controlling DCC with a computer

[trains]

Is there a piece of hardware or software maybee even a special wire that I may need to run my DCC trains using my computer? I was hopeing that I could use my computer along with my DCC layout!


             Please give any infromation that you might know about this topic.

[richG]

Is there a piece of hardware or software maybee even a special wire that I may need to run my DCC trains using my computer? I was hopeing that I could use my computer along with my DCC layout!


             Please give any infromation that you might know about this topic.

It is not that simple. Here are some links.
http://www.track2.com/pa/misc.dcc.computer.shtml
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_compint_ms100.php
http://web.syr.edu/~mobrandt/dcc-mb/dccmbhom.htm
http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Models/Railroad/DCC/

Good luck.

Rich

[Atlantic Central]

Very possible

Very complex

Very expensive

[Jim Banner]

This is a rapidly developing field.  Some of Rich's links are already out of date.  For example, the Digitrax ms100 is obsolescent as few new computers support RS-232 without some form of adapter.  Using a computer to run some simple throttles may be appealing but has no provision for operating functions (think sounds, lights and animation.)  By the time you add in a logic board and a booster, you might as well save your time and money and buy a Zephyr.  It can support two of those simple throttles and already includes a full featured throttle.  Same problems with the links on Allan Gartner's site.  These are a hangover from the days when it was cheaper to build your own DCC system than to spend big bucks buying a simple commercial system.  Now that commercial systems have come way down in price and gone way up in features, building your own will save you little money and will lack a lot of the features we expect today.

This is not to discourage you from using computer control on your layout.  But I believe you would be better off using something like Loco Buffer USB to connect your computer to a commercially built DCC system.  Then you can  use a free program like JMRI to control your layout, anything from computer assisted operation to fully automatic computer control.   Your old computer will probably do as long as it can run Widows 98SE or later and has at least one USB port.  Of course, the more you want the computer to do, the more programming that you will have to do to match the hardware to the exact configuration of your railroad.  For more information, look into the JMRI Users Group on Yahoo!

[Nathan]

Some software links:

http://freiwald.com/
http://trainpriority.com/
http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

Also Tony's has had a number of items in their web site:

http://tonysdcc.com/

Nathan

[gcodori]

Actually - some of the better documented self made DCC systems have kept up with the entry level systems.

For example, the NanoX system is a Lenz based dcc system (Lenz is bigger in Europe than Digitrax).
http://www.tinet.org/~fmco/lokmaus_en.html

The NanoX has better specs than the Zephyr (16 vs 10 loco addresses, 12 vs 8 functions, 31 vs 10 throttles).  Three amp booster built in.  The NanoX has a built-in S88 port for feedback (automatic tracking and train control), and a RailCom cutoff device (allows real-time feedback such as loco scale MPH, etc).  Although RailCom has been approved by the NMRA in 2003 - other makers have been slow to roll out the technology.

If you leave off the S88 and other features, the basic NanoX is only a handfull of components that can be easily wired together.

In addition, the site documents two self made throttles - one with limited function (like a yard throttle) and one with greater functions.

If Digitrax is your thing - the Minibox is a self made loconet system.  And Fremo has updated their self made Digitrax throttle - google it and see.

Don't always count out the self made DCC projects - they are well documented with circuit boards and instructions.  Funny how SOME dcc companies continue to charge the same thing for something that came out over 5 years ago while others are constantly bringing new features to the table.

Greg