DCCExpressNext

DCCExpressNext is a modern web-based model railway control and automation application.

It combines:

• a visual railway layout editor,
• live locomotive, turnout, signal, block and sensor control,
• route graph generation and route reservation,
• train task handling and basic automation,
• server-side scripting,
• support for simulator mode and external command centers.

The project is built with:

• React + TypeScript + Vite on the client,
• Node.js + Express + WebSocket on the server,
• shared TypeScript models in the common folder.

DCCExpressNext can run on any system where Node.js is available. This makes it suitable for desktop PCs, small home servers, Raspberry Pi style devices, and even Android tablets or phones running Termux.

Main Features

• Visual track layout editing
• Turnouts, signals, sensors, blocks and route elements
• Route graph generation from the layout
• Route reservation and release
• Train task manager
• Runtime route and transit visualization
• Fast clock support
• Server-side automation scripts
• Command center support:
  • Simulator
  • Z21
  • DCC-EX TCP
  • DCC-EX Serial

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Requirements

Before running the project, install a recent version of Node.js.

The npm command used below is normally included with Node.js installations.

Because the application is Node.js-based, it is not tied to a specific operating system. It can be installed on Windows, Linux, macOS, small server machines, and Android/Termux environments, as long as Node.js is available.

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Installation

Clone the repository, then install dependencies from the repository root:

npm install

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Development Mode

Development mode starts the backend and frontend separately.

1. Start the server

npm run dev:server

The server listens on:

http://localhost:3000

The WebSocket endpoint is:

ws://localhost:3000/ws

2. Start the client

Open another terminal and run:

npm run dev:client

The Vite development server listens on:

http://localhost:5173

Open the application in the browser:

http://localhost:5173

The frontend development server proxies the WebSocket connection and health check requests to the backend server automatically.

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Production Build

Build both the frontend and backend:

npm run build

After a successful build, start the production server:

npm start

Then open:

http://localhost:3000

In production mode, the Express server serves the built frontend, exposes /api/health, and hosts the /ws WebSocket endpoint.

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First Run with the Simulator

The easiest way to try DCCExpressNext is the built-in Simulator command center.

1. Open the application

Use either:

http://localhost:5173

in development mode, or:

http://localhost:3000

after a production build.

2. Open Command Center settings

Open the command center configuration dialog from the UI.

3. Select Simulator

Choose:

Simulator

as the command center type.

The simulator is useful for:

• testing layouts,
• trying route reservations,
• checking task execution,
• experimenting without real railway hardware.

4. Save the configuration

Save the command center settings.

5. Test the system

You can now:

• draw or load a layout,
• generate the route graph,
• reserve and release routes,
• create train tasks,
• test runtime block and transit visualization,
• try automation scripts.

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Typical Workflow

A common usage flow is:

1. Create or load a railway layout.
2. Add track sections, blocks, turnouts, sensors and signals.
3. Generate the route graph.
4. Configure a command center.
5. Use the Controller panel to reserve routes.
6. Create and start train tasks.
7. Watch runtime state changes directly on the layout.

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Notes

• Layout, locomotive, task, script and command center data are stored by the server in local project data files.
• The application uses WebSocket-based communication between the browser client and the Node.js server.
• Simulator mode is recommended for initial testing before connecting real hardware.
• The project is under active development, so some workflows and file formats may still evolve.

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Useful Commands

Install dependencies

npm install

Start development server

npm run dev:server

Start development client

npm run dev:client

Build everything

npm run build

Start production build

npm start