Running your trains by WiFi
iPod Below: An iPod Touch is smaller and thinner than a traditional keypad throttle — and it does not need to be plugged in. The touch screen does not provide tactile feedback like the tra- ditional throttle does. How- ever, the screen is much brighter and easier to read during an operating session.
Smart wireless throttles add some 21st Century technology to a steam-era layout as some limitations. There are
CRAFTSMAN/Trevor Marshall, photographs by the author
Increasingly, when I host an operating night on my layout, my guests spend the sessions playing with their smartphones or iPods. I’m okay with that. In fact, I encourage it — we’re using the devices as wireless throttles for my DCC system. I’ve been using smartphones
and iPods as throttles for approximately two years now. I have learned a lot along the way. Using a smartphone or a WiFi-con- nected device like an iPod Touch has certain advan- tages over tra- ditional throt- tles, as well
40 RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
several issues to consider be- fore taking the plunge, ranging from hardware requirements to security.
Curious About TouchCab I first encountered touch- screen wireless throttles when I stumbled across TouchCab. This application turns an Ap- ple iPhone or iPod Touch into a wireless throttle.
My experience is primarily
with TouchCab (
www.touchcab. com), so that’s what I’ll be de- scribing here. However, there are other throttle applications available, including WiThrottle (
www.withrottle.com). Touch- Cab is available as a “free” app to let users test it. A paid version delivers extra features. Search
the app marketplace on your smart device to find TouchCab or other similar throttles. Just like any other software application, a throttle app has system requirements, which should be clearly spelled out on the app developer’s website. Be sure to check those require- ments before downloading the app. For example, TouchCab works only with certain Lenz, ESU, or Märklin DCC systems and runs exclusively on Apple touch-screen devices. Because I’ve been using Lenz since the late 1990s — and Apple prod- ucts even longer — TouchCab was a perfect fit for me. I started with the free version
of TouchCab, then quickly up- graded to the full-featured paid version. As with most apps, I can load it onto multiple devic-
WiFi THROTTLE
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