I’m in the planning stage for a new N-scale home layout. However, I’m taking what some may consider to be a backwards approach. This is necessary because I don’t yet have any idea what space I’ll have available as the house is still up in the air. I’m hoping for about the same area as a double car garage, but that information won’t be available until we make our final build or buy decision. My wife & myself are now retired, with bad knees necessitating getting out of a two story and going to a single story house. So working on a track plan will have to wait, although I do have a general concept in mind.
Here are my primary operational rathers and druthers:
> DCC with layout control by computer and cell phone / tablet throttles.
> Ability to have computer run some trains on schedules while local trains and yards are operated manually.
> The above will require some type of signaling system, at least on the mainline and branchlines where computer controlled trains will operate.
> Dispatcher control during operating sessions. This will not be a “watch the choo-choo go round & round” layout.
> Peco code 55 track & turnouts will be used.
> Layout will be loosely based on the current Arizona Eastern trackage in Southeastern Arizona from Clifton to Globe with a fictitious connecting line from Three Way to Safford through Tollhouse Canyon and Tollgate Canyon along current US-191. This connection over the mountains was made necessary by (fictional) increase in volcanic activity in the Boot Heel Volcanic Field closing the main SP/UP line between Steins and Lordsburg. The inspiration for this location came from this video:
Start at the the 16:15 mark for an almost perfect N-scale scene.
The first 4 items need to be accomplished as cost effectively as possible. At present, all my locomotives are DC, meaning I’ll be converting those to DCC as a mandatory first step. I’m leaning towards TCS decoders (non-sound) since many of my older locomotives are not DCC ready and TCS has those split boards designed for non-DCC ready locos.
I’m also leaning towards the Digikeijs DR5000 command station since it has Loconet & Railcom capability. Digikeijs also has cost effective 16 channel feedback modules to enable using computer control of the mainline and branchline tracks for automatic train control. I’m a believer in using a single manufacturer system where practical to reduce interaction problems between components. Digikeijs also has loconet capable boosters and auto reverse loops.
I’ve considered JMRI for the software to drive the layout, but I’m not computer savvy enough and don’t have access to a 9 year old child to help me out. So I’m leaning towards using Railroad & Company Traincontroller program and it’s cell / tablet companion program +SmartHand. The +SmartHand program has the added very attractive feature of a built in Block Signal Indicators for the home and distant signals of the train being operated. All I’d need to do is mark the block boundaries with a dummy signal, or even a brightly painted pole. Although this program is expensive, it’s cheaper than installing a layout based signaling system and it appears to be a little less computer-nerdy than JMRI. That being said, the Loconet capability of the DR5000 and the detectors would allow the use of JMRI monitoring in parallel with Traincontroller.
Turnout control on the mainline, branchline, arrival/departure tracks and passing sidings will be by servos, controlled by the computer software. All yards and industrial turnouts will be manually controlled. The cab operator will be able to control turnouts on his train’s route unless the dispatcher (computer or human) has locked the turnout. There are a few cost effective sources for DCC servo controllers - Tam Valley & MegaPoints seem to be the leading candidates so far.
I have built some small DC layouts in the past, but this will be my first DCC layout. I’m hoping those of you with DCC and computer controlled layout experience will offer constructive advice if they see any inherent problems with this approach.
