Allright, a new user forum has seen the light of day, so it’s goodbye to the fumbling attempt to make something useful out of Google Groups. Man, what a mess ...

This time, it’s a brand new phpBB forum right here on the TouchCab web site. Drop by and register yourself at the TouchCab user forum.

Full resolution (1280 x 720 pixels) QuickTime versions of the official TouchCab videos are available for download on the media page.

Sure, they’re big, but they’re beautiful ...

Allright, TouchCab (and TouchCab Free) version 1.5 are released, and you can all safely upgrade your command stations to version 3.2.0 ... er 3.2.1 (Man, that was fast!)

For what’s new and changed in version 1.5, please see the release notes.

A lot of people have mailed and asked about TouchCab - most importantly, which systems will Touchcab support in the future?
Of course, it is no secret that the next supported system will be Lenz and XpressNet, but then what?
Let’s have a look at the options, shall we?

Here - in no particular order, and subject to change and withdrawal at any time without notice - is the current list of systems that may be supported in the future:

• Roco multiZENTRALEpro
• Fleischmann multiZENTRALEpro
• Viessmann Commander
• Hornby Elite
• Märklin CS2

I am not saying that all of these systems will actually end up being supported, but they are the ones under consideration at this time. In the end, it all boils down to time and money ...

Hey, wait a minute, you say.
The CS2 has a network interface, but the others don’t. How are you going to reach those by WiFi?
The answer to that one is: The Lenz XpressNet Interface.

Many people also want to know about possible LocoNet/Digitrax support.

Well, rumour has it that Digitrax is no longer licensing the LocoNet protocol. I have written to them about it, but no reply. At one time I even got an inside contact that was interested, but still no reply. So it looks like the rumours may be true, and there will be no Digitrax support anytime soon. These guys are seriously not interested.

But that’s okay.
If all the systems mentioned above can be done, there will be plenty of work for a long long time.
And there is more, but you’ll have to wait and see ...

Happy model railroading !

Now that ESU has released version 3.2.0 for CS1r, ECoS and ECoS 2, some things break in TouchCab for those of you who update your command station. Function symbols in locomotives, train routes and accessories are affected.

I am pleased to announce that TouchCab and TouchCab Free version 1.5 have passed beta test and are just about ready to be sent to Apple for approval.

Stay tuned! The new software from ESU is great, and TouchCab will work great with it.


UPDATE 2/6-2010:
An issue with ECoS 2 has surfaced, and this must be fixed before the app is sent to approval.
I apologize for the inconvenience ...


UPDATE 6/6-2010:
TouchCab v1.5 and TouchCab Free v1.5 are final and have been sent to Apple for approval.
With these releases, you get full support for ECoS 2 version 3.2.0.

Just a quick note to say that version 1.5 is still in beta test. There are changes to the ECoS 2 protocol that breaks certain things in the communication, and ESU has announced that these changes will also be made to the coming ECoS 1 software release.
The version 1.5 update is waiting for information about the protocol changes from ESU, so that TouchCab will be on par with the latest command station features.

Meanwhile, version 1.5 is being tested thoroughly. Other than the things mentioned in the previous post, a sixth language - French - has been added.

In november 2009, TouchCab announced on this page that the next digital system supported would be Lenz and XpressNet.

Today, at the Intermodellbau fair in Dortmund, Lenz Elektronik is announcing a new product - the Digital Plus Interface - which interfaces the XpressNet bus to USB and LAN (ethernet).

This new device is the way TouchCab will interface to XpressNet without using a PC to convert the data signals. The new Lenz interface is simply connected to a wireless ethernet router, and that is all you need.

At the Lenz booth at the Intermodellbau fair, TouchCab is being used to demonstrate the possibilities when using an ethernet-enabled model railroad.
While there are wireless handheld controllers on the market using various other technologies, wireless ethernet (WiFi) is standard technology with a potentially very large installed base. Almost any modern smartphone on the market has built-in WiFi and with the right software, the connection to the command station is as simple as plugging it in.

While the current version of TouchCab does not feature XpressNet support, this will be provided through a free update when the new Lenz product hits the market.

Lenz Elektronik
Intermodellbau Dortmund



TouchCab version 1.5 entering beta stage

Meanwhile, work is continuing on the current features of TouchCab, and the next update - version 1.5 - is entering beta stage today.

