start a thread and we can go from there.

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

This was a feature of the MacDuff layout of (I think) Leamington and Warwick MRS, or at least of one of their members, back in the 80s.

IIRC, it was all written in basic on a Sinclair computer: probably a Spectrum, but feasible on a ZX81 with a 16K ram pack.

It was also used to tell the operators what was happening.

 

This was in the days of loading programs via tape recorders, which could take some time. When someone kicked the mains lead and power was lost, so was the program... ...I remember seeing a rather unhappy club member typing the program in on day 2 of a show as they had left the computer on overnight, but taken the cassette player home, and he was retyping the program from a paper copy so that they could run the sequence.

 

Using Powerpoint or something similar would be much more user friendly: you could probably turn it into a show, put it onto a memory stick, and display it via a picture frame.

[Edited for typo.]

 

Hi Simon,

I am sure I remember seeing a few layouts back in the late 80s with computer screens shows train info. Thanks for your idea on the power point idea. I have started a thread on doing a timetable in the Modelling musings & Miscellany.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

45029 failed on a Trans Pennine service yesterday so spent the best part of the day on shed. I am not sure what was wrong but this afternoon 45029 seemed to be fit and well, but unusually when I took these pictures was shunting the afternoon Target 90 trip to Maentwrog Road.

 

As far as I was aware 45s only worked Trans Pennine services and the odd Inter City and ballast train. A picture by Merfyn Jones on another thread showed a pic of a 45/0 on the Maentwrog Road working at Llandudno Jct, so I thought it would be a good excuse to copy the train.

 

The other pic shows what I have been working on. A few Seacow and Sealion wagons plus a few Grampus wagons.

 

Cheers Peter.