New techniques are presented for providing proportional activation of
model railroad functions and effects with control keys on a model
railroad layout control system. This permits for example a throttle
device connected to a digital layout control system to provide for a
"playable" or variable-pitch whistle sound effect where prior art was
severely limited in providing this effect realistically. This invention
allows proportional keys with the added ability to control multiple
aspects of any effect and to latch proportional values at any state. This
invention also allows the expansion of the wireless and Internet
connection capabilities of the network of a layout control system so the
new proportional capabilities can be carried across these connections.