Traincontroller vs i-train

[WIMorrison]

I tried this when I was using TC and stopped using it as the icon was too small to be of use and took up space that could be more usefully filled with the train details.

 

iTrain provides a much cleaner screen without icons on the switchboard (layout screen) making identification of trains much easier.

[Gdaysydney]

I have been using TC Gold for many years.  I was staggered to see the current pricing and would not be using the software if I had to buy it now.  That said it is a very good piece of software and accommodates a wide range of products.

[Alan Kettlewell]

4 minutes ago, Gdaysydney said:

I have been using TC Gold for many years.  I was staggered to see the current pricing and would not be using the software if I had to buy it now.  That said it is a very good piece of software and accommodates a wide range of products.

 

Ditto - also notable is the big hike in price for UK customers compared to other countries.  I also note there have been no new updates or innovations for quite a long time now.  If it was to meet its demise I'd be unhappy to move to something else now after years of investment in it - not to mention losing all the time and effort spent getting everything operational using the advanced techniques available.

 

Cheers ... Alan

 

[Andymsa]

On 03/07/2021 at 08:27, Alan Kettlewell said:

 

Ditto - also notable is the big hike in price for UK customers compared to other countries.  I also note there have been no new updates or innovations for quite a long time now.  If it was to meet its demise I'd be unhappy to move to something else now after years of investment in it - not to mention losing all the time and effort spent getting everything operational using the advanced techniques available.

 

Cheers ... Alan

 

it’s plain and simple he does not want to sell to uk users, although it’s a great program it is dated in software terms and anyone who would pay nearly a thousand dollars for it would need there head examining. Then there is the issue of how long will it work on future versions of windows. Then there is the issue of anything untoward happens to the developer he is no spring chicken like most of us, what then for the future. I think it days are numbered just look how often an update is released these days.

[mevaman1]

Just kicking off this topic again.  
 

We (Redruth MRC) are going to run a large exhibition layout with 110 points, 30  3 aspect signals and 16 uncouplers.  We need route setting and train block detection (chiefly to allow the signals to operate prototypically).

 

We have purchased a Roco z21 10820, a Yamorc YD8116 and a Yamorc YD6016ES-CS to get us started.  We plan to build a small test layout so that we can get used to the system.

 

We are now some 2.5 years after the last post in this chat and wonder how itrain compares with train controller now.

 

Any advice much appreciated.

[ITG]

Well, I’ve purchased and started to use iTrain last year, and tbh, the decision regarding iTrain v Traincontroller was a no-brainer based on what I could only call less than positive feedback from those more knowledgable than me, concerning the customer/user support relationships of TC. (As described in this thread, and elsewhere). Whilst there maybe some swings and roundabouts in capability/ functionality, as a new user, I did not wish to invest in a product where it seemed the supplier made it difficult to buy, and therefore I worried, also difficult to get support.

My limited but positive experience of the iTrain support forum tells me I made the right decision. (No connection other than etc…)

43 minutes ago, mevaman1 said:

We plan to build a small test layout so that we can get used to the system.

That’s exactly what I did - thoroughly recommended.

Good luck

Ian

[WIMorrison]

iTrain v6 is also being developed as I type this but iTrain v5.x is still getting maintenance updates to add new command station and fix issues created by OEM updating or changing functionality. The main focus is on developing the new version which will be another step forward in the iTrain evolution.

 

I cannot see a reason not to use iTrain when starting afresh, I agree that it may me a transition not worth starting if you are already a TC users, but when you don't have anything today I would definitely go with iTrain -0 if only for an approachable developer who is actually interested in supporting his customers and the model railway community with an easy to use product that can run on Apple, Wintel, Linux, Pi, - and I am sure that there are some homebrew systems out there that would be able to run it also 😂

[mevaman1]

Thanks Ian and Iain.

 

Having spoken to Iain at Southampton Show and, having seen your latest advice, we are probably going to opt for ITrain.

