Part of what this product does is what some systems call a "tower cab" controller. It allows you to control turnout decoders from anywhere around the layout - without having to select the turnout's address before controlling it. A tower cab is typically a module with several buttons that you can program to control whichever turnout decoders you wish those buttons to control from that location. Where this product differs is that it does not include the buttons, but allows you to build your own master control panel, and connect those buttons to this board. You can then program this board to control whichever turnouts you want those buttons to control. Oh yes, tower cabs usually cost in the hundreds of dollars. The SRC8 is only $40, does a whole lot more (as you'll see), and you can use as many as you like.

NOTE: While the SRC8 was NOT designed to be a turnout decoder, it can work as one. Each output pair is capable of driving a Tortoise® switch machine. Further, some outputs can even have two Tortoise® machines for such things as slips and crossovers. So, this multi-purpose board can be used to make remote switch control panels, control Tortoise® machines, have local turnout control buttons, provide local turnout indication LEDs, and store and execute up to eight different routes with up to eight different turnout addresses each. Note that when controlling Tortoise® machines, the Tortoises® will run slowly because they will be running on only 5 volts.

Each board can control up to 8 turnout addresses. You can have as many of these boards connected to your control panel as it takes to control all the turnouts you want to control from that panel. Further, you can have as many of these boards as you need around the layout for other remote control areas - such as at yards to control routes and other turnouts.

You can still control any turnout from your hand-held throttle if you want. There is no restriction. In fact, you can control any turnout on the layout with your hand-held throttle, by computer, and by as many of these boards around the layout as you want - no limitations.

Next we'll talk about the LED outputs on the board.

Generally, you'll want some kind of indication as to which direction the turnout is set for: closed or thrown. That's what the LED outputs are for. Let's say you have the first pair of buttons programmed to close and throw turnout #27. By hooking the LED outputs to a pair of LEDs, or a three-wire bicolor LED, it will always show whether the turnout is closed or thrown - whether it is closed or thrown by computer, a hand-held throttle, another SRC8 board, or even by a DS54 local input button (if you have the DS54 programmed to provide for that).

Because the SRC8 listens to the LocoNet, it knows when any other device has instructed the turnout to close or throw. When it sees a LocoNet message telling the command station to throw or close one of its turnouts, it updates the LED accordingly. All you have to do is be sure that all turnout commands are sent via LocoNet to the Command Station so the command station can issue the turnout command as normal.

For the most part, this is the way throttles and computers operate turnouts. The only exception is DS54s. If programmed for the normal Throw and Close operation from the Local input, it will throw or close the turnout directly - without issuing a throw or close command. However, you can program the DS54 to not throw or close it directly, but with a Cascade command instead (we'll cover how to do that later). In that situation, it issues the command over the LocoNet to the command station, which the SRC8 will see and use to update its LEDs.

The third thing the SRC8 can do is maintain and execute up to 8 different routes - like those available in the Chief. There are two three big differences from the Chief. First, there is no limit to how many routes you can have. Use as many boards as you need for all the routes you want.. Second, it's not limited to the Chief. These boards allow any LocoNet system to have routes - including the Empire Builder, the Zephyr, and even the LocoNet-equipped Intellibox. Last, the SRC8 is much easier to program than the routes in the Chief. All you have to do is:

1) turn power off
2) install the program jumper
3) turn power on
4) press the button that indicates which route (1-8) you want to program
5) execute the route (the SRC8 will remember your turnout commands)
6) turn power off
7) remove the program jumper
8) turn power back on and operate

As you can see, 6 of the 8 steps are simple power on/off and installing/removing the programming jumper. How much easier can it be?

Any route can execute another route, even a route on another SRC8 or a route programmed into the Chief. This ultimately makes route size unlimited. The only thing you have to be sure of is that no route executes a route that in turn executes the first route - creating a non-ending loop of route operation.

