Daley Train Log
Page 50
My primary goal today is to have a close look at this web site and make a few technical modifications. I need to set up the structure in the left margin so each category of links is handled in a consistent manner. This is likely to take a couple of hours.
Further to a comment I made yesterday, I want to spend an hour scanning the messages on the three online model railroad forums that I subscribe to.
Then I will continue rereading "How to Operate Your Model Railroad".
I have completed organizing and setting up the links to both the Layout and Railroad sections of this web site. It took about 5 hours: 4 hours with the web site and 1 hour handling technical problems due to a full web server. I think I have the structure I want, and I think all of the links work on all 200+ pages. It is very satisfying to finally get this set up the way I want.
Now to play with the internet forums for an hour.
This was a good decision. I logged on to the Yahoo Groups mrc-dcc forum and read the following [with removal of < symbols and minor editing to make the line breaks attractive]:
"Benz, have a look at the latest issue of Model Railroader's on-line newsletter.
They mention the new version of Marklin's 60213 Central Station. It needs no
programming - just set the loco on the track and it displays every function and
a picture of the loco on the full-color display. There are lots of other
features such as route control, feedback from switches and signals and track
diagram display on a connected computer. Train position can be displayed with
most any kind of train detector and there is a speedometer as well. With all
these features, it is still backward compatible with all their old digital
systems and decoders. It also has fixed-position dual speed controllers and will
work with their wired hand controllers. Nice!"
This was a follow-up to this message:
I just saw in the October issue of MR that MRC's Computer Interface was released.
Naturally this stirred up a bit of excitement so I checked out MRC's web page and there were no details there. The next stop was here in this forum. I have a question no one else seems to have asked. I was wondering if the ability to program routes (turnouts AND trains) will be available. It would be really cool if you could do function decoder automation for other things such as lights and robotics. I think if you can take this beyond just the train control and incorporate that kind of flexibility you would really have something unique. There is more to model railroading then just the trains.
and this message:
The computer interface as of now will do the following: program all nmra compatible decoders and run all nmra compatible decoders. It will have a loco roster that allows you to keep all information on all of your dcc equipped locos. That roster will be incorporated into your recall stack when running the roster. It will contain all cv information in that decoder for that loco. The roster can be transferred via e-mail or cd to other mrc users
if you have that loco programmed to optimum characteristics so they can use that info to program their locos. It will have throttle/run screen[s] to run your locos on the
layout. Didn't anyone go to the nmra convention and see the [not fully developed] prototype? There will be throttle/run screen[s] to run your locos via your p.c.
This is great news for me! I had no idea that this was being planned.
I also learned about a DCC Decoder Programmer called Sprog II:
http://home.comcast.net/~bbmgroup/sprog/index.html .
This works on a Mac! (as well as Windows and Linux)
That is enough for the moment. My head is spinning. These are both huge developments that I was totally unaware existed. This forum is definitely worth monitoring.
Tags: design, operations