traintastic/manual/docs/en/quickstart/trains.md

Quick start: Add and control a train

In Traintastic, you don’t directly control locomotives. Instead, you control trains.

A train is a collection of vehicles (locomotives and wagons).

• A train should contain one or more locomotives.
• The same locomotive or wagon can belong to different trains, but it can only be active in one train at a time.
• To operate a train, you must activate it. Activation only succeeds if none of its locomotives or wagons are already active in another train.

This concept makes it easy to build and re-use different train compositions.

Step 1: Open the train list

1. Make sure you are in edit mode ( button in the top right).
2. Open the list in one of two ways:
   • From the main menu: Objects → Trains
   • Or click the Train icon on the toolbar.

The dialog has three tabs:

• Trains — define and manage your trains
• Rail vehicles — define and manage locomotives and wagons
• Throttle — list of active throttles controlling trains

Step 2: Create a locomotive

1. Switch to the Rail vehicles tab.
   
2. Click the button and choose Locomotive.
   
3. Enter the locomotive details:
   • Name — e.g. “BR 03” or “NS 2400”
   • Maximum speed — e.g. 80 km/h
4. Switch to the Decoder tab.
   
5. Enter the decoder details:
   • Interface - The interface that controls the locomotive, if there is only one interface configured it is set automatically.
   • Protocol – Decoder protocol (DCC, Motorola, MFX, etc.; depends on the interface).
   • Address - The locomotive address
   • Speed steps - Number of speed steps to use (depends on the interface/protocol)
6. Switch to the Functions tab.
   
7. Additional functions can be added using the button. Double-click a function to edit its details. Function details:
   • # — function number: F0, F1 etc. (just enter the number)
   • Function
   • Name — Short description of the function
   • Type
8. Close the locomotive dialog.

Step 3: Create a train

1. Switch back to the Trains tab.
2. Click the button to create a new train.
   
3. Enter a name for the train (e.g. “InterCity” or “Freight Train”).
4. Switch to the Vehicles tab.
   
5. Click and add your locomotive (and optionally wagons).
6. Close the train dialog.

The train is now defined but not yet active.

Step 4: Control the train

1. Switch to operate mode (toggle the button off).
2. Click the button on the main toolbar, this allows train movements.
3. Double click on the train in the list, this will open a throttle.
   
4. Click Acquire to activate the train and take control of speed and direction (see note below).
   
5. Use the slider to set the speed — your train is now running!

!!! info "Train control ownership" In Traintastic, only one throttle can control a train at a time.

- Clicking *Acquire* gives your throttle control of the train.
- Clicking *Release* hands control back so another throttle can use it.
- If a train is already controlled by another throttle, you can still take over by *stealing* control.

This strict ownership model prevents conflicts and ensures each train responds to a single operator.

*Emergency stop (E-Stop)* and *Functions (lights, sounds, etc.)* are always available **without ownership**.