Re: DCC Controller Features

No Mark, it's not a lame excuse and they are not all identical. However, while I may well know all my models other people do not and I'm sure as hell not going to spend an entire operating session answering - "what address is this lok?" "what address is this lok?" "what address is this lok?" ... which would be a most unprototypical operational question.

Regards, Greg.P.

Glad to hear that! Here in NZ our airlines aren't subsidised and some of the minor ones cut a few corners and push the crews into questionable operating procedures. (I'll deny having said that if pushed) The standards set by regulation are pretty high, but ...

"modern" system was instituted and

asked about the dispatcher's

get knocked off!

If you've ever tried to quantify the data a loco driver receives and program it into a computer you'd have found that the human brain is an incredible piece of equipment and that the computer really isn't!

So far you're almost describing the control equipment of a French TGV or German ICE train!

I think you need a tour of the European railway systems!

Absolutely! The driver only needs to be there to apply the handbrake and to boil the jug. There is also the odd occassion when some idiot car drive decides the level crossing is a good place to park.

Am Sat, 05 Feb 2005 12:19:26 +1300 schrieb Greg.P.:

and one is in DRG black and red. Nice machines. ;-) But in fact - someone who isn´t familiar with euopean railways would have some difficulties to distinguish the two green ones.... ;-)

models, but that information doesn't tell me their decoder addresses. You´re right. The only solution that I tink is practical is maintaining a table with names, numbers, adresses and descriptions of the locos - as long as you don´t use a computer... ;-) Today this problem is no problem anymore. The new maerklin system mfx for example allows you to use descriptive names for your locos. No need anymore for fiddling with adresses, cause every decoder has his own unique id and gets his adress from the cu.

locos, I don't know which locos are at the head of the queue. But you´re computer would know it........

when I get around to it) the train number or loco number or decoder address could pop up on screen, but any programming error (I make those) might result in a lok at the back of the

..... and he does manage the secure control of your staging yard as well.

whichever one it happens to be. Sure. Because you made a "program", that controls the movements. This can easily be managed by a computer.

Micha

PS: I´m sorry - but my english got a bit rusty over the years.... ;-)

Am Sat, 05 Feb 2005 12:46:02 +1300 schrieb Greg.P.:

German ICE train! .....or japanese express trains and the new maglev @shanghai.....

I agree..... ;-)

boil the jug.

crossing is a good place to park. The last is nearly impossible with ICE and TGV. Both run on tracks that are completely free of level crossings. But all the automatics and computers don´t help against deadly errors - the crash of the ICE at Enschede in 1998 shows this clearly.....

Micha

modified and one is in DRG black and red.

Well, the tender wheels go round on the Fleischmann one and the loco wheels go around on the Piko one, but you would have to know the relevant decoder addresses first to spot that with DCC ;-)

KPEV models, but that information doesn't tell me their decoder addresses.

That's too long winded for casual operators who just want to run my trains!

locos, I don't know which locos are at the head of the queue.

It will when I get around to writing that part of the programming. The problem is, every time I get a worthwhile segment of the program operating I want to operate and months go by before I feel the need for the next bit.

when I get around to it) the train number or loco number or decoder address could pop up on screen, but any programming error (I make those) might result in a lok at the back of the

whichever one it happens to be.

This works independently of the computer - in the sense of old-fashioned European signal/relay system of each train setting the block behind to "off". Reality is a little more complicated in that each train passing a point trips the entire block off (those rear bankers) and the relays are in fact the computer. The replacement program to a: retain the train information, and b: retain the timetable for releasing the trains will come when I feel like writing more programs.

You must be red-oxide coloured - none of the rust shows at all!

Regards, Greg.P.

corners and push the crews into

pretty high, but ...

"modern" system was instituted and

asked about the dispatcher's

number get knocked off!

into a computer you'd have found

really isn't!

I drove trains for a living for many years. It might have been true once upon a time that a computer couldn't do it, but I don't think so any more. They can fly aircraft and land them. They can drive a train. I can do both, and landing a plane is more difficult that driving a lok.

ICE train!

Thanks, but no thanks. We may be discussing a similar philosophy here, but European railways cannot be compared to North American ones for much. The two exist in the same time, but in different universes. There is little that the Europeans do that has a viable counterpoint here. The same is true around the other way as well.

crossing is a good place to park.

