Run your railroad
like it means something.
TrainDCS is desktop operations software built for serious model railroaders. Manage your fleet, run industry-based freight operations, and keep your layout running the way the prototype did.
Features
Everything your railroad needs.
Nothing it doesn't.
TrainDCS is purpose-built for model railroad operations — not adapted from generic project management software. Every feature was designed with how real operations sessions actually run.
Locomotive Roster
Catalog every locomotive in your fleet with road number, DCC address, decoder details, and service history. Find any engine in seconds.
Operations Engine
Build industries, assign car spots, and generate switch lists. Run prototypically realistic freight operations on every session.
Maintenance Logs
Track cleaning intervals, decoder adjustments, and service notes per locomotive. Never wonder when you last serviced your fleet.
Waybill System
Generate car forwarding instructions based on real industry assignments. Every car has a purpose, every move has a reason.
Clean, Dark UI
A native desktop experience that feels at home alongside your other professional tools. Built for extended sessions at the layout.
Multi-Platform
macOS and Windows support. Your data travels with you — whether at the layout or planning sessions away from home.
Live Network Data
TrainDCS
by the Numbers
Real model railroaders. Real fleets. A growing community managing their operations with TrainDCS.
Stats updated daily across all TrainDCS users
The App
Built for how you actually operate.
Locomotive Roster
Your entire fleet at a glance. Filter by road, decoder type, or last service date. Click any engine to pull up its full profile.
Operations Engine
The heart of
every session.
The industry and waybill system is what separates TrainDCS from a simple roster app. Real model railroad operations means every move has a purpose — cars going where they need to go, not just running in circles.
Define your industries
Map out every industry on your layout — sawmills, team tracks, fuel depots, grain elevators. Assign each one realistic car spots and commodity types.
Build your car fleet
Add your rolling stock with road, car number, and car type. TrainDCS tracks each car's current location and where it needs to go.
Generate a switch list
The operations engine creates a prototypically realistic session — cars that need to move, destinations, and the order to work them. Every session is different.
Run your railroad
Work the list, check off cars as you spot and pull them. End the session and TrainDCS updates every car's position for next time.
Switch List
Session #47 — Valley Branch
Staging → Apex Lumber — Spot 2
Grain Elevator → Team Track B
Team Track A → Staging
Fuel Depot → Engine House
Staging → Grain Elevator
Roadmap
Where we're headed.
TrainDCS is actively in development. Here's what's been built, what's in progress, and what's coming as the app matures.
- Locomotive roster with full profile management
- Industry-based operations with waybill & car forwarding
- Switch list generation with printable output
- Maintenance logging for locomotives and rolling stock
- WiFi throttle integration (WiThrottle protocol)
- Mobile companion app (iOS & Android)
- Club & crew mode with real-time sync
- Admin panel with broadcast announcements and usage stats
- Dispatcher view enhancements for club sessions
- Car scheduling with prototypical dwell time
- CTC dispatcher panel with visual track schematic
- DCC decoder programming (CV read/write)
- RFID hardware car tracking
- Session history and crew activity logs
- Custom club accent color theming
Early Access
Be the first to run it.
TrainDCS is in active development. Drop your email and you'll be the first to know when beta opens — no spam, just the launch announcement when it's ready.
Just your email. No spam, ever.