Hint: It's best to start every route with a pseudo turnout address. For example, if you have 42 turnouts, addressed from 1-42, you can start your route numbering at anything above 42. For example, let's say you want to create a route that involves turnout #s 31 though 33 in a yard. Start the route as number 51 thrown. The rest of the route would throw or close turnout #s 31 through 35 as necessary. Now when the SRC8 sees address 51 thrown, it will execute the route. This way, you will still be able to operate any turnout in the route individually - by using each turnout's actual address. If you start the route with 31 thrown, instead of 51 thrown, you couldn't throw turnout #31 by itself if you wanted to. Every time you would throw turnout #31, the SRC8 would be executing the route.

The fourth thing the SRC8 can do is send exact turnout feedback messages.

For most people, this is not necessary. Memory feedback works just fine - especially if you're using SRC8s everywhere. Because it remembers the last turnout command, even after power has been turned off then back on, it will always have the correct setting. However, for people who have a computer connected, and that computer needs to be updated with exact feedback, any set of input connections can be programmed for feedback messages instead of for turnout control buttons.

Each SRC8 has 8 pairs of inputs. Each pair can be programmed for either turnout control or turnout feedback. If you want turnout feedback and local control of each, one SRC8 can handle up to four turnouts. However, keep in mind that the SRC8 can work in conjunction with the DS54's features. For example, the DS54 local input can issue a Cascade command that will execute a route that is stored in an SRC8 on the other side of the layout.

First, when programming local throw/close commands, you MUST use the wires, and CVs, that are related directly to that turnout. For example, if you want to control the turnout that is connected to address #3 (which would be output "C"), you must use either the Yellow or Gray Local Input wires, which means you have to program either CV 37 or 38 with either "02" or "03 to close or throw the turnout. With this setup, the DS54 throws or closes the turnout through internal means without sending any message over LocoNet. As such, the command station's memory feedback will not be updated, nor will the SRC8's LED outputs be updated. To correct for that, you must have the DS54 send a Cascade Message to throw or close the turnout, as described next.

To send a Cascade Message to throw or close a turnout with a LocoNet Message, you can use any input wire on any DS54 - it doesn't even have to be the same DS54 that controls the turnout. The first step is to choose which input wire you want to use to send a Cascade Message. For our example, we'll use the Orange wire to control address "03". Next, check the DS54 manual to find out which CV applies to the Orange wire. It's CV33 for turnout control. But, we don't want to control the turnout directly, so we program CV33 with "01" - to do nothing. Next we find out which CV controls LocoNet messages from the Orange wire. It's CV41. So we program it with "03" to tell it to send a Cascade Message (NOTE: "03" in this instance is NOT for the address, it's the command to send a Cascade Message of an address that's in another CV). Next we need to tell it which turnout address and whether to throw or close it. Again, checking the DS54 manual, we find that CVs 57 and 58 are for the orange wire. CV57 is for the action. Program it with hex 90 (144 decimal) to throw it, or hex B0 (176 decimal) to close it. CV58 is for the address. Program in the address minus one - "02" for address "03".

Granted, this is more programming if you're going to use the DS54 local input to control turnouts you want the SRC8 LED to stay current with. But it not only works for that, it is also how you can send a route message from a DS54 local input to an SRC8 route.

With the SRC8, you can make master and remote control panels to control turnout decoders from anywhere around the layout. It monitors LocoNet to keep the on-board LED drivers updated. Each SRC8 can maintain and execute up to eight turnout routes, and those routes can execute any other route - making route length unlimited. Routes are independent from the input buttons and can be executed from it's own SRC8, a different SRC8, a computer, a hand-held throttle, a computer, a Palm OS device, or any other device that can send a turnout command for the route number. Any SRC8 input pairs can be programmed for exact turnout feedback messaging. Lastly, you can use as many SRC8s as you need on your layout to do whatever you need to do.

Input pairs can be addressed in sequence (i.e., 1-8, 9-16, etc.), or individually (1, 6, 27, 82, 5, etc.), and can accommodate addresses from 1 through 512. Multiple boards can be set for the same address - allowing you to control the same turnout from multiple locations.

This is a wonderfully versatile and useful device that is very easy to use. If you have a need for any part of anything this device can do, I'm sure you'll like it.