If you want to connect to actual layout hardware, e.g. C/MRI or LocoNet or whatever, there really isn¡¯t a true distributed option. Most hardware systems have a single point of connection; some (like LocoNet) allow more connections, but don¡¯t make the complete state available that way. (OpenLCB was intended to be full distributed, but even that seems to have recently taken some steps toward localization)
But in the end, it¡¯s just a model railroad. There¡¯s not really a problem with having one machine connect to the layout and provide services to the rest.
So that¡¯s the approach that most people have taken: One primary layout computer which handles the main connection, and some number of web browsers (i.e. tablets) and/or full JMRI instances (i.e. RPis) talking to it and hence to the layout.
The size you¡¯re talking about below is not very hard for a JMRI instance on a real computer to keep up with. The remote RPs could work as web browsers or run JMRI to locally display the panels; that mostly depends on which you find simpler to set up and maintain.
Bob
On Jan 4, 2019, at 8:58 AM, mabooker76 <mabooker76@...> wrote:
We envisioned replacing 24 anodized push button/toggled real panels (heavily wired with tons of relay logic that no one understands anymore) with 6 or 7 'virtual panels' with mapping to the three large yards, 2 Engine service areas (for consisting, and loco roster), a couple displays in the operators' gallery (no walk around capability so something to show where trains are and virtual signals) and a two monitor dispatch area (the layout is 5k square feet - everything is at least 35 feet from everything else). We have dismantled the 10 'cabs' already - replaced with DCC throttles and plugins as well as wireless.
iPads are $250-$300 (Amazon) and cannot run java. A Pi ZW is $25 - touch screens $140ish, and can be embedded into the real panel - moving from the analog toggles/buttons to a virtual PanelPro screen as progress continues. A Pi ZW attached to a donated 40 inch HDMI with just a block detected and virtual signal panel seems to work for operators (but that is for output only).
There does not seem to be a lot of data on 'distributed JMRI', at least not what I can find in the blog?
--
Bob Jacobsen
rgj1927@...
Bob Jacobsen