Software for the Digital Railroad

Model train locomotives are built today with a computer chip to control the lights, sound and motor functions. Computer enabled trains allow users to have a greater level of operational control in running model trains and integrates multimedia functions on the model railroad layout. Model trains with sound chips, speed control makes them simply and more fun to operate.

There are three computer standards that enabled this model train control capability. These computer standards are Lionel's Train Master Control Computer (TMCC), M.T.H. Electric Train’s Digital Control System (DCS) and National Model Railroad Association’s Digital Command and Control systems (DCC).

The computer chip standards allow Lionel, M.T. H. Electric Trains, Bachman Trains and MRC to add interactive functionality to the model trains. The best marketing tool for model trains is to make the trains more interactive. Computer control is a pull marketing technique design to attract new users. Model trains today can run multiple trains at the same time, computer controlled turn out switches, and have full layout automation with location sensors in all of the trains.

All that is needed is a windows PC running windows 2000, Windows XP or Vista, and a USB or a modem cable. The cable is connected between your PC and the command station model railroad control unit. Once you hooked up the interface cable, download Train Tools software and run (or drive) your model trains.

 
Train Tools Video Tutorials

What is Train Tools?

KAM software applications are called Train Tools.  Train Tools software is simply Software for the Digital Railroad - a collection of software programs to control, operate and dispatch your model railroad train layout. 

KAM Train Tool software programs are designed to be transparent to the command station hardware.  Train Tool software has “clients” application that run on your PC, and use common software interface to the model train hardware.  The common software interface is called Train Server.  The Train Server software architecture allows  us to designed applications to be best of class, and focus on providing functionality associated with the application. For example Engine commander is a computer throttle application - not a dispatcher program.  Classic Panel is a 1940 dispatcher panel – not a computer throttle program.

At first looks this sounds confusing.  That is because we are programmed by the other model railroad software manufacturer (and the open source community) to think of software as one big program.   This is not the case with KAM's model railroad software.  KAM's model railroad software programs  (or Train Tools as we call them), are software components that are perform a specific function to control your model trains.  As an example, Engine Commander is very focused, and is simply a computer model train throttle program.

KAM's model railroad software programs (Train Tools) are a collection of Model train software tools that are designed to run at the same time.  KAM is the only model railroad software manufacture that has this capability.  Our software is designed so you can run Engine Commander and Classic Panel (or any other Train Tools program  - or third party) - at the same time!.   KAM's Train Tools software shares the command station between different applications that are running.  This is how we support PDA applications over wifi, and layout automation.  No other manufacturer has achieved this level of integration.

Which Software program to pick?

I am asked this question all of the time, and the answer is simply "you pick the application based on functions that you want to use".  Keep in mind that you can run multiple model railroad programs at the same time and share the command station, so you really do not need to choose.   If you are new to model train control software, the best place to start is  with  Engine Commander This Train Tool application gives you all of the basic functions that you need to have to run (or drive) your model trains and control switches.  All Train Tools applications are in the download, and have a 21 day trial license.  So download the software, experiment and have fun and let us know which software program you like the best.

Our current product offering is listed below,

MSRP $99	MSRP $249	MSRP $59	MSRP $39
MSRP $169	MSRP $59	MSRP $49	MSRP $5.95