Hornby RailMaster, What are your thoughts?

[bocaj]

Hi everyone, Just wondering what you think of Railmaster. I don't actually like it as I think computer controll takes the felling that you are actually controlling a train away from model railways. So I will not be getting it! Please tell me your thoughts, Jacob

[kingfisher11]

bocaj

Hi. Railmaster has still not been released yet so I can only go by what is on the Hornby site and what I saw at the Ally Pally.

It looks very promising to me.



If I have read it correctly.

It will allow me to run several locos at the same time via the recording feature and also allow me to control another loco at the same time via the Elite.(Or should I say two).

With several sound locos they can be pre recorded to sound off whistles etc at selected sections on the track.

Faster than I can manage on the Elite.

Mean while I can still drive a loco of my choice.

So you can allow one track direction to be controlled via the computer and the other track you can control yourself.

I agree with you I like to drive my locos but as I see it you can do both.



Best of both worlds I believe.

I can`t wait to get it.



Latest it is comming out this month then again it was coming out in May.

Hopefully it will be out by July as I was hoping to use it on out clubs exhibition layout which is booked for the beginning of July at a Rail show in the South East.

[poliss]

Have you seen the Railmaster video on Hornby's Youtube channel Jacob?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGfiuO2o9NQ

[bocaj]

Hi kingfisher113, I can see why you are getting it. I think it will be good for a layout like yours as you have lots of DCC sound locomotives. I only have plans to get one or two. Thanks for the help, Jacob

[bocaj]

Hi Pollis, Thanks for posting the link, The new sofwhere looks quite good for people with big layouts with lots of DCC sound locomotives. Thanks for the help, Jacob  

[Bulleidboy]

It looks fantastic - I just watched the link (Poliss). From what I have read I think it will become very popular. I can see Jacobs point in that if you have a very basic layout it may be a bit over the top, but as your layout develops so do the complexities in operation. One complaint I have read about the Elite is the many button pushes required to change a point, with the Railmaster it would appear to be a case of just touching the green or red button on screen.  I look forward to further comments as soon as it becomes available.

[bocaj]

Hi bulleidboy, I don't know mutch about the Elite controller but It looks quite complacated so maybe it would be easyer controling it via the computer. Jacob            

[Nigel Cartwright]

 

“Computer” controlled layouts do have a precedence. If anyone is old enough to remember the magnificent OO gauge model railway at Alton Towers back in the 60’s and probably early 70’s (when the place was gardens and walks and not the theme park as is now). I recall an electro-mechanical system controlling all the trains on the system, the guts of which was on display at one end of the layout. Does anyone remember that layout ?? 3 rail I think. Huge as well. Obviously we've come on a bit since then but.........

[Phil_Spiegel.]

Railmaster (as I understand it) will allow you to have a clear graphic display of your track plan and signal locations: then, assuming tat you have controlled the points through Accessory Decoders, you will be ale to see how the points have been set, and to simply change them by pointing and clicking - thus making it easier for you to do the 'difficult'/fun bit of actually driving the trains. Another useful feature is the on-screen reminder of what functions a loco has, and on which Function buttons they have been programmed - even if you don't actually drive the train via an on-screen throttle.

[Augustus Caesar]

Buy the June issue of Hornby Railway Magazine and read more info in there about its capabilities. I have just got my copy yesterday (Thursday June 2nd) and found it revealing and interesting. I in no way am involved with Hornby or other comanies alike so I offer an impartial view. The software looks to be very powerful and even though some folk may like a hands on approach to operating their systems with dials and buttons etc this software offers evrything the Elite does with very quick access times through a menu rich system which, as I read it, will save frustrating hunts through the menus on the Elite itself. With simple access to things mentioned in posts above, like CV's and programming etc, this softawre looks to be very exciting and has the potential to be very very good. Looking forward to it.

