# model-railway-signalling

A DCC model railway signalling application written in Python, enabling automated and interlocked layout 
signalling schemes to be designed and configured via the UI without the need to write any code. The
application is primarily intended for the Raspberry Pi, but will also run on other platforms (albeit 
without some of the Raspberry-Pi specific interfacing functions). 

* Enables layout schematics to be created with signals, points, track sections and block instruments.
* Supports most types of UK colour light signals, semaphore signals, and ground signals.
* Interfaces with the Pi-SPROG DCC command station to drive the signals and points out on the layout.
* Uses the Raspberry Pi GPIO inputs to provide train detection in support of signalling automation.
* Incorporates MQTT networking to allow multiple signalling applications to be linked for larger layouts.
* Provides a [Public API](https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/blob/main/PUBLIC_API.md) 
to support custom layout control interfaces.

![Example Screenshot](https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/blob/main/README_screenshot2.png)

Configured / pre-installed systems are now available to purchase from:
[https://www.model-railway-signalling.co.uk/](https://www.model-railway-signalling.co.uk/)
The website also included a number of user guides that can be downloaded (in PDF format).

My youTube channel also has a number of videos demonstrating the use of the application:
[https://www.youtube.com/@DCCModelRailwaySignalling](https://www.youtube.com/@DCCModelRailwaySignalling)

## What's new for Release 4.4.0:

* Support for 'complex trackwork': single slips, double slips, scissor crossovers, trap points, Y-points and 3-way points 
can now be represented on the schematic and incorporated within your layout signalling scheme.
* The position of point control buttons can be 'tweaked' via the UI to de-conflict with other schematic objects
when developing complex and/or 'busy' track schematics

Bug reports and feedback is welcome and appreciated:
* What aspects are intuitive? What aspects aren't?
* What aspects do you particularly like?
* What aspects particularly irritate you?
* What new features would you like to see?

email: enquiries@model-railway-signalling.co.uk
(if reporting bugs then please attach the sig file, application logs and any relevant screenshots)

## Installing the application

For a first time installation use:
<pre>
$ python3 -m pip install model-railway-signals 
</pre>
When installing the application on later versions of python you may get the following error:
<pre>
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.

    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.

    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.

    See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.
</pre>
To overcome this, remove the 'EXTERNALLY-MANAGED' file from the default python installation and then re-attempt the install:
<pre>
$ sudo mv /usr/lib/python3.11/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED /usr/lib/python3.11/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED.old
$ python3 -m pip install model-railway-signals
</pre>
To upgrade to the latest version use:
<pre>
$ python3 -m pip install --upgrade model-railway-signals 
</pre>
If you want to use Block Instruments with full sound enabled (bell rings and telegraph key sounds)
then you will also need to install the 'simpleaudio' package. Note that for Windows it has a dependency 
on Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater (so you will need to ensure Visual Studio 2015 is installed first).
If 'simpleaudio' is not installed then the software will still function correctly (just without sound).
<pre>
$ python3 -m pip install simpleaudio
</pre>
Note that if you are running on a later version of Python you may need to install libasound2 before the simpleaudio pip install will work.
<pre>
$ sudo apt-get install libasound2-dev
</pre>

## Running the application

The python package should be run as a module (note underscores):
<pre>
$ python3 -m model_railway_signals
</pre>
If required, a layout schematic can be loaded at startup:
<pre>
$ python3 -m model_railway_signals -f layout_file.sig
</pre>
If required, the logging level can be specified at startup (ERROR, WARNING, INFO or DEBUG)
<pre>
$ python3 -m model_railway_signals -f layout_file.sig -l DEBUG
</pre>

Application documentation, can be found in the 'user_guide' folder: 
[https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/tree/main/user_guide](https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/tree/main/user_guide)

Some example layout configuration files can be found in the 'configuration_examples' folder:
[https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/tree/main/configuration_examples](https://github.com/johnrm174/model-railway-signalling/tree/main/configuration_examples)

My youTube channel also has a number of videos demonstrating the use of the application:
[https://www.youtube.com/@DCCModelRailwaySignalling](https://www.youtube.com/@DCCModelRailwaySignalling)

And finally, a top tip for running the application on the latest Debian Bookworm release which uses Wayland as the GUI backend
rather than X11 (which was the backend for previous Debian releases). I found that with Wayland, the Tkinter GUI performance
was terrible for some reason (not just my application - python/Tkinter performance in general) - and that was running on a
Raspberry Pi 5 which I would have expected to improve overall performance. Anyway, I found that the fix is to switch the GUI
backend of the Raspberry Pi back to X11 - performance of the user interface is now lightning quick!

To change the backend - Run "sudo raspi-config", select 'Advanced Options' then 'Wayland' and select X11.

An additional benifit was that some of the other applications I use (such as the kazam video capture software)
will now work as normal on the Raspberry Pi 5.