New features in this version so far are:

• User interface in four new languages: German, Danish, Swedish and Spanish
• Major improvements to the networking code
• Option to show four last used turnouts/points on top of the list
• Changing decoder functions from momentary to on/off and back ”on the fly”
• Reintroduction of the possibility to run single locomotives from consists
• Various minor bug fixes

Version 1.5 is expected to complete beta stage within a few weeks, after which it will be available as a free update through the iTunes App Store
At the same time TouchCab Free will be upgraded due to the improved networking.

Allright, a nice release with some new features and a few bugfixes. Read more in the release notes for TouchCab.

A matching release of TouchCab Free has been released with corresponding fixes and changes. Please see the release notes for TouchCab Free.

Please note that taking over locomotives has changed significantly. You no longer get a message when taking over - you just do it. No options or anything. The controller losing control is notified. Much simpler scheme.
As always, clear the controllers on your command station. If you take over a locomotive from the ECoS, TouchCab’s response is slowed down.

Also - you’ll need iPhone OS 3.0 for this release. There was a bug in version 2.2 that sometimes caused strange behavior when rotating the cab. I konw it sound like a bad excuse, but I’ve really been hunting it for a while - but no luck. Instead, I’ve decided to drop support for iPhone OS 2.x.

These will probably be the last releases for a while unless a really nasty bug surfaces. Work is in progress for Lenz and XpressNet support, and more news will be given here when there is news to share.

Have fun everyone ...

Allright, the next version of TouchCab and Free are about to enter beta testing. Not much new stuff, just a few minor features, some adjustments and some bug fixes, but overall a good update, I think.

Since the video from the hobby exhibition hit the web, I have received a lot of requests from a lot of people to support all kinds of digital systems.

Well, TouchCab has matured to a functional state where it can stay for a while, so the time has certainly come, but unfortunately I can’t please all at once. I’d love to support every single system out there by tomorrow, but I have to take one step at a time. So which step will be taken first?

One way to go would be to connect TouchCab to a program running on a computer. From there, connections to most digital systems are readily made, so that would be a good combination, and it’s along the lines of what I want to do with my own application Tower .
I’ve been looking around and I have discussed the matter on web forums, but for several reasons I’ve abandoned the idea - for now, anyway. The obvious exception here being Tower, of course.

Instead, I looked at what systems people would like me to support and what’s feasible with respect to the amount of work and the expenses involved. I have to go and buy myself a new command station, you know ...

Digitrax seems very popular, but although the LocoNet protocol is available, it can’t be used commercially without a license. I’ve asked the good folks at Digitrax, but at the time of writing, I haven’t heard from them.

In the end, it came down to a business decision: What gives the greatest potential volume with the lowest expenses up front and the best chance of providing a great user experience?

The answer is Lenz and XpressNet®.

The XpressNet protocol is readily available, the tech is proven and solid, and the system is popular all over the world.

I can’t give you any deadlines or time estimates, but this is the road forward, and this is what’s going on at the moment.

Stay tuned ...

TouchCab version 1.2.1 has been released.

This is a bugfix release only. Read more in the release notes.

For the record, development of the Mac application Tower has begun. This is an ordinary model railroad control program with the usual track plans, but with the TouchCab focus on ease of use. Do not expect all the fancy bells and whistles seen in some competing applications, but look forward to a program that is a pleasure to use for running your model railroad.

A public beta of Tower is expected before the new year.

Of course, while Tower is being developed, TouchCab is no longer in the front row, but a few things are in the pipeline for a minor release shortly.

TouchCab and TouchCab Free version 1.2 have been released.

For TouchCab Free, this is a bugfix release. TouchCab has additional new features that you can read about in the release notes.

Have fun, let me know if you have any problems, and last but not least ... I would appreciate if you’d care to post your rating in the App Store, if you haven’t done so already.

During the continued development of TouchCab, certain incompatibility issues with the iPhone OS 3.0 have surfaced, which causes the TouchCab app to crash. According to crash reports, several users have problems also.

At the time of writing, it is not known what causes the problems, although several corners of the OS are suspected. Further development of TouchCab is on hold, giving a quick fix for these problems highest priority.


Update, 9 August, 2009

As it happens, the bugfix release has been overtaken by the regular TouchCab release version 1.2, which is now being beta tested.
The release should have networking issues resolved as well as some great new features.

