[randolph]

I joined this forum 8 years ago and received a lot of advice when building my first layout. It is now time to move from Lancashire to Dorset and so the old layout is being broken up and a new layout is on the drawing board, I'll be going from a 13' x 8' room to a 13' x 19' garage so the possibilities are interesting.

I purchased an ECoS 50000 and then a 52000 and used Switchpilots and their Extensions to control points and some signals, I also set up routes but that was as far as I got with dcc. On my next layout I want to be able to have block detection and be able to interlock points and signals

I have never found ESU manuals easy to understand and wonder if there is a book or web site that will explain these black arts with reference to the ECoS but not exclusively ESU gizmos.

I hope that when I start the build early next year that I will show my progress on MRF for the amusement and maybe assistance of others

R

 

[dwb]

The ESU block detectors are easy to install and use.

If you want interlocking you almost certainly need to go for a software program which interfaces to the ECoS. There are many to choose from. Train Controller from Railroad & Co. is probably the best known.

David

 

[randolph]

Thanks David

Looking at the TrainController web site it seems that the software is not suitable for Apple and as I use Apple it means it is unsuitable so I'll search for other software, never knew this stuff exists.

R

 

[dwb]

I know of one program for Macs - iTrain. It has an ECoS interface. You can download it and try it for a 30 day trial. I gave the Windows version a go last year when I got my first ECoS detector and it worked fine.

David

 

[Nigel2001]

JMRI works properly on Macs (a significant fraction of the JMRI developers are Mac users). Its a good package for interlocking, prototypically correct signalling, including block detection, and route-setting of signals. It can be made to follow UK signalling rules, and will do entry-exit control of routes. ( And its free. )

( Many years ago, I wrote a tutorial/clinic on using JMRI for UK signalling, they are on the JMRI website. The basics of that are still correct, but there have been numerous improvements added since those were written ).

- Nigel

 

[randolph]

Thanks Davin & Nigel

I'll take a look at iTrain and JMRI, it will give me something to mull over as today I finished dismantling my layout, roll on our move

R

 

[Allan Alexander]

Hi

May I suggest you watch the videos from Red Boer on you tube, has some great stuff on setting up the ECoS etc.

Regards
Allan