During the development of the automatic DCC train operation of my layout, we are using the following software. 

All the software runs on a PC with XP, and all of this software has been used successfully and reliably. 
 

This is a widely used software for the automatic operation of a layout. It requires the installation of DCC point control and block detection. 

It can be found here: 

http://www.freiwald.com/ 

This software

• won the highest award in a benchmark test of the five leading software programs for model railroad computer control.  Please read here further details.
   

• Successfully used by several thousand users in more than 40 countries all over the world.
   

• Allows adaptation to arbitrary model railroad layouts thanks to a flexible unit construction principle.
   

• Start without any background knowledge.
   

• No computer or programming skills required.
   

• Enjoy the convenience of the graphical user interface.
   

• Configuration of automatic operation is as easy as drawing of a track diagram
   

• Supports all leading digital systems.
   

• Operates up to 12 digital systems simultaneously.
   

• Controls locomotives with decoder as well as locomotives without own decoder (e.g. Z scale).
   

• All kind of feedback indicators, occupancy sensors or momentary track contacts can be used.
   

• Only one feedback contact per block required.
   

• Supports the train detection systems of all leading manufacturers.
   

• World-wide first model railroad control software with own handheld. 
   

• Runs on all 32-Bit Microsoft Windows systems beginning with Windows 98.
   

• Reliable and fast processing based on unique TrainTelligence™ technology, which allows for reliable processing of up to 1000 commands per second.
   

• Excellent customer service.
   

• Exchange your experiences with several thousand like-mided people in our users forum.
   

• Add realistic multi train/multi channel surround sound effects to the operation of your trains with +4DSound™.
   

• Run TrainController™ in a network of several computers with +Net™.

The key areas of functionality are:

• Smart Configuration of your Command station (DCS100 / Zephyr).  Easy to use settings window that allows you to make a change in a flash.
   

• Configuration of all BDL, PM, DS64 and SE devices connected to your Loconet.  The system stores your default settings for future reference and allows you to change the setting of any device instantly.  The screen shows the current settings of all devices side by side for easy reference.
   

• BDL/DS54/DS64/SE/SIGM10 Message viewer.  This window displays and counts all sensor and Transponding messages allowing you to see if any boards are not behaving correctly. The system reports how many messages were lost on interrogation.
   

• Manual sending of any Loconet Message (checksum automatically calculated)
   

• Background logging all Loconet traffic to disk.  This is useful when a problem has occurred with computer based control systems and you need to become the forensic detective.
   

• Smart Slot monitor that automatically synchronised with the Slot Manager. This monitors any problems with Slot Manager and Computer throttles. It shows also your consisted locomotives. Shows now in addition (if ALM used) the name of the locomotive & Id of the locomotive, the throttle name and the current transponding zone name. The slot monitor has the capability to stop or release all trains and also to allocate all trains defined in the ALM-Database (useful for transponding)
   

• Turnout checker allows you to check all your turnouts before you start a train session.
   

• ALM editor allows you to enter names for your locomotives and turnouts, which will be  used by the slot monitor
   

• Display of all CML board in the screen “HW-Configuration” with the basic data
   

• Display of the LocoIO-Modules in the screen “HW-Configuration” with the basic data
   

•  Display of SIGM10 SE-messages in the screen "BDL16x"
   

• Extra screen for displaying all loconet messages with filtering possibility
   

• Full support for the DCC pocket tester (http://www.dcctester.com), display loconet messages and DCC messages together, Filtering for DCC messages, saving of DCC messages, extra screen for statistic data

Modern DCC decoders are complicated beasts to program. The simple idea of "put the address in CV01" doesn't cope well when you program complicated functions using combinations of bit patterns. A friendlier interface is needed. There are programs that provide better ways of programming specific decoders. Unfortunately, they are limited to specific types of computers, and only their authors can customize them for new types of decoders.

The DecoderPro symbolic programmer is meant to improve this. It is configured using text files, so that it can be adapted to additional decoder types easily. It talks to the decoders using the JMRI programming interface, so that it can run on any computer and layout hardware that JMRI has been ported to. It's freely available for download. And since the code is available via open source, if you want to improve on it you can.

This software has been developed on an open Java platform by many experienced DCC users. It requires Java to be installed on the PC - this is free and download details are available on the DecoderPro web site.

To download DecoderPro go to - > http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

Highly recommended for programming locomotive (+ sound) and stationary decoders, and is being updated regularly, as new decoders are made available.

This is used when programming the CML product DTM30 used on the layout to manually control all of the stationary decoders, when RailRoad & Co is not in use. A simple program with a great user interface, making the programming of this board very simple. To download, see ->

http://www.cmlelectronics.co.uk/products/locoanalyse.htm