[Makemineadouble]

With previous layouts my decision in the past has been to use conventional control panels over DCC control for turnouts. The reason for this has been:

1. Cost there is no doubt the DCC control is more expensive.
2. localised control, placing a control panel at the area on a layout where localised control is required is more convenient. The alternative is return to your
centralised DCC control such as the ECoS and then switching to the turnout control screen, and then making the necessary change. Hardly convenient on a
large busy layout.
3. An alternative is to wire for DCC turnout control and use a combination of the two methods, or hand helds with a localised turnout diagram/matrix. This is
probably the method I will use in the future, where localised control remains in the future.

There is no doubt that currently DCC control of turnouts is far more expensive, and this is the reason why folks remain with conventional control.
If using RR & Co you have to add the cost of a suitable laptop. I personally would prefer to operate a larger layout with a crew, and have the interface of friends, with convential control panels, than than singley and have a laptop as a companion. At the end of the day this is a hobby and it's got to be fun, interesting and perhaps challenging, rather than having some centralised computer doing all the work.

 

[Makemineadouble]

So will you operate your layout with friends ?, I think friends are better than computer screens.

 

[Makemineadouble]

My last laptop suffered unrepairable damage when I dropped a Heljan 47 on it from quite some height during sound programming operations.

If it has a hole in the screen it probably came from the tip.

 

[Makemineadouble]

QUOTE I was going with DCC as my layout isn't very big 15' by 9'. Over here people tend to have very big layouts and as MMaD says you have many freinds over to help operate and have several localised control panels. There's one guy here whos place we run trains at who has over twenty people operating trains and points at any one time. This is a pretty fun activity as we use a schedule and signalling techniques. If we used DCC we would all be standing around drinking tea and watching someone else operate them.

Both Johan De Villers and myself have been operators on the same large (US) DCC controlled layout. All loco's equipped with sound operating to a time table. DCC control, but conventional control of turnouts with localised control panels. This layout works brilliantly and continues to provide great entertainment for the operators month after month, because every operator is involved. Yes there's a bit more wiring, but it's a lot cheaper, Who needs RR & Co with this type of operation ?. I'd rather share a coffee with an operator / mate than bites with a laptop.