 

Andrew

[Andymsa]

As a current TC user I decided to invest in ITrain to see if it was viable to migrate over, previously this would have been extremely difficult to integrate I train into the layout. As I’m now starting a massive rebuild after extending the railway room it is my intention to develop both programs side by side so a direct comparison can be made, this really only applies to basic functions and not advanced features and the ease of implementation of features you require. It would be unfair to compare there advanced features due to the various differences between these programs,  hopefully I will be able to define for TC users if the program becomes unusable in the windows environment. But i have to agree I train would be a better choice when starting out with train control software.

[melmerby]

I am currently building a second layout (the first is far from finished☹️)  which will be fully DCC controlled and am considering trying iTrain. Some automated use is possible.

The layout is an end to end shunting layout running from a yard to various business and is US 1960s/70s period.

It will be a shelf layout approx 31' long around 2 walls of my railway room and 16" wide

 

My other layout uses TC gold V9, I have been with it since the early days of version 7 but at the current cost IMHO, it's not worth updating to V10.

I could add another switchboard for the second layout but as I have a spare Win 11 machine and DCC system, it would give me an opportunity to see what iTrain is like.

 

BTW Herr Freiwald has stated that if Freiwald software was to close for any reason an unlocking key (or unlocked version?) would be posted online for anyone to use.

[Andymsa]

12 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

BTW Herr Freiwald has stated that if Freiwald software was to close for any reason an unlocking key (or unlocked version?) would be posted online for anyone to use.

I take his comment with a pinch of salt, last year the price was going to increase but right at the last minute he cancelled the price rise. So there is a track record of saying one thing and doing another

 

 

 

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, Andymsa said:

last year the price was going to increase but right at the last minute he cancelled the price rise.

Probably noticed the dwindling sales.🙂

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Andymsa said:

I take his comment with a pinch of salt, last year the price was going to increase but right at the last minute he cancelled the price rise. So there is a track record of saying one thing and doing another

 

I am always a little wary of claims of this nature about software packages, unless it is possible to confirm that the software/keys are lodged under a proper escrow arrangement and that it's all kept up to date.  If a software company goes bust, the liquidators can look at software as an asset they could use to generate funds to pay creditors.  Maintenance of this type of software tends to be dependent on one key individual, and should he come to grief, it is likely to be hard to find anybody else able and willing to provide continuing support or make any further enhancements - existing users tend to have to carry on using it as it stands.

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

the liquidators can look at software as an asset they could use to generate funds to pay creditors.

Hardly

Without the person that keeps the design in his head (or so it seems) it's worthless, as no more sales would be possible without the assurance of continued maintenance, which seems unlikely.

Edited April 12 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Does iTrain have a demo mode where you can tinker about to your heart's content without a trial license, which appears to have a finite time limit?

 

With Traincontroller, I can play around seemingly forever perfecting a track layout, as long as it doesn't connect to a computer, when it seems the time limit kicks in.

Edited April 12 by melmerby

[WIMorrison]

You can get a full trial licence for iTrain by asking for one from iTrain@berros.eu.

 

You will be granted 60 days for the Professional version. After that period the licence used to revert to limited ‘free’ licence however I think that has been discontinued.

 

The different licence versions are shown here;

 

https://www.berros.eu/en/itrain/pricing.php

 

 

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, WIMorrison said:

You can get a full trial licence for iTrain by asking for one from iTrain@berros.eu.

 

You will be granted 60 days for the Professional version. After that period the licence used to revert to limited ‘free’ licence however I think that has been discontinued.

 

The different licence versions are shown here;

 

https://www.berros.eu/en/itrain/pricing.php

 

 

Thanks Iain

I did look at the various versions but couldn't see any mention of a basic "demo" mode.

 

With TC I have used it s a sort of layout planning software at times, trying out different combinations of track elements to see how they would work together.

A bit like using Scarm or similar without the properly scaled parts. Neater than pencil & paper though.

 

It doesn't seem to time out when doing that but does if you connect to the DCC system.

However plugging in the license key seems to reset it!