Märklin Digital for Dummies ®Software ®Selecting First test of Win-Digipet
It was very easy to get started with Win-Digipet
v7.5. You can operate the layout with the computer (1) hands-on or (2) automated with
timetables or (3) automated with the "Demand Contact System". In Win-Digipet, a
demand contact is an Occupied Track
feedback contact. The defined feedback contact will operate the routes, defined by you, as
soon as the locomotive passes over it. Each demand contact can have up to 20 routes, which
are activated by the contact.
Pros and Cons
Modern Technology: Microsoft Windows 32 bit platform enables
reliable and high performance, including possibilities to manipulate several windows in
parallel (e.g. the locomotive controller windows).
In the timetable system, trains are precisely controlled by
time and route. Signals and breaking track areas become obsolete.
A just finished timetable can call another timetable or
itself in a loop.
In the demand contact system, when a train reaches a demand
contact, the next route is selected by a specific list order (If route 1 is not possible,
the try route 2 etc.) or selected by random order.
Modern technology: Requires as a minimum a pentium computer
with 32 MB memory and High Colour 16 bit screen. Maybe not always a computer we could
dedicate to the model train room?
Heavy work to add several timetable lines (even if copy-paste
function exists).
In the demand contact system, all signals must contain Stopping
Areas that are controlled by the signal.
In the timetable system, it's not possible to include random
features, i.e. having trains on random tracks in the meeting points etc. Maybe this is not
applicable in the real world either, but having such features on the layout enhances the
variations.
First test of Railroad & Co
It was very easy to get started also with Railroad
& Co v4.5. Railroad & Co is capable of running the entire layout (1) hands-on, (2)
automatically and (3) according to timetables. Also this package is very much relying on a
well-definied structure of Occupied Track
feedback contact indicators.
Pros and Cons
Not the latest technology: I can use the older PC for this
hobby: You can use the program on a Personal Computer running MS Windows 98 or 95, Windows
NT, Windows 2000 or Windows Version 3.1.
It is my impression that the software is faster than
Win-Digipet in some areas, as reporting Occupied Track feedback.
In the Dispatcher system, when a train reaches a demand
contact, the next route is selected by a specific list order (If route 1 is not possible,
the try route 2 etc.) or selected by random order.
You are never rquired to include Stopping
Areas on your layout.
You can name your contact indicators according to your own
logics, i.e. not only as "1, 2, 3" etc., which simplifies life when
designing the layout.
There is a very active User Group forum on the Internet, speaking English.
Not the latest technology: Microsoft Windows, but, 16 bit
platform.
Due to the 16 bit platform fact, there are limited
possibilities for having several train windows enabled on the screen etc.
Win-Digipet and Railroad & Co are probably both
state-of-the-art in model railroad software business. My evaluation is of course depending
on current available features in current versions of the software. I based my decision to
go for Railroad & Co mainly on my requirement of random control deriving operation of an
optimized number of trains on the layout, and the smooth procedures that this package is
providing for this purpose. Once again, of course my decision is based on my conditions,
not if a software is stronger in areas I anyway don't care about (yet...) etc.
In the Implementing the Software section, you will find information of how to use the
software together with your digital layout.
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