laptop running before you can walk

[Yelrow]

is there anything to be said for buying elite and familiarising with it and railmaster before trying the laptop approach. I only got into laptop, because elink came with the majestic set. I am still struggling with concept, and reading the forum, not a

 

day passes without someone else having problems. Would i and others benefit from this approach. I presume that once masterred both could be used in conjunction with accessories, yelrow

[2e0dtoeric]

I don't have or intend to have e-link, but I would say get used to Elite first, and sort out any bugs, before you complicate things even more with the e-link.

One step at a time!

Then, if everything worked from the Elite, but doesn't with the e-link,

 

you know where to look for the problem!

[RDS]

@yelrow

I run my layout from an Elite with RailMaster running on a laptop.

I started with a Select, then advanced to the Elite.

I then added RailMaster running on the laptop.

 

I use this method because (In my Opinion) it allows me to have

 

the best of both worlds. I can just control a few trains using the Elite, or I can sit back and watch the trains go by controlled by RailMaster. Even when RailMaster is controlling the layout, I can still use the Elite to control other trains, or even take

 

over the ones run by RailMaster.

 

I much prefer to control the speeds of the loco's using the rotary control of the Elite, rather than a slider on a PC screen but that is just personal choice.

 

As far as I am aware, there is nothing that e-link

 

can do, that Elite cannot do but there is plenty that Elite can do, that e-link cannot do, due to the fact that it has buttons and rotary controls.

 

[RDS]

@2e0dtoeric

I cannot see ANY reason to go to e-link from Elite.

Am I missing something?

[Yelrow]

thank you for initial response. Those of us with the majestic were sort of forced into the laptop route. I had fearful trouble with instructions, but changing cvs, for example looks easier from reading the elite instructions. Main problem, seems to be

 

the cost of the elite, had enough trouble convincing she who must be obeyed, of justification for majestic, yelrow

[idlemarvel]

In my experience the eLink is better at working with RailMaster than the Elite. Just as well as it has to! I ran RM with Elite for a number of years, a very frustrating experience of continual rebooting. Once I got an eLink all those problems went away.

 

As someone else has said ideal is to have both, so you can switch between computerised and manual driving. eLInk/RM combo is great for setting points, signals and automation. Elite is great for driving trains.

[PJ_model_trains]

I have elink and RM. I started building my layout 6-8 weeksbefore the Majextic set was available. I use a laptop and am very pleased with the system. Some like the controller knob, it is almost 60 years since I used ond of them.

 

The biggest problem

 

for me was not the system or laptop but learning new ways. I didn't know what a dcc bus was or even a programmable section of track. But with help from guys on this forum I soon found out andam enjoying every minute of it.

 

RM is a good piece of software.

 

Once we get loco detection the power of RM will really show.

 

I think often the biggest problem is not the system, it is learning new ways and how the system works. Plus terminology we may not have come across before. If this is linked with starting

 

to use a laptop it is just another item to learn. I have had computers from the beginning, laptops for years, yet I still cannot get used to the finger pad, I use a mouse. I guess it is also what we are used to, some like the controllers instead of a laptop.

[Graskie]

I also have an Elite, RM and a laptop. I'm with you about using a mouse, PJ. It's so low, laborious and sometimes frustrating to use the finger pad. I got used to the Elite before I had RM, and I wouldn't get rid of mine. I'm pretty sure, though, that

 

a while back you couldn't really operate both at the same time without getting into a confused tangle and having to reboot, simply because the RM program wasn't good enough to cope with any attempt to do that. I think the handshake between the Elite and RM

 

must have been vastly improved.

[2e0dtoeric]

Although this is an aside comment, the only time I found my Elite rebooting itself in mid-use was when the plug from the psu wasn't quite pushed home!