Skip to main content

Hello everyone,

My name is Nick, and I am a college student studying computer science. I am in an entrepreneurship class this semester in which we must come up with a potential new business or product. I plan to combine my background in programming and my hobby of model railroading to create a mobile app that allows users to operate switches and accessories on their layout from their smartphone or tablet.

Please consider filling out this brief survey (https://forms.gle/rbsjQVGfcE4jYZgX8). It consists of 11 simple questions, mostly multiple choice, that gauge your interest in such a system. Even if you have no interest in this type of control system, your feedback is still incredibly important! Also, check out this interactive prototype (https://marvelapp.com/prototype/285h86dg) for the app. It is very basic, but it gives you an idea of how the app will look and function.

I also want to include the disclaimer that this is just a hypothetical venture for a school project. This is not a formal declaration of business, and there is no guarantee that this product will ever hit the market. Thank you to everyone who responds; it really helps me out!

Last edited by NSDTrains
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

If you could come up with a cheap switch machine with  built in tmcc compatability that would work on atlas ross and others. That could replace the lcs sc2 boxes that are quite exspencive and only do four at a time. That would be somthing that the market may want. Phone control or at least app or tablet control is something lionel already has on the market. Thier system is quite good, but can get quite costly if you have a big layout with lots of switches. Just a thought.

I am responding as a parent as two of my three children live with me. Sometimes they show an interest in a topic, which is new to them, but because I am older, I can see where it is leading. I let them go, because there is no harm done and that is how children learn: through their own experiences. The last thing I want to do is claim seniority and discourage them. I responded to the survey. Maybe he is reinventing the wheel.  But let him find his own guard rails.

Mark

Many of my projects in engineering school were designing and coding a basic apparatus which already had sophisticated versions of the same in the marketplace. It’s how engineers learn. This project is great and, as others have suggested, if you take the survey (I did), it envisions a simplicity and ease of use not currently available in the market. Whether it comes to be commercially is irrelevant. Far more importantly, this is a great academic exercise that allows the OP to combine an outside interest in his schoolwork.

Good luck with your project, Nick.

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far and left supportive comments! Just wanted to respond to one particular comment here:

@Landsteiner posted:

Potential to be much less expensive than investing in the Lionel or (soon to be gone?) MTH systems if it requires only accessory and switch modules and a smart device.  Sort of like LionChief for switches and accessories.

Landsteiner hit the nail on the head. I am familiar with Lionel's Layout Control System. As far as I am aware, that requires a wifi connection and the Legacy Base to control switches and accessories. My idea was to cut out all of the extra components and give people direct control from their phones via Bluetooth. Very similar to how newer Lionel engines can be controlled with nothing more than a phone with the LionChief app.

@NSDTrains posted:

My idea was to cut out all of the extra components and give people direct control from their phones via Bluetooth.

I'm going to play along here.... how are you going to do this without extra components? To my knowledge, there is no bluetooth switch machine. There's probably no bluetooth anything, because DCC functions on the loconet bus and its standardized, and if it involves 3 rail, its all proprietary whatever it is. Also, surely you can't expect layouts to be retrofit by ripping out dozens of switch machines to put in new ones? You're going to need an interface that has a way to talk to existing hardware. Thats going to require an "extra" component of some kind. And it'll need to talk to a lot of different things in order to work.

Just look at DCC. Every time there's a new functionality that comes out, you need another box or module to make it work. Lets just say at a minimum, you'd need a loconet adapter for bluetooth.

I'm not raining on your parade, just something to consider while working your way through this.

Last edited by Boilermaker1

Completed.   Your prototype looks like a control panel board but portable.... nice.   It would be nice if one could make a drawer for a control panel to hide away and use your software on an iPad simulating that control panel, where you  could move it anywhere you wish around the train room.  Perhaps DCS on a phone/remote and your system on an iPad for the same layout.  Just a thought.  Good luck and keep spreading the word that O Gauge trains are alive and well and mesh with today's cool technology.

Completed the survey then started thinking,...    In my previous life I provided testing support for new products, then my brain got tired and I retired to focus on more important aspects,...   My last employer bothered me for a few years to come back for this or that, but I was busy.   After completing the survey (good job on that)  I decided to check on what hardware might be available to do something like remote control a switch.   On mouser I found a Bluetooth development kit that looks interesting so if you actually do proceed then perhaps you might consider the hardware side too. 

Anyway, good luck in your research,.



https://www.mouser.com/Product...QQxMtylvFgWOxw%3D%3D

I'm going to play along here.... how are you going to do this without extra components? To my knowledge, there is no bluetooth switch machine. There's probably no bluetooth anything, because DCC functions on the loconet bus and its standardized, and if it involves 3 rail, its all proprietary whatever it is. Also, surely you can't expect layouts to be retrofit by ripping out dozens of switch machines to put in new ones? You're going to need an interface that has a way to talk to existing hardware. Thats going to require an "extra" component of some kind. And it'll need to talk to a lot of different things in order to work.

Just look at DCC. Every time there's a new functionality that comes out, you need another box or module to make it work. Lets just say at a minimum, you'd need a loconet adapter for bluetooth.

I'm not raining on your parade, just something to consider while working your way through this.

While I am not sure what the OP hardware plan is, this can be accomplished at very low cost with a Bluetooth enabled Arduino and compatible relay boards:

Arduino Uno or Mega $15

Bluetooth module $10

Relay boards 10 for $15

He will need to program in options for momentary activation of relay (Atlas, Lionel, MTH switch machines) and continuous activation (Tortoise and other stall machines).

Survey done.  Good luck with the project!

Bob

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×