Cloggie Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Just new to model railways but trying to get my head around this DCC after seeing Miniatur Wunderland at Hamburg. Have a room so size not a problem.Have an Elite Controller and am dividing track sections into many isolated track areas with boosters. Have now tested controller and got up to 19 locomotives / shunters under control on the Elite on this large system, but question of control now needs answering as using one controller isn't sufficient, as it gets a bit hectic on one controler flicking through all trains. Wish to have others able to control individual locomotives as well so as a quick fix I have ordered 3 extra Select units to pair off from the first Elite to assist control of some trains plus give walk about option. Using this method, I assume I can use my Elite to control some trains and allow the Selects to control others at same time correect if wrong; as long as everyone is sure of which train they control and we aren't trying to operate same train.Secondary question is Can I use two Elites or more on this system or would they conflict with each other when connected to track ie; Would they need to be on seperate train track systems or can they work together on same system.. Unsure whether they both send same digital signals ad would be confused.Anyone with experience of multiple control grateful for help. regards B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 You can only have one controller on a layout as the master. You can slave several Selects onto the Elite as walkabouts, but you cannot have two Elites slaved together. You can obviously have more than one controller but in reality you then have more than one layout as there can be no interaction between them or their controllers. Even if you split the layout into power districts these remain under control of a single master controller by way of booster units which receive the master command, amplify it and pass it on to the next district. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloggie Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 You can only have one controller on a layout as the master. You can slave several Selects onto the Elite as walkabouts, but you cannot have two Elites slaved together. You can obviously have more than one controller but in reality you then have more than one layout as there can be no interaction between them or their controllers. Even if you split the layout into power districts these remain under control of a single master controller by way of booster units which receive the master command, amplify it and pass it on to the next district. Thanks for the fast reply. That all makes perfect sense and leaves me with option of one layout with master and slaves or partitioning to two. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 The only time you will see two DCC controllers on a layout is when one is running trains and the other controlling points and accessories but then they are on separate buses so in fact are two layouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 As an aside as opposed to off topic - we seem to have found a man who is using both car spots in his garage and needs a booster, maybe even two, but not clear from info disclosed so far (19 trains should work with one booster). B, have you considered using Railmaster to keep track of your locos more easily? And multiple throttles on screen may help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Also reading the OP again, you can hand off control of a loco from one controller to another providing the loco address is set simply by rotating the speed control at that address.One thing to watch with the Selects is they can only handle loco address 1 to 59 and if you want to control all the functions on a sound loco then you need them updating (by return to Hornby only unfortunately) to rev 1.5. Check your rev state at Select startup see xx - 30 - 03 where xx is the rev state e.g 10 = 1.0, et seq to 15 = 1.5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Railmaster (RM) has been mentioned by Fishy and you can run RM through your Elite as well as your Selects. This would then bring you into computer control and enable you to control some Loco's using the computer and others manually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 If you want direct control for each loco stick to DC. I have a 4 track controller and can control 4 locos without having to select anything. Runs for cover. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 INCOMING!!! - - whoosh BANG! 😮 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choralc Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 WTD just how many arms do you have to directly control four locos at once? Some of you have met him. Is WTD really an octopus? 😛 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Most likely a crab, of the fiddler variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo1707820979 Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Some of you have met him. Is WTD really an octopus? 😛 If he is, maybe he should be ETD (Eating The Dog) 😛 Seriously, having both a DCC layout and a more recent a DC layout, I am finding the analog layout very pleasant, with not many problems at all. So WTD has a lot of points (no pun) in his favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.