Grade separation is the answer to that, but not likely to ever occur in North America. I can't think of what "boiling the jug" means. We don't have steam loks any more.

He was being literal - boil drinking water to make tea or coffee.

Diesel & electric locos in the Antipodes have either a hotplate, to boil the billycan on, or an electric jug/kettle, for the same purpose. Can't go too far without a brew! :-)

The most important part of the shift hey Mark

:-)

Nathan

German ICE train!

Ok, ok, the final list would be quite long! ;-)

boil the jug.

crossing is a good place to park.

Was that the one where the car driver missed the road overbridge and ended up parked on the track?

Greg.P.

discovery of serious

few corners and push the crews into

pretty high, but ...

"modern" system was instituted and

asked about the dispatcher's

number get knocked off!

it into a computer you'd have found

computer really isn't!

Sure, but landing a plane is fairly well defined - the idea is to fly the plane at an ever diminishing height without getting it below ground level. Your automatically landing plane generally isn't programmed to avoid parked cars etc. etc.

German ICE train!

Well, errr, I'll skip that!

boil the jug.

crossing is a good place to park.

ie, it's not the answer, either here in NZ or in the US.

It means, boil the jug ... for tea or coffee.

Regards, Greg.P.

It's the last job on a loco that the computer programmers will automate.

Greg.P.

Am Sun, 06 Feb 2005 08:20:13 +1300 schrieb Greg.P.:

German ICE train!

THAT´S for sure..... :-))

boil the jug.

crossing is a good place to park.

Sorry - I made a mistake. The accident was not at Enschede (Netherlands), but at Eschede (Germany).

parked on the track? No. Eschede was some kind of failure of service and material. The ICE runs on compound wheels. The ring on one wheel broke on the first car and caused a turnout to burst - the turnout is around 100 m away from a bridge. The coupler between the first Lokomotive and the train broke and the lok ran 3 km more to Enschede. The first two cars dreailed, but passed under the bridge, the third car derailed completely und crashed against the bridge. The bridge collapsed and into the fifth car, the other cars folded together at the bridge, partially pushed by the second locomotive.

This accident was the most heavy accident in the history of the DB: More than 100 dead. :-(

German ICE train!

to boil the jug.

level crossing is a good place to park.

I assumed it was my bad mental German spelling at fault! If you'd stayed quiet no-one would have noticed! ;-)

up parked on the track?

'kenoath!

Yes, Micha, and it was common practice everywhere else in the world, too. However, if you believe that steam locomotives built in large numbers can only be distinguished by their numbers, I think you should look more closely at them, eh? :-)

(Didn't the DR locos carry cast plates to indicate which depot and Reichsbahndirektion they were allocated to? They certainly had individual detail differences which are apparent on even a cursory examination.)

But I was specifically referring to Greg's models. Which, I note from his subsequent reply, can be distinguished by features other than their numbers...

Am Sun, 06 Feb 2005 23:53:17 +1100 schrieb mark_newton:

Hoho!;-) The fact is, that you cant get really close to a tiny loco in H0, can´t you? To me this is a problem. My eyes aren´t as good as I would like them to be...

Sure. But do you prefer to use a microscope for reading these tiny plates????

Yes, I can. Why would you think otherwise?

So do you assume that everyone else's eyesight is poor as well?

No, I use my eyes.

Yes Mark, I can distinguish my own models apart. Take the largest class represented on my layout, the P8/ BR 38, of which I have 6. There are 3 different boiler types, "forward steam dome" type, "center steam dome with forward feedwater dome" and "center steam dome with domeless feed water" Then there are the three types of cab, "early", "clerestory" and "round roof". There are two different tender types. (well, many more but that's all I have)

The only way I see this translating into DCC type addresses, whether two or four figure numbers, is to provide a book of drawings and address codes for visiting operators. (what have I missed?) Somehow this doesn't feel very railway like, especially when compared to the analogue method of addressing locos as in "that one on track 21"

When it comes to "Consisting" (yuck, horrible, horrible term), my operator is going to have to find up to 5 loco addresses and change them all to another (the train) number. That is starting to look like an accountant job, not a loco driver's job!

Regards, Greg.P.

Regards, Greg.P..

But how many were head on accidents Mark. The NZ accident rate due to safeworking appears to be worse than NSW a larger system, if the above is correct. It's still better than the US railroads (more than one train order safeworking accident per year with a number of head ons during the steam era.!)