[bocaj]

Hi Phill, I will be getting my points and signals made so they can be controlled  via the controller soon. If it will be that easy to do them on the computer I might think about upgrading to the Eliet (instead of another DCC controller I had in Mind) and buy railmaster. The only problem is that I don't think I will Have enough for the Eliet controller.  Jacob   

[Fireman_Ian]

Hi All, I have been using the Elite controller for six months now on my layout and am thrilled with it. The only drawback is setting the points and for that reason I cannot wait for RailMaster, I have had it on order for four months now and hope Hornby release it real soon. Ian.

[nigwint]

Nigel Cartwright said:  

“Computer” controlled layouts do have a precedence. If anyone is old enough to remember the magnificent OO gauge model railway at Alton Towers back in the 60’s and probably early 70’s (when the place was gardens and walks and not the theme park as is now). I recall an electro-mechanical system controlling all the trains on the system, the guts of which was on display at one end of the layout. Does anyone remember that layout ?? 3 rail I think. Huge as well. Obviously we've come on a bit since then but.........

[nigwint]

Alton Towers model railway,  I worked up there44 years ago not on the model railway but visited it loads, i lived in alton village and access to the park was easy. the guy who built the model lived in alton also,  his name was Aubrey Bentley. Back to the future, i run a large loft layout with the elite and have tried and enjoyed two different computer software packages one a free dowload the other a commercial package. the hornby package sounds very similar to what i have tried and is priced about right. as pointed out in this forum i can run computer control an still operate other locos with the elite. the only downside i cannot use functions on a loco when in a consist, this is with or without computer control, so i assume this is an elite problem unless someone knows the answer.

[Montywb]

Fireman_Ian said: Hi All, I have been using the Elite controller for six months now on my layout and am thrilled with it. The only drawback is setting the points and for that reason I cannot wait for RailMaster, I have had it on order for four months now and hope Hornby release it real soon. Ian.

[Montywb]

[Montywb]

I was trying to respond to Fireman Ian in the above two posts to let him know that the software is a available from Monday.

[kingfisher11]

nigwint I use Rocrail with an Elite to operate double headers/consists. First I create a loco name i.e. T9 Consists I then use a number that I have not already allocated to any of my locos. Rocrail allows you to add locos by way of multiple units. I then add my two T9`s in the multiple units box. So when I select T9 consists it operates both locos at the same time with speed/function keys. You can sound both loco whistles at the same time.Assuming they have the same function key number. You can still select each of the locos by there own original number and use all control/function keys. The best of both worlds. And you do not have to disolve the double header.

[bocaj]

Hi everyone, Thanks for telling me you're thoughts on railmaster, keep them coming, Jacob
Bechio has done it again for leeds, right into the top corner, Leeds have one the game

[bocaj]

By the way on my signiture it is ment to say won not one
Bechio has done it again for leeds, right into the top corner, Leeds have one the game

[FinnerZ]

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[FinnerZ]

Having seen RailMaster demonstrated by a Hornby rep at my model railway club's golden jubilee exhibition, the only problem I could see was not having long enough sidings. They said that the software will continue to be developed adn what we see now (on the website and videos) is not all there will be. One feature that will be coming soon will be the ability to drag a loco/train from one place on your computer track plan to another; RailMaster will then move it there for you, changing points and stopping other trains when necessary.

[bocaj]

FinnerZ said: Having seen RailMaster demonstrated by a Hornby rep at my model railway club's golden jubilee exhibition, the only problem I could see was not having long enough sidings. They said that the software will continue to be developed adn what we see now (on the website and videos) is not all there will be. One feature that will be coming soon will be the ability to drag a loco/train from one place on your computer track plan to another; RailMaster will then move it there for you, changing points and stopping other trains when necessary.

Bechio has done it again for leeds, right into the top corner, Leeds have won the game

[bocaj]

That sounds quite good how it can move other trains out of the way while you controll another train


Bechio has done it again for leeds, right into the top corner, Leeds have won the game

[FinnerZ]

I asked if we would have to pay for these new features when they come out and was told that some of the major new functions would have to be paid for, but others would be free to download. My layout is a double loop with various sidings etc. on two 6X4 baseboards poorly fixed together (something I have to redo). Although it isn't that complicated, having even just three locos controlled by the elite can be problematic - expecially when points are involved. I agree with what others have said in that railmaster will be good for things such as point controll.