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Throttles

Tools

JMRI provides powerful tools for working with your layout.

Layout Automation

JMRI can be used to automate parts of your layout, from simply controlling a crossing gate to running trains in the background.

Advanced Throttle Control

Keyboard Control of the Standard Throttle

You can operate your JMRI Throttle from the keyboard in addition to using a mouse.
Throttles in current Window : Alt + left/right
Throttle Windows : Shift + left/right

You can operate the Throttle using your keyboard (the Control Panel in the Throttle Window has to be selected):

Speed

Numeric Keypad +
Increase Speed
Numeric Keypad -
Decrease Speed
Left Arrow
Increase Speed
Right Arrow
Decrease Speed
Page Up
Big Increase Speed (approximately 10% for each press of the key)
Page Down
Big Decrease Speed (approximately 10% for each press of the key)
Numeric Pad *
Idle (set speed to 0, any speed momentum is enabled)
Numeric Pad /
Emergency Stop! (instantly halts the locomotive)

Direction

Up Arrow
Reverse
Down Arrow
Forward

Functions

Numeric Keypad 0 - 9
Functions 0 to 9
Numeric Keypad .
Function 10
F11 - F24
Function 11 to Function 24

Custom Throttle with Jynstruments

Jynstruments are powerful tools for creating custom JMRI Throttles. There's much more information on creating and customizing them on a separate page. Here, we focus on using the customized Throttles.

Both Jynstruments provided below are for controlling already assigned Throttles, the Throttle pane you will control has to be set up before. Then it's only a matter of drag'n dropping a folder on the Throttle Window toolbar.

Note that Throttle Window content is Jynstrumentable too, so here we drop the Jynstruments on the toolbar itself, not on the window content.

USB Joypad (USBControl.jyn)

There is a Jynstrument named USBControl.jyn to be dropped on a Throttle Window toolbar to get control of that Window with a joypad. See the .py files for default button settings, and possible customizations.

Particularly you might want to define a "driver" file for your own device, start from default.py, copy it, rename it with the name of the device as seen by JMRI without any space or ".", then use the JMRI Jinput USB Input Control window (accessible from Debug menu) to get your Components names and value,

Note that a classic Jython file exists to take control of a Throttle Window with a USB device, this one is more complex but easier to use (imho).

Default controls:

Browsing throttles:
To browse through the currently assigned throttles for the controlled window, the pov right and left buttons are used (the pov, also known as switch hat, is the four or eight directions button on the left of the pad).
Speed:
Speed is controlled by axis "x" which usually is found on the left stick.
Note that buttons 0 to 3 (or 1 to 4) are assigned to some speed presets, from idle (speed 0), to slow (speed 0,3), to cruise (speed 0,8), to max (speed 1). A double tap on the button for speed 0 will send an emergency stop.
Direction:
Direction is controlled by axis "z" which usually is found on right left stick
Functions buttons:
All remaining buttons are dedicated to functions (usually the one left on the side, under, and in the middle of the gamepad)

Note that joypads buttons layout, and even sticks events differ from one manufacturer to another, hence you should customize a driver.py for your own hardware.

Nintendo Wiimote (WiimoteThrottle.jyn)

There is a Jynstrument named WiimoteThrottle.jyn to be dropped on a Throttle Window toolbar to get control of that Window with a Nintendo Wiimote device. See the .py file for default button settings and set up (some jars are to be downloaded and copied in JMRI lib folder).

At the moment, none of the accelerometers of the Wiimote are used, hence it's only a kind of deluxe remote as we only use the buttons. But it fits very well in one hand and once you know the settings, you don't even have to look at it to use it.

Default controls:

Browsing throttles:
To browse through the currently assigned throttles for the controlled window, the left and right buttons are used.
Speed:
Speed is controlled by buttons A (decelerate) and B (accelerate)
Note that buttons 1 and 2 are used for some speed presets, from idle (speed 0 - button 2 twice), to slow (speed 0,3 - button 2 once), to cruise (speed 0,8 - button 1 once), to max (speed 1 - button 1 twice). Pressing buttons 1 and 2 will send an emergency stop and vibrate the Wiimote.
Direction:
Direction is controlled by buttons + and -.
Functions buttons:
Light (function 0) is controlled by Home button.
And as there is no more buttons available, no other function can be controlled by default, but as this is a Jython script, feel free to customize, and if somebody is able to do something with the accelerometers, you're very welcome!

RailDriver

See the RailDriver Hardware Help.

iPhone and iPod Touch

There's a third-party application called WiThrottle that works with JMRI to let you control trains with your iPhone or iPod Touch.

You can also browse the JMRI webserver from Safari on your iPhone or iPod Touch.