Here’s what I want to do. Basically, I want to use 3-light over 3-light signal boards for my normal and diverging routes. The top board is for normal and bottom for diverging. The system will be DCC and PC controlled and I’m wondering if there is a way to have a switch machine control the “mode” that the signal aspects are displayed. I.e…when the turnout is switched to normal route, the top will show my red/yellow/green and the bottom board shows red. Then I want the boards to flip-flop when the turnout is switched to diverging. This is just the very basic aspects that I wi***he signal to display and I am planning on researching the actual prototype aspects in the future. I would like this all to work with block detection. Also, does anyone know if there is user friendly software that will automate train control with DCC? I.e…I want a train to automatically stop at red and slow at yellow. Thanks for any help…J
I would have to know more details about the prototype signalling you want to duplicate but it should be quite simple to achive with ZIMO-DCC and STP software. You can operate signals with up to 7 aspects per signal and of course dependent on the swtich setting (selected route). Automated train control is a ZIMO speciallty that includes occupancy detection, loco number ID and location, up to 5 different speed settings for low speed or brake sections, stop and even power-out for the siding your train occupies once it reached the storage yard.
Regards,
Art
Zimo Agency of North America
http://www.mrsonline.net/
You might also want to investigate Bruce Chubb’s C/MRI system (Computer to Model Railroad Interface). There was a four-part series in MR from January to April 2004. And there’s a user group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CMRI_Users/
That system will do just about anything you can imagine – one guy even has it dimming his layout room lights!
There’s also a JMRI group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/
you could also look at http://www.cti-electronics.com/index.htm . they use a simple programming language to make the hardware do whatever you want . also check out the yahoo users group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cti_users/