Re: DCC
Originally posted by OLDGATORBOB
NOW......... DO YOU HAVE TO BLOCK A REV. LOOP WITH DCC?
.......... IF I AM RUNNING 2 LOCOS ( NOT AT THE SAME TIME ), WHEN I STOP NO. 1, AND STARTING TO RUN NO. 2.... ARE YOU SAYING THAT I CAN LEAVE IT SET ANYWHERE ON THE TRACK?
I AM WAITING FOR VOICE CONTROL, ITS NOT FAR OF, I GOT MY 2YR. OLD GRANDSON A TOY TRAIN SET FOR X-MAS AND IT IS THAT WAY.
Robert,
Little gadget thingies that you can get for DCC will sort your reversing loop out for you. "A reversing loop box". It detects the loco as it enters the loop, and switches polarity automatically and the decoder sorts it out too, so there is no need to stop, swtich polarity switches, then move off again. Totally transparent to the user of the cab control.
As far as running two (or more) locos, you can just leave the loco wherever it happens to be, and drive the other, even if they are only 2" apart! Even in a loco siding (you may have all you locos in one siding), you can drive each one individually, without having "blocks" set up down the siding.
When you "set up" a DCC loco, you tell it "this loco is number 42" (or whatever number/name you want). Then, on your cab controller, you select "loco 42" and then drive it. Switch to "loco 77" (or use another cab controller) and then drive that, while "loco 42" is still trundling round the track. Switch back to "loco 77" and slow it down..... or whatever. The DCC system puts computer commands through the tracks. Each time you move the speed control on the cab controller, it generates a computer command that says to the tracks "loco 42 go at speed 100". The decoder in "loco 42" picks up this command, and applies the amount of power necessary. Because this command is for "loco 42" ONLY, all the other locos on the track ignore the command.
Voice activated? Sure.... it can be done right now, if you want.
DCC systems have the ability to just plug straight into your computer as well, and you can have you computer generate the commands (just as the cab controller does). You can already get software that will drive DCC systems from your computer. So you can sit at your computer, and have a "slide control" (just like a volume/speed thing) and use you mouse to move the slide up and down to control the speed. One slide control on the screen for each of your locos. Just imagine, your layout diagram on your computer screen, with indicators where your trains are, and just "click" on a junction in your diagram to switch the turnout. "click" on "loco 42" and the whistle sounds.... "Click" on another icon and a platform announcement is made etc etc etc. The possibilities are limitless. The hardware/components to do this all exist TODAY.... yep... NOW.. with DCC, it's just the software for your computer that needs to be written, and if your computer skills are up to it, then there is no reason why you could not write the programs yourself.
Voice recognition software is available, and if you know someone who can write a pooter program, all they have to do, is write a program that generates the computer command "loco 42 go at speed 100", when it recognises your voice. Or you may say "TOOT", and the computer program will generate the command "loco 42 sound whistle". The technology exists. It's just a matter of someone writing a program to utilise it all.
The mind boggles!
I'm not pro/against DCC etc, however DCC allows you to do this sorta stuff should you
want to do it. You don't
have to do it.