Hi all,
In your humble opinion who makes the best APB/CTC software for controlling model railroads? I want the monitor/control functionality of CTC, yet I also want all the automatic signal operations that comes with APB.
Click here for an APB page:
http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Signal/Apb/
If I could get that exact functionality in software, with the ability to tweak the logic if required, and then have CTC in it…that would be sweet.
Thanks in advance! [:)]
Vaughn
You want JMRI’s PanelPro.
It has some pretty powerful signalling logic built in, and you can write whatever scripts you want to handle whatever it doesn’t.
It also supports many DCC systems, Bruce Chubb’s C/MRI, and Oak Tree Systems hardware.
As far as a computer to run it on, what do you have lying around? It will run under Windows, MacOS Classic, MacOS X, Linux, and I heard of one installation on a Solaris workstation. It used to run on OS/2 as well, but I don’t think anyone has an OS/2 machine around any more to test the latest versions.
If you also use DCC, it also has throttles, and DecoderPro (also part of JMRI) is the slickest programming tool around.
You also have direct access to the developers through a Yahoo! group. Great for problem-solving and requesting fixes/features.
Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE?
Find out more here:
http://jmri.sourceforge.net/
Yahoo user/support group here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/
HTH,
Steve
there is also CTI
http://www.cti-electronics.com/
it’s a hardware and software solution , works with DCC but doesn’t require it . it’s very modular and requires programming to get it running .there is an active yahoo user group
i haven’t used this product , and i’m starting to think that a combination of digitrax block detection and the JMRI panel pro would be easier to figure out
Stevert,
I was thinking about using Zimo to take advantage of its advanced CTC signaling capabilities, but around here seems to be DigiTrax country…I’d like to be compatiable with them if possible. So when I buy it will be either Zimo or DigiTrax.
As for PCs it will either be a Windows NT or XP machine, or a Linux machine.
Thanks for the info,
Vaughn
JMRI supports both Zimo and Digitrax, although the Digitrax support may be more complete since it’s more popular here in the US.
My opinion seems to go along with yours in that it’s nice to have local users of the same DCC system for off-hour and “emergency” support, not to mention having them bring their own throttles for operating sessions. But not everyone agrees with that viewpoint…
Steve
…not to mention having them bring their own throttles and beer for operating ‘sessions’. [:D]