Steve started with the C/MRI in 1996 and is the person that actually first suggest setting up the C/MRI User’s Group. Now he is one of the group’s most frequent contributors. His WP runs from Oakland to Salt Lake with branches to Reno, Turlock and Bieber, set in the late 60s. It’s a huge setup with 700 feet of main line sporting 9 passing sidings; all located in an 1800 square foot dedicated basement.
Steve and his crew use the C/MRI, in a combined parallel and serial approach, for signaling, dispatching and computer cab control. An IBEC parallel node serves the area near the dispatcher and two serial nodes cover the remote regions. The C/MRI interface, via the CTC panel and 36 I/O boards, controls all mainline turnouts and 100 trackside signals. Forty-five cab relay cards (CRCs) are used to implement the CCC option.
Steve says, “From the beginning it was apparent to me, and it still is, that the Chubb system is the best way to implement the Dispatcher’s board and all the associated lights, switches and signals. For train control I would most likely now go with DCC but at the time DCC was still under development and no radio control was available. I had radio control throttles with my DC so thought that as long as I had the C/MRI for signaling, why not add in the CCC option? I did and I’ve been running with CCC and radio control ever since.”
Steve feels it is very important for new users to be able to visit with those with considerable experience. That’s why he asked Dave Gibbons to start the C/MRI User’s Group. In conclusion Steve states, “The C/MRI system we have built for the WP continues to amaze me. I didn’t even have a computer when I started this project, so this has been quite an adventure! Thanks for the trip Bruce!”