Here for your trepidation is the news that all four boxcars have arrived and they all work, (after a bit of TLC!).

This time around I'm going to set the Track Plan up properly from the get go, as they say.  First question.  How do I set up the photos of the loco and the four boxcars?  I'm guessing that I perloin a photograph of each from somewhere and put it/them in a folder in My Documents, to be imported into TC.  Is that right?

Does the photo have to be resized?  If so, what size, please?  (Still very polite).

I'll start scouring the internet for piccies while I wait for replies.  :twisted:

Only joking.  Here are MY piccies . . .













and the loco . . .


They were all taken from the same spot and are 1643 x 792

that loco looks like its been ridden hard    :o)

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

 I'm guessing that I perloin a photograph of each from somewhere and put it/them in a folder in My Documents, to be imported into TC.  Is that right?

Does the photo have to be resized?  If so, what size, please?  (Still very polite).

The polite bit is rather worrying……feeling under the weather?

Its ages since I did this……If you havent done so already you need to download Train Animator…..its free……….if you downloaded it originally make sure it is the original version

Its a bit clunky but it copies, downsizes and reformats the photos and they are stored in a designated sub directory so TC automatically picks them up and associates them with the appropriate entry in the engine and train database

Hope this helps……post again when you have had a look at Train Animator

Kind Regards

It's an old Proto 1000, Gene.  My first go at installing a sound decoder and it still sounds good.  :thumbs

Hi John

The Train Animator button shows up in the Train Properties box, but I can't import any photos.  So I'm guessing I didn't get it in the download?  I can see the .jpeg files when I browse, but when I highlight one and try to add it, nothing happens.

Cheers

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

Hi John

The Train Animator button shows up in the Train Properties box, but I can't import any photos.  So I'm guessing I didn't get it in the download?  I can see the .jpeg files when I browse, but when I highlight one and try to add it, nothing happens.

Cheers

Morning Max

Its a separate programme that you have to download from the RR&Co site

Thanks, John.  I'll have a go at it tonight.  :thumbs

I can feel a tutorial coming on about train sets and coach decoder functions yum yum.

Oh yes you do have to have piccies of the wagons Max you want to know where you have dumped them on your layout!

Currently working on getting the Heljan DCC turntable working automatically with TC, proving challenging but standby for a how you do it….ish.

I look forward to it Pete…………..I hope to get one eventually for the shed……….which is why I put the Fleischmann in the storage area

Even restricted to three roads it is still a lot of fun to have two schedules drive a loco on……turn and then drive off…….very satisfying:thumbs

OK Lads.  We're flying along.




A couple of questions.  There is a Colour option in Engines > Properties, but it doesn't seem to do anything.  Does anyone have any idea what it's for?

The Types are all Engines.  There doesn't seem to be a way of changing this to wagon, carriage, boxcar, etc.  Is there one?

Max answer 1 from the help button in create engine.

Color:

Specify the color of the engine. This color is used to highlight the track elements in the switchboard, that are associated with the indicator, where the engine is currently located. TrainControllerâ„¢ displays the Choose Color dialog box so you can specify the color of the engine.

Means nowt to me, track elements are defined as straights and curves but not pointwork.

Answer 2 you are right as far as TC is concerned all your stock is created as an engine, i don't think there is a problem with this, you can discriminate by name and piccy.

Thanks, Pete.  Good answers.  :thumbs  I thought the track elements (blocks), went pink when occupied.  :shock:

I'm glad you confirmed question 2.  I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed something important before I proceed.  :chicken

:twisted:   I just went back to the Track Plan to continue and it's gone!  I always save as I go in case the gremlins come back again, so I don't know where it's gone.  I've looked in every folder in the computer.  It's a mystery.

Anyhoo, while I was rummaging around in the other Track Plan, I discovered that my loco has settings in Advanced Fine Tuning, Length 160 cm   Run out 20 cm and Pause 5 seconds.  160 cm seems a bit long for a loco - what do you guyz have in that box?

I don't know why it has Run out and Pause, but do those settings seem right?

Max you are rusty, those settings in advanced tuning are the physical track settings for speed profiling the loco.

