hows everyone getting on with railmaster

[cruiser]

hi guys, not much on way of posts on railmaster anybody got any tips or things we should be doing on railmaster...... anything? or is everbodys layouts running so fine they got nothing to post.

would love to hear what you guys have got your layouts

doing with railmaster for ideas

cheers cruiser

[Graskie]

There has been a fair bit of discussion on RailMaster already if you check the relevant threads. I'm still trying to get a lot of my locos on it, though, after lots of problems, quirks, bugs etc, even after having updated it and my Elite controller.

[Fireman_Ian]

After getting used to the quirks and bugs in RailMaster I have a set up where I can operate all my points from my laptop.
I also have set up programs to run two passenger trains around the main line stopping at the stations at regular times while I

'play' at shunting the yards manually so something is always happening on my railway.
I still prefer to operate with the Elite than with the RailMaster controls as they are too unreliable for shunting etc.
RailMaster is working for me and I am waiting

for updates to be made available to sort out some of the bugs, hope I am not waiting in vain.
Ian.

[stevecamden]

I think its pretty good actually - needs a good update to fix some issues and of course some detection will take it to another level. I hope Hornby don't lose interest - it makes operating points very easy. I like the record function and providing you

leave lots of allowance for timing irregularities it can make a nice automatic layout. I'd say 6/10 but could easily go to 8/10.

[cruiser]

cheers guys my thoughts too its still an iffy program but working the points from the mouse is a big bonus for me too. not tried editing a program so far as have other issues needing fixed first though not in railmaster...still got my class 31 start and

stop to fix..not gotten around to that first mainly the stop as it stops near dead instead of controlled..

loco detection would sure take it to a new level though

cruiser

[96RAF]

hi guys
I'm only running the demo version with all its limitations but it works fine.
Problems:
- track build program bombs out with strange zoomed areas and other hicoughs
- cruise is a tad fast for my end to end leading to heavy buffer impacts

at times.
- the application is still far too buggy than a commercial product should be.
As requested above where are the block detection modules - they are desparately needed to keep Hornby in the game.
@cruiser - Dead stop problem can be fixed by

altering decell CVs.
Rob

[cruiser]

i've still not gotten around to doing this can i just read certain cv's in railmaster or does it have to be them all as i know it can take a real long time to read them all

cheers cruiser

[The son of Triangman]

tried it, don't like it.

[ModelerXYZ]

I use it sometimes. But it's a lot more fun running my layout without it. It would have its uses on a huge layout, but mine can be comfortably managed by one or 2 operators.

[zzpjl8]

Fireman_Ian said:

After getting used to the quirks and bugs in RailMaster I have a set up where I can operate all my points from my laptop.
I also have set up programs to run two passenger trains around the main line stopping at the stations

at regular times while I 'play' at shunting the yards manually so something is always happening on my railway.
I still prefer to operate with the Elite than with the RailMaster controls as they are too unreliable for shunting etc.
RailMaster is working

for me and I am waiting for updates to be made available to sort out some of the bugs, hope I am not waiting in vain.
Ian.

[zzpjl8]

Hi Ian, Please can you clarify. Are you abel to use the controls on your Elite or Select plugged into Elite whilst Railmaster runs the auto locos around the layout? regards Nick

[stevecamden]

You can operate from the Elite and RM at the same time. The only issue is the number of decoder signals from one or the other confusing/and or overlapping which can cause some signals ( I mean control signals not light signals) to get missed. This is particularly

an issue with sound loco's where you need a 5 sec ( gap) at least to clear the way for the next signal.

But I have used RM as a very simple program ( not too many instructions) on a loop and am aware of the limitations.

Because of lack of real

detection or at least a way that the computer 'knows' where the trains are, I have decided that its a bit too dangerous operating points etc where you could get crashes as the timings get out very quickly. All it takes is a loco to respond a bit slower ( dirt

etc) and you can have a fatality. Which is fine if you like seeing crashes on the layout, but thats not my thing!

[Fireman_Ian]

zzpjl8 said:

Hi Ian, Please can you clarify. Are you abel to use the controls on your Elite or Select plugged into Elite whilst Railmaster runs the auto locos around the layout? regards Nick

Hi Nick, My layout is basically

two ovals for the main line operation with two passenger stations, Railmaster has a program to run two passenger trains on the outer oval stopping and waiting then starting again at each platform, this is on a continual loop.
I can now at the same time

operate my goods freight around the inner oval and in the ten or so goods sidings using my Elite with a Select remote so something is always running.
To get around the problem just mentioned of the Elite sometimes missing a command from Railmaster I have

repeated each command line in the program so each command is sent to the Elite twice within 0.1 sec, this seems to work as my trains have never missed a signal.
Ian.

[idlemarvel]

Thanks for the tip on repeating the commands Ian, I might try that.

I blow hot and cold over RM. I use it to operate points manually and run a few locos in a program - shuttling backwards and forwards on my end to end layout - then operating a shunting

yard manually. It works "properly" (if you're careful and allow a few seconds between each command) probably 80% of the time but the other 20% the software seems to have a hissy fit and you need to reboot everything several times. There seems no reason why.

Frustrating. It's nearly there but not quite. As many have said some detection system will take it to a new level but let's get the bugs fixed and stable first.

[Lory]

Having had RailMaster for quiet some time I have yeat to be able to actavate it. I don't think it works on this side of the world. I have tryed all the "fixes" and nothing.
Hornby has let me down.

[Fishmanoz]

Suggest you email Hornby Customer Care and see if they have some advice for your particular configuration. Let the, know exactly what hardware and operating system you are using and make sure you have installed all updates to your system.