Tams RailCom RC-Link

Content → Command Stations → Tams RailCom

• RC-Link
• Protocol

Component	Version	Remark
Rocrail	1.4	revision 1337 or higher
RC-Link	Firmware 1.1	Beta version 11.1 for testing the placing flag.
OpenDCC	Atmega32 firmware 0.23	RailCom cutouts and CV read on the main.
Lenz LZV100	Firmware 3.6	RailCom cutouts
Lenz LI-USB	Firmware 1.7-16	CV read on the main results in “Parameter error” (1

1) Confirmed by Lenz; Needs a Firmware update which is not available at short term. 22-02-2010

The FTDI device driver must be installed to be able to use the RC-Link under OS X.
On the MacBook, running OS X 10.6, the device name is:

/dev/tty.usbserial-A10048Md

The RC-Link is bind in the system without special device drivers and is most likely named as:

/dev/ttyUSB0

Check the kernel messages for the right device name.

usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6001
usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
usb 2-2: Product: FT232R USB UART
usb 2-2: Manufacturer: FTDI
usb 2-2: SerialNumber: A10048Md
usb 2-2: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0
usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio

The device driver can be downloaded here if the used Windows version do not provide direct support:

• http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

Before Rocrail can handle loco identification it is a prerequisite that this is set on the general tab of the loco properties.

• Ident block event
• Loco Identifier
• Bi-Directional Communication

After setting up the connection to RC-Link the following messages will confirm a valid configuration:

20100217.193835.095 r9999I rclinkre ORcLink  0329 SN=38 Software=1.1 Hardware=1.0
20100217.193837.013 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0312 detector 1 reported address 0
20100217.193837.013 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0312 detector 2 reported address 0
20100217.193837.013 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0312 detector 3 reported address 0
...

If all components are connected according the manufacturer manuals the reporting of decoder addresses will take place as soon a loco runs in a detected track section:

20100219.090833.065 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0312 detector [1] reported address [4958] state [on] direction [left]
20100219.090845.826 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0312 detector [1] reported address [0] state [off] direction [right]

RCD-1 reported the Lenz Köf with address 4958 in block b1:

The direction represents the real placing of the loco on the tracks. Running through a reversing loop will swap this flag.
This direction flag is only displayed but not processed to determine the placing to avoid conflicts with the software placing flag in Rocrail.

<plan rocrailversion="1.4.999-1321">
  <zlevel title="railcom" z="0"/>
  <fblist>
    <fb id="rcd1" x="3" y="2" z="0" state="true" prev_id="rcd1" desc="" show="true" road="false" curve="false" blockid="" routeids="" ori="west" iid="" bus="4" addr="1" activelow="false" ctciid="" ctcaddr="0" ctcport="0" ctcgate="0" ctcasswitch="false" identifier="4958"/>
  </fblist>
  <bklist>
    <bk id="b1" x="3" y="3" z="0" reserved="false" entering="false" state="open" prev_id="b1" desc="" len="0" electrified="false" station="false" gomanual="true" acceptghost="false" terminalstation="false" wait="true" road="false" allowchgdir="true" smallsymbol="false" show="true" commuter="no" ttid="" signal="" wsignal="" signalR="" wsignalR="" speed="cruise" exitspeed="cruise" type="none" incline="0" waitmode="random" minwaittime="1" maxwaittime="30" waittime="10" mvscale="87" mvdistance="0" mvmph="false" evttimer="0" iid="" addr="0" port="0" td="false" typeperm="all">
      <fbevent id="rcd1" action="ident" from="all" byroute="all" endpuls="false"/>
    </bk>
  </bklist>
  <lclist>
    <lc id="Köf" identifier="4958" addr="4958" iid="" prot="L" spcnt="128" fncnt="12" V_min="10" V_mid="50" V_max="100" V_Rmin="0" V_Rmid="0" V_Rmax="0" V_step="0" mass="0" V_mode="percent" placing="true" regulated="true" restorefx="true" dirpause="0" blockwaittime="10" evttimer="0" priority="10" usescheduletime="false" commuter="false" trysamedir="false" tryoppositedir="false" forcesamedir="false" shortin="false" inatpre2in="false" usemanualroutes="false" engine="diesel" cargo="none" secondnextblock="false" consist_lightsoff="false" consist="" V="0" throttleid=""/>
  </lclist>
</plan>

If the block is free, or the occupying loco is idle, the matching loco with the reported Identifier is set in this block:

20100220.162810.365 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0318 detector [1] reported address [3] state [on] direction [right]
20100220.162810.366 r9999W rclinkre OBlock   0312 locId not set in block b1
20100220.162810.366 r9999I rclinkre OLoc     1695 cmd "block" for Talent.
20100220.162810.366 r9999I rclinkre OBlock   1510 b1 locid=Talent
20100220.162810.366 r9999I rclinkre OBlock   1531 b1 state=open
20100220.162810.366 r9999I rclinkre OBlock   1462 init block b1

In this example the Talent with Identifier “3” is set in block “b1”.

If the used command station supports read CV on the main, like OpenDCC, the CV value is reported by the RC-Link:

20100220.140925.442 r9999c rclinkre ORcLink  0348 detector 1 reported CV value 93

Those values will be shown in the Rocview programming dialog.

• During the many test the system seems not always reporting or brings a wrong value. (Dirt on tracks?)
• The address reported is zero if more than one RailCom loco is in a detection section.
• Limitation of 24 detectors per RC-Link.
• Extra bus wiring; Max. length is no known.
• No reporting if the detection section is bridged by a illuminated car or other sort of power consumer.
• Digitrax transponding decoders do not disturb the RailCom detectors; No message reported.