There is a big following on the forum for the railroad & co software i have recently been looking around and found the Itrain package which i have downloaded and got a evaluation licence to try it out,
Its probably not as complex as R & Co but is still a impressive package and would probably meet a lot of peoples needs and it is a lot cheaper than R &co
I will try and give updates as i look into it but dont hold your breath here is a screenshot of the main start window.



 

here is a link to the homepage if anybody wants further information

http://berros.eu/itrain/en/

Brian

Keep us posted, Brian.  Good luck with it  :thumbs

B****y ell Brian you have got a wriggle on :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock: is that your track diagram:lol:

Pete

I could lie as say yes havent i been busy

But i will be honest thats just the demo trackplan:lol::lol:

Brian

Looking through the website it seems that the only feedback system it can cope with is S88. If that is true then it is rather limiting for anyone hoping to do some automation or even show track occupancy. Is it true, or just misleading website information?

I'll have a go at shadowing you Brian if you don't mind, it will give me something to do in the hotel. Done my trackplan, i doubt it is right.:hmm

Very good Pete you will be an Itrain expert in no time

Trouble is at this moment i havent even got a trackplan on paper yet i will have to sketch it first.

Ian i will look in the manual i know there are sections about feedbacks i use s88 units so i have not looked at anything else i will have to look.

From my point of view im not actually looking for full automation anyway i suppose really what im looking for is a semi automation which from what i have seen so far this should be fine and the important thing the cost is not really high

As i dont want to buy a Ferrari to pop to the shops in:lol:

No Brian i have peaked, since i have got a running layout i will be interested to see how it interfaces with ECOS and S88's i think having a quick flick round you may need twice as many S88's than TC?

It will be very interesting and you have started a good thread which opens automation to a greater audience.

Yes i am still smarting at the £400 for TC, even with my minimal layout i couldn't get away with anything other than Gold! If itrain meets the mark i could always sell me dongle.

Yes, I couldn't stomach £400 either and am wrestling with JMRI. If you want to anything more than control points and show where trains are it is strictly for geeks.

I think semi-automation, for example a fiddle yard, is something that would be a popular use if it was both easy to implement and affordable. At the moment it seems to be neither. In some respects it was much easier to do that sort of thing on DC.

Me? I want large scale automation with the option to run the train on my choice manually. It's not much to ask.:roll:

Ian
what other feedback systems are there i only know s88 as that is what i have the software seems to cover many digital systems so i would have thought it would cover varoius feedback systems i will look on the forum or ask on there and find out.
Brian

Digitrax Loconet and Lenz RS spring to mind. S88 is popular on mainland Europe but Digitrax seems to be 'the professional's choice' as it were.

Ian

Loconet is mentioned a lot in the manual i know that and Lenz xpressnet is aswell.

I will have to check and make sure about that thou all things are supported

Apparently so i have read the developer chap is prepared to add any system if the interest is there For example Lenz support was not added till a year ago when the requests for it were enough for him to warrant doing it.

Again this is a one man band thing like railroad & Co

Brian

This question im hopeing chris can perhaps answer.

I am nearing the stage of my overall plan that i need to buy a license for the I train software as i believe for what i want it will be fine and i dont feel i need to spend £400 on railroad & co.

On the purchase page http://berros.eu/itrain/en/pricing.php

 am i correct to assume most buy the standard package as looking at the extra things on the pro i would not need to hitch it up to more than 1 puter the multiple digital systems well i have my Lenz 100 attached to my Ecos2 through the ecosniffer i dont know if that counts as multiple or not,  Plus i am unsure what the extra switchborad locomotive overview is.

So i am thinking the standard package may well be enough for me

I know Xander does allow you to upgrade later if you wish which is usefull.


Brian

Just buy the Standard version

As the locos on the Lenz are controlled through the ECoS, iTrain will treat it all as one unit.

The Pro version is for having 2 or more computers say around a room for Despatch / Arrival etc. each with their own part of the layout and the locos on what appears to be a dedicated Switchboard, or the whole Switchboard if you want. The choice is very flexible.

The multiple systems part is the all singing all dancing part that allows you to configure the system in different ways
I'll quote from the current manual:

There are several cases in which multiple interfaces can be useful. A few are listed below, that can be combined as well:
• You want to read the feedbacks in via a separate device to get better results. In that case you can use an HSI-S88 as a second interface and disable the ʻFeedbacksʼ in your first interface.
• You want to control signals via a separate device (OM32 or OC32) that directly controls the lights bulbs.
• You want to switch all your accessories via an old command station so that you have all the power of your new command station for running your locs.
• You are controlling two layouts or two different systems (for example 2-rail and 3-rail) at the same time and you want to manage them all in one application.

 In case you use the same type of command station twice, but each with another role, you can use the description to distinguish them. i:e layout 1 and layout 2.

I am starting to pull the bits together to start my layout thread and in that I will include quite a bit about iTrain and the way it will be used on Charwood Junction.

Shout if you need any info that you can't find.

Chris

Thanks Chris

You have confrmred what i was thinking when i was looking at it and at £66 roughly i find that in my mind a fair price to pay as i konow what i want to do is not a full automated layout just really a sort of semi automated thing.

I need to get the license soon a s i need to start sorting out where to put block sections i already have the 2 branch shuttle line ones in place and the wires runnig to them as i could do that on the Ecos itself.

Initially i will start looking at station stops and then enlarge from there.

I have 2 LDT s88 units im sure i will be buying more

Brian

[user=523]chrish[/user] wrote:

I am starting to pull the bits together to start my layout thread and in that I will include quite a bit about iTrain and the way it will be used on Charwood Junction.

Chris

Looking forward to this Chris :thumbs

Then I will have a lot of questions :roll:

Hi Chris

Just sitting quietly reading the new ITrains manual but I am struggling to open the demo.tcd file. I have the old file from last year but the new update wont recognise it (I tried to resave it as a demonew.tcd just in case but it wont read that either)

I noticed that when I dowloaded the new application there were no other files with it.

I have completed my layout in iTrain as far as turnouts are concerned and wanted to get a better feel for feedback creation etc so I though that the demo would be a good place to play.

Can you tell me where I am going wrong

Chris

Hi Chris

First of all lets make sure you have a good download
You should have a Docs folder and a Layouts folder as well as the application. In Windows you may get an option of where to store them.
If you haven't already can you do a search for demo.tcd, there are 7 .tcd files downloaded in all.

The old file from last year will not load in to the latest release due a new format for the data. As the versions progressed the data was converted in the same way ESU did for the ECoS.

I shall be here all day

Chris

I think this is where my problem is. The download I am getting seems to be only a .exe file and no others. I have just done a new download and saved to a new folder and still get only the .exe file.

Hi Chris

Sorted - I was looking in the wrong place for the files!! I have to put it down to age and the Lancashire air where I am today. getting back to Worcestershire is clearly the solution!.

Many thanks for replying so quickly

Chris