I dont know much about DCC (dont know anything really) and I have seen how people run around their layouts with decoders and I have an idea about how they work. But what I havent seen are layouts controlled completely by computer like modern railroads. Do some people control their layout, trains, and mechanical/electrical/audio events on their layout and locomotives via PC/laptop? If so, what kind of equipment and software does this require? Could the software also track your trains moving around your layout as well? -Alex
Alex, Basically, yes to all your questions. Look at the JMRI software, Decoder-Pro. It is a method to hook up a computer and manage all your DCC activities. It works as an additional throttle on the DCC network, and, depending on which DCC system you purchase, you will need the appropriate adapter. As an example, if using Digitrax, you can use the LocoBuffer (the latest version connects via USB). Block occupancy detection is used for tracking.