TouchCab Free is updated with bugfixes, but no new features.

Meanwhile, I apologize for the inconvenience.

Stay tuned.

TouchCab and TouchCab Free version 1.1 have been released.
Most of the new stuff is in the paid version, but other than aligning the code base with TouchCab, TouchCab Free also gets support for mfx and M4.

New features of TouchCab are:

• Auto reconnect to last known command station
• Locomotive speed shown in km/h as set by the command station
• Support for mfx/M4 locomotives

• Option to take over a locomotive without the alert message

• Option to proceed at same speed after changing direction
• Signals (German only), decouplers, lights and engine house doors
• Support for ECoS version 3.0.0
• Change from left to right hand without emergency stop

By the way, according to ESU, TouchCab should support ECoS 2 (50200) also.

Realizing that the entries here may be too irregular, I have decided to move the page and change it to a news page.

Now that I’m writing anyway, perhaps you’d like to know that work on TouchCab 1.1 is well underway, the code is significantly easier to maintain, and the tabbed user interface seems to work well. Not so many bells and whistles, perhaps, but a nice workflow.

Looking forward to the ECoS 3.0.0 update tomorrow, by the way.
If TouchCab and the ECoS update don’t play well together, please let me know.

One user has reported problems with long routes with many accessories. TouchCab freezes, and some times the ECoS even resets.

The bug has been fixed in TouchCab version 1.0.2.

TouchCab version 1.0.1 is out, and TouchCab Free 1.0.3 is just around the corner. The latter was rejected by Apple due to the references to the paid version. Fair enough - they say so explicitly in the guidelines, but why did they let the previous versions through, then? Hmm.
With these releases, there should be no more trouble with the command station and TouchCab arguing about who’s controlling a train.

Anyway - the process made me think for a while.

Next up is consisting. I for one think it would be nice to form a consist right from the cab. Unfortunately, TouchCab is would get too cluttered if I just add consisting to the current design.
The flip screen is intended for one main screen and one info/setup screen, and TouchCab is evolving into something more with the landscape screens and what have you. Then eventually it would end up with something like ”tap here, flip the screen, turn into landscape, stand on one leg and spin until you drop” to access the features.

Messy ...

The correct answer is a tabbed application, which is in the works at this time. It’s not a complete rewrite, nor will the user interface change significantly, but the skeleton of the application will be quite different, which allows for much cleaner code that is easily expandable for future features. So a good deal all around.

By the way, I still have no idea what you all think about TouchCab and TouchCab Free. A lot of people download the Free version and a lot of people update, so I can see they are keepers, but beyond that, I’m in the dark.

Please drop me a line or leave a review on iTunes.

Well - maybe not a bug, more like a bad choice, really.

In the ECoS and CS software, you get a message if you select a locomotive that is being controlled by the command station. If this happens, you may opt to force a takeover, but I elected not to do this in the first versions.

From TouchCab version 1.0.1 and TouchCab Free version 1.0.3 on, instead of just a NO CONTROL text, you get a dialog box with an option to take over the locomotive, when you select a locomotive controlled by the command station.

So no more crashes because of that little piece of bad judgment ...

Welcome to the TouchCab development blog

A big milestone has been reached - the release of TouchCab. It flew through Apple’s approval process in just four days, so I’m quite happy with it.

Have fun with it everyone.
It has been great fun to make, and now it’s time to take a short break while I see how it is being received.

The first couple of responses have been great, but please note that the App Store is built in such a way that I have to enter through the back door to see worldwide comments and reviews, and I can’t be sure the back door stays open. I know it has been shut for some unauthorized entries.
So by all means leave your comments at the App Store, but please ... if there is anything you don’t like, bugs or things you’d like to see fixed or changed, write to me directly.

Where do we go from here?

I was planning to add dynamic consisting to TouchCab. For example, if your train suddenly needs extra traction power, you should be able to add another locomotive to the train right from the cab without having to go to the command station. The network protocol should support this, so let’s see how it goes.

Next would be signalling, but I’m still trying to figure out how this is made generic. ECoS only has German signals and a few others built in. I need a bit of researching to figure that one out.

Other than that, new command stations are coming out all the time. ECoS 2 looks obvious, but let’s see the network protocol first. Although Central Station is essentially an ECoS inside, there were a few surprises, so you never know.

Those are my thoughts.

What do you think?