The 160cm is the physical length of the centre section of your track/block which TC times the run over back and forth during profiling. The runouts are the length the loco will travel after it leaves the measuring section before TC slows and stops it, this measurement must never be less than the legth of the loco you are profiling. And the pause is the delay before TC sends it back again, we decided 5 seconds was good as it gave TC time to do its computations before it starts the next timed run.

Damn!  I just went to look at something and lost my reply.  Starting again . . .

Thanks, Pete.  Yes.  It's been a few months.

I still can't see where the colour codes appear, but it's not an issue for me.

I've discovered that I can make new Track Plans without losing the other programmes I have created, so that's good.

I was worried about leaving the box car solenoids on while the loco completes its Schedule, but Glenn from System Five-O assures me that they won't catch fire or anything, so that's good.

I've created Train Windows for each of the box cars and the couplers operate correctly on their Function buttons.  :thumbs

I've cleaned out all of the brake and stop markers from the Blocks, so I'm ready to start.

Gotta watch Jonathon Creek first, though . . .   

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Max answer 1 from the help button in create engine.

Color:

Specify the color of the engine. This color is used to highlight the track elements in the switchboard, that are associated with the indicator, where the engine is currently located. TrainControllerâ„¢ displays the Choose Color dialog box so you can specify the color of the engine.

Means nowt to me, track elements are defined as straights and curves but not pointwork.

Answer 2 you are right as far as TC is concerned all your stock is created as an engine, i don't think there is a problem with this, you can discriminate by name and piccy.

Colour: I wonder if this is a legacy from previous versions…..I had never noticed before…..I religously check Green for GWR and Black for LMS but as far as I can see when their presence is indicated (in a block) the block turns pink

Answer 2………..You must set your box cars up as Cars……[Train]     [Train Set]  [Create Car]

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=5707&forum_id=151 Post 14 in the tutorial

I am certain you will get all sorts of unexpected results having an engine incapable of movement with a function only decoder

The tutorial probably needs expanding because I didnt cover setting up functions for cars but it is covered in [Help]

 

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

Answer 2………..You must set your box cars up as Cars……[Train]     [Train Set]  [Create Car]

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=5707&forum_id=151 Post 14 in the tutorial

I am certain you will get all sorts of unexpected results having an engine incapable of movement with a function only decoder

The tutorial probably needs expanding because I didnt cover setting up functions for cars but it is covered in [Help]

 

:oops::oops: I am obviously rusty as well i shall go and sit in the corner with me dunces hat on :oops:

You know Pete TC is so complex and has so many facets it is really easy to forget some of the bits and pieces……like loco colour for example I had no idea until this thread that carefully selecting it appears to have no perceptible effect on the switchboard

This forum is great for keeping us up to speed with 4 or 5 of us chipping in with different problems there is less chance of us forgetting stuff we are not currently engaged in

How goes the battle with the Heljan?

Struggling at the moment John to get it to turn in schedule, i can activate it via a pushbuttons on the switchboard and by adding them to a list, the problem is getting it to work with the TT symbol on the switchboard in a schedule. Its becoming a drama but i'm not giving up yet.

It's a lovely piece of kit in its own right and i would highly recommend it for any dcc layout.

In the turntable help pages there is mention of a Muet TT, which from the description has dcc control like the Heljan but unfortunately it doesn't appear on the dropdown list of supported TT's. I emailed Freiwald no response yet.

I will give it this weekend then it will become open door here as i cry for help. I may be expecting too much but as we all know there is more than one way to skin a cat in TC!


I shall start a new thread John probably Sunday night so don't set sail yet, back to you Max we are waiting in anticipation.

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Struggling at the moment John to get it to turn in schedule, i can activate it via a pushbuttons on the switchboard and by adding them to a list, the problem is getting it to work with the TT symbol on the switchboard in a schedule. Its becoming a drama but i'm not giving up yet.

 


I am sure you have set the bridge up as block with brake and stop markers……….so a schedule from say Block A to Block TT Bridge will work ok?

As an operation at the end of the schedule select Turntables and then select the appropriate (ie correct) TT #………..you may, like me have set up more than one!………………………then go to the bottom and click change and you get a drop down menu that gives a whole array of options……………………….if you havent done this try it and select say turn thru 180o

If that works (or worked already?) we just have to fine tune it to stop at the desired track #

There have been a few threads on RMWeb about Heljan that might be worth browsing

Kind Regards