Hornby's "Railmaster Loco Detection System"

[RAF96]

That sounds like a good viable system Nick. Low error rates are paramount to reliable running.

 

From past experience I don’t believe Hornby will never publish any proprietary protocols. In my view that is very short sighted of them as it would raise their street cred if integration of their kit was made easier into JMRI, Rocrail, TC, etc and also if other kit could be used with Railmaster. I know RM supports many decoder and signal types but all cooked up in-house rather than letting the other kit manufacturers do the work.

 

Rob

[toolongtoremember]

I started with RM and e-link, but soon switched to iTrain and Digikeijs DR5000, with DR5088RC on the way for block detection. 

 

I can safely say that other manufacturers/developers have left Hornby in the dust in regards to computer control, including with all of their dcc accessories too. 

[model-trains]

I started with RM and e-link, but soon switched to iTrain and Digikeijs DR5000, with DR5088RC on the way for block detection. 

 

I can safely say that other manufacturers/developers have left Hornby in the dust in regards to computer control, including with all of their dcc accessories too. 

 

Hi

 

So many of us start with Hornby, it is a shame they do not realise this, and that so many move away.

 

I know they hit financial difficulties, but ending up with their feet stuck in the sand and not giving any comments to the loyal Hornby users is disgraceful, I think.

 

Six years ago LD was announces, maybe a little more, then it was coming, after they generated interest for feedback, then it was coming soon! I know they are to make an announcement early January and LD will be coming, where have I heard that before? I am expecting an announcement it is coming in 2019, I doubt there will be a more specific announcement, just trying to keep people interested. For many it is to late, I am currently using the trial version of TrainController and iTrain, both are impressive, both do things differently, but I feel I must go through the comparisons of these first.

 

I didn't add your name at the beginning as I couldn't remember it, it was tolongtoremember 

 

Have a nice Christmas, I look forward to your comments with iTrain, hope you get all the Christmas presi's you hoe for and more.

[model-trains]

Get fed up myself with the lack of updates for Hornby Railmaster, started replacing my Hornby Accessory Decoders with Digikeijs DR4018’s so I can easily move to the Digikeijs controller and then move to traincontroller or itrain in the next year or so.

 

Also the DR4018’s are the same price as the Hornby R8247 but control twice as many point motors and can can be programmed on main track.

 

I am not surprised you are fed up Pete, me too.

 

In December I started a thread to find out more about TrainController and iTrain, you may find it interesting, it has really helped me.

 

I am on 60 days free trial of iTrain, after listening to all the comments and having a month on the trial I am going iTrain.

 

I purchased a DR5000 command station but as I am starting a new layout I won't get to lay any track until March.

 

Once you have the basics, command station and software, you can add Loco Detection for just £3 per sensor on average. There will be a bit of work wiring the feedbacks and cutting your track to prepare blocks but at that price for LD for me it is a goer.

 

Take a look at the thread I am sure it will help you Pete.

 

TrainController good or not so good

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/140425-traincontroller-good-or-not-so-good/ 

 

There is quite a bit of talk and comparisons with TC and iTrain. 

 

Technical support with iTrain, on their forum, is first class, I asked about UK signals, within an hour I was told it will be in the next major update, they also picked up on another conversation I had regarding signals on the left, without asking they confirmed this also. No 'coming soon' familiar words from Hornby HRMS, iTrain have proved reliable they say coming in 2019 it will come. 

 

PJ

Edited January 22, 2019 by model-trains

[model-trains]

Hi Pete

 

It is certainly sad that Hornby have not got things sorted, three years ago I would have purchased Hornby LD without thinking twice. I appreciate they have had financial difficulties to come through but so did Bachmann in the past. Three years of LD coming, coming soon, creating interest then silence is not good customer service.

 

I agree with everything you say about Hornby, once the Titanic of model railway, but they have not kept up. They were the first with 2 aspect colour signals, they have lost out on signals now other companies are more advanced. They lost out on track to Peco, they lose out on point motors to Cobalt and others. They are going to end up a model train, carriage and wagon company, and that also is providing they keep on the front line.

 

As for LD, as time grew you will have read many of my concerns, a very thin sensor through a nail hole in a sleeper is a risk for dust and crafting particles, I was never sure about the tags under loco's and wagons etc, many are uneven, how effective will it be? For me it is a lot of money for their system if it doesn't work. 

 

With Digikeijs module cards, 16 feedback ports per card, works out at around £3 per feedback is all are used. But the benefits I see are they are tried and tested with both TC and iTrain, but they cannot be affected by dust and particles as the Hornby system could be, they pick up voltage drop when a loco/train enters a block. I have heard some say on the Hornby forum, the other systems need loads of extra cards to make it work, I do not see loaded of extra cards, 3 feedback modules will take 48 feedbacks, 4 = 64 etc. If an average layout say had 3 feedback modules, at £3 per feedback, I believe this will be cheaper than the Hornby LD start kit and extras.

 

For me the biggest expense is changing system, the software, TC9 Gold at £550 approx, iTrain at £220, the entry levels are better and iTrain has a UK supplier who is extremely helpful. And the DR5000 command controller.

 

You can try TC9 Free for 30 days, you can try iTrain for Free for 60 days. I would recommend this to get a feel before making a decision, the forum post I gave you regarding the discussions for both these software packages, is definitely worth a read. Members also talk of customer service, another very important consideration. Good luck with your decision. 

[model-trains]

I think Hornby have always aimed at the beginners 'play trains' market. The computer has taken us far beyond that.

 

Another issue I think with Hornby is they try keep everything in house, so as you say we buy eLink and fall into the trap. I also think because it is a budget system, they think people will be tied to Hornby and not move as the cost to change is to high. 

 

I am sure they also consider as a well known household brand name. So was Woolworths and many others.

[model-trains]

The Hornby forum appear to be heavily moderated, Hornby must have had a good reason at the time, some of them are ok and very helpful, but one I think not so, helpful yes, but manner at times no, but that may be just me. One moderator follows this conversation, but to be fair he has from the beginning. Hi   

 

Hornby should take note how many loyal customers are going elsewhere due to the way they have kept us dangling. Loyalty works two ways.

 

There was a lot of expectation for LD coming in 2019, expected to be confirmed in the January statement, but nothing at all for LD and I know quite a few members are very disappointed. I think looking at the new stock for 2019 that they are hoping to make some money from sales first, but it may not come, they may not get the sales they hope. Time will no doubt tell, but how many customers do they lose in the meantime. 

 

iTrain have a good track record, if they say something is coming it comes. That gives me even more confidence, UK signals coming in 2019, I think I also read full train automation will be in the same update, we can simulate this now in the software but full automation is coming. So we can plan every route or just set certain trains to go from station A to station C via another. Or set goods trains to go from goods yard A to another. The software will find the best route, and run everything, without a single crash. 

[model-trains]

There are not many YouTube videos for iTrain, shame really, as there are a lot for TrainController.

 

Download iTrain, but don't register yet, just download the restricted version. It allows you to have a basic play but more importantly it allows you to join the iTrain Forum.

 

Once in the forum go to the English section, then FAQS.

 

Look for step by step manual 4.1, I wasn't aware of this, I used the full manual first. But the step by step is an easy way to learn the basics.

 

Once you are happy with this, and want more, you will. LOL. Download the full manual, and at this stage click to register for the full version, 60 day, unrestricted trial version. Your 60 days starts at this point, once registered you have to wait for authorisation which usually is about a day.

 

